10 events that will make you smarter this month
If you’re hoping to boost your intellect or expand your world view, look no further than Boston. The Greater Boston area is home to more than 40 colleges and universities – including prestigious institutions like Harvard and MIT – and boasts some of the nation’s best and brightest doctors, writers, and scientists.
Knowledge is all around us–and we should take advantage of it. However, it can be daunting to scroll through a seemingly endless list of events to find the city’s best intellectual offerings. The goal of this list is to provide a more manageable calendar of lectures, workshops, and other programs designed to make you smarter.
Here are 10 events in October that will satiate the curious mind.
The Future of Happiness: How communication technologies will change our world—or not
An interdisciplinary group of professors from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Law School will hold a panel on the impact of communication technologies on health, happiness and well-being. They will also discuss future implications of these technologies on policy, practice and culture. (Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m.; Harvard Museum of Natural History; free; all ages)
An evening with Sarah Vowell
A best-selling nonfiction author and contributing editor for This American Life, Sarah Vowell will offer her humor and knowledge at the MIT Communications Forum. The discussion on what makes the past so funny and how historical research informs modern journalism will be moderated by the director of MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing, Seth Mnookin. (Fun fact: Vowell also voices Violet in the 2004 animated film The Incredibles and its upcoming sequel.) (Thursday, Oct. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Room 26–100, MIT; free; all ages)
Should humans be allowed to drive?
As self-driving cars become more sophisticated, society needs to establish rules and policies to encourage responsible use. Join this interactive forum to learn about the development of self-driving cars and help shape the regulation discussion for the city of Boston. (Wednesday, Oct. 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Museum of Science; free, registration requested; recommended for 11th grade and up)
Boston and its changing landscape walking tour
This 1.5-mile walking tour will examine the historic development of Boston’s changing landscape from Boston Common through downtown and the waterfront. The program concludes at Old North Church with a discussion of the historic North End neighborhood. (Thursday, Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.; Old North Church; $5, tickets here; all ages)
TEDxCambridge & TEDxBoston
Two TEDx conferences, independently organized TED events, are holding the next installments of the popular events this month. TEDxCambridge will cover a wide range of topics, from globalization to bioethics. TEDxBoston will focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning. In-person attendance for the latter is by invitation only, but the event will be live-streamed for free on TEDxBoston.org. (Cambridge: Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m., Boston Opera House, $40+, all ages; Boston: Monday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m.)
Getting to the point with Katy Tur
NBC News Correspondent Katy Tur had a close-up view of the historic 2016 presidential campaign. She will speak with Robin Young, co-host of NPR’s Here & Now, on her road to journalism and the future of political reporting. A signing for Tur’s new book Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History will follow. (Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m.; Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate; free general admission or $35 premium tickets for the book, guaranteed seating, and priority access for the book signing; all ages)
Scott Kelly presents Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery
Scott Kelly, the record-breaking astronaut who spent a year aboard the International Space Station, is visiting Harvard Book Store to talk about his new memoir. Kelly will be joined in conversation with Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Miles O’Brien. (Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.; Back Bay Events Center; $20 admission or $36 with pre-signed book; all ages)
Crazy weather and the Arctic meltdown: How are they connected?
If you’re wondering why the weather has been so crazy lately, you’re not alone. Dr. Jennifer Francis, a research professor at the Rutgers University Dept. of Marine and Coastal Sciences, will explain new research linking increasing extreme weather with the rapidly warming Arctic. (Thursday, Oct. 19 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Simons IMAX Theatre New England Aquarium; free, registration requested; all ages)
Boston Lit Crawl 2017
On the eve of the Boston Book Festival, Boston Literary District is hosting the 2nd Annual Boston Lit Crawl to celebrate the city’s literary past, present and future. The “moveable feast” will feature unique performances and literary events along Newbury Street. Most events will offer beer and wine. You can follow the Facebook page for updates. (Thursday, Oct. 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; various locations along Newbury Street; free; all ages)
The Big Book of Rogues and Villains
Can’t get enough of book trivia? Award-winning editor Otto Penzler is talking on Halloween about his new anthology, which compiles the most cunning, ruthless and brilliant criminals in mystery fiction. (Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.; Boston Athenaeum; members free, non-members free with $10 admission for 13+; all ages)
