Popular Lectures in May

The Popular Lectures series from Popular Mechanics magazine will be held at DI Telegraph on May 14, 21 and 27, with each lecture starting at 7:30 p.m. DI Telegraph is located at Tverskaya Blvd. 7, with the entrance from Gazetny Pereulok, next door to the Kruzhka Café. Admission is 350 rubles and tickets will go on sale just before each lecture.

On May 14, molecular biologist Nadezhda Antipova will look at whether alternative medicine is effective. Can we put faith in such treatments as leeches, acupuncture, Ayurveda or aromatherapy? Is it true that homeopathic drugs are no more effective than placebos? How has Ayurveda influenced the development of European medicine? Are such methods applicable to modern lifestyles? How does traditional medicine explain the therapeutic effects of the above-listed practices, and are all of these alternative forms of treatment really safe?

On May 21, psychologist Ilya Pluzhnikov answers the question: “Modern fears: Should we try to overcome them?" What is fear? Does the fear of change protect us or hamper us? What are the origins of the fear of flying, of cramped spaces, darkness and sharks? How does fear affect our psyche and health?

On May 27, astrophysicist Sergei Popov will explain the search for exoplanets. Why is it that even though people have believed since ancient times that our solar system is not unique, they were unable to discover what we now call exoplanets — bodies orbiting other stars? How many exoplanets have already been discovered? Are any of them similar to Earth? How will scientists search for signs of life on those distant objects?

Learn more details at popmech.ru.