Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum News:
Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum 2025 Summer Lecture Series Presents ‘Is Earth Exceptional? A Journey Through the Cosmos in Search of Life’ by Charles “Chick” Keller and Joyce Guzik, Tuesday July 15 at the Los Alamos Unitarian Church.
A light meal will be served at 6 p.m. with the lecture to follow beginning at 6:30 p.m. The presentation will be recorded and streamed to the ZOOM address given at the website: https://losalamosfaithandscienceforum.org
Is Earth a rare jewel in the vast expanse of the cosmos; or one of many life-bearing worlds? In this talk, Chick Keller and Joyce Guzik explore this question from the perspectives of planetary science and modern astrophysical discovery, drawing from the recent book: Is Earth Exceptional? by Mario Livio and Jack Szostak.
Chick Keller begins by examining the unique conditions that allowed life to flourish on Earth, and why neighboring planets like Venus and Mars fell short. What role did solar system formation, plate tectonics, and planetary environments play in shaping Earth’s habitability? If intelligent life arises, can it endure, or is it inevitably fleeting on cosmic timescales?
In the second half, Joyce Guzik turns to the stars, exploring the explosion of exoplanet discoveries over the past two decades. What are the prospects for detecting life on planets orbiting other stars? How might we recognize signs of biology—or even technology—from afar? Guzik will also touch on current and future observational efforts, including the James Webb Space Telescope and proposed space missions.
Dr. Charles F. “Chick” Keller
Dr. Charles F. “Chick” Keller entered Catholic seminary after High School. After four years of philosophy and theology he became concerned that most theologians didn’t understand science. In 1969, he received a PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Indiana University. Chick’s work at Los Alamos National Laboratory included a variety of computer-based studies, including climate change. He eventually became the Los Alamos director of the Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics. Chick helped found PEEC and is acknowledged as one of the “Living Treasures” of Los Alamos. His interest in the intersection between faith and science led him to be a founding member of the Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum where he has presented numerous talks over 10 years. He is a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.
Dr. Joyce A. Guzik
Dr. Joyce A. Guzik is a Laboratory Fellow in the Applied Theoretical Physics (X) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where she has worked for over 35 years. Her research has spanned nuclear weapons science, global security, and astrophysics, including contributions to nuclear forensics and stellar evolution and pulsation modeling. She holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Physics, Math, and Russian Studies from Cornell College, Iowa, and a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Iowa State University. During the last 18 years she has collaborated on projects using data from NASA’s Kepler and TESS spacecraft. These space missions have discovered thousands of planets orbiting other stars. A long-time member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Los Alamos, Guzik has engaged in adult theological education and has participated in programs exploring the intersection of science and faith.
