Are We Alone?
A Scientific Look at Life Beyond Earth

By
Dr. Bing Chen

The Estes Valley Astronomical Society is offering a free public open house and lecture on Saturday, July 25^th, starting at 7 pm at the Estes Park Memorial Observatory.  The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes Valley

Artist rendering of LHS 475 b, an Earth-sized exoplanet recently identified using the James Webb Space Telescope. This was the first planet of its size detected by the JWST.
Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Leah Hustak (STScI).

The Estes Valley Astronomical Society invites the community to a fascinating scientific exploration of this timeless question, guided by the latest discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope. The presentation will trace the history of the search for life, revisit the famous Drake Equation, and examine promising worlds close to home—including the intriguing moons of Jupiter and Saturn—as well as newly discovered exoplanets and their potential moons. We’ll also consider whether life could exist in forms very different from our own, including possibilities beyond carbon‑based biology. Join us for an engaging, science‑driven look at one of humanity’s greatest mysteries.

Dr. Bing Chen
Professor, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Our speaker is Dr. Bing Chen, a professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Nebraska, specializing in advanced sensor systems, intelligent signal processing, and computational techniques used in modern astronomical research. His interdisciplinary work connects engineering innovation with astrophysical discovery, including technologies that support the search for life beyond Earth. Dr. Chen is an experienced lecturer and a strong advocate for STEM education, bringing complex scientific ideas to the public in a clear and engaging way

The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot between the high school and the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm, and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm.  The presentation, including a question-and-answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through our 16-inch dome telescope at various celestial objects.