Paleontology
Far More Than Just New Fossil Discoveries

Roy E Plotnick
Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois Chicago


Sunday, June 21, 2026
2:30 PM PACIFIC TIME


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https://livepresentation.link/JUN

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Paleontology
Far More Than Just New Fossil Discoveries

Paleontology is one of the most popular yet most misunderstood fields of science. Paleontologists are assumed only to be interested in dinosaurs and are imagined as bearded white men in battered cowboy hats, with hammers and whisk brooms. Instead, paleontologists are a markedly diverse group of scientists who use cutting-edge methods. Headlines over exciting new fossils grossly underestimate the true importance of paleontology. Its real significance lies in how such discoveries illuminate the grand history of life on Earth.

From its beginnings more than three billion years ago to the present day, fossils record how life adapted or perished in the face of major environmental challenges. Paleontologists know that understanding life’s past is critical to anticipating and adapting to life’s and humanity’s futures. Paleontology is vital because it brings its unique and critical perspective to current challenges in climate change, biodiversity loss, and the environment.


Roy Plotnick is an invertebrate paleontologist at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he joined the faculty in 1982, and is currently Professor Emeritus. He is a Research Associate at the Field Museum. Plotnick is a Fellow of both the Geological Society of America and the Paleontological Society and was an Edward P. Bass Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Yale University. He is the author of Explorers of Deep Time: Paleontologists and the History of Life (2022, Columbia University Press). His degrees include an A.B. from Columbia University, 1976; an M.S. from the University of Rochester, 1978; and a PhD from the University of Chicago, 1983.




Medical AI
Examples, Opportunities, and Cautionary Tales

Dr. Daniel John Doyle


Sunday, July 19, 2026
2:30 PM PACIFIC TIME

********************************************^^^^^^************
This is a Zoom meeting.
Please register:


https://livepresentation.link/JULY

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Medical AI
Examples, Opportunities, and Cautionary Tales


This talk is an exploration of the state of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of medicine aimed at the intelligent public. By highlighting real-world examples, discussing potential opportunities, and examining cautionary tales, the talk aims to provide a balanced perspective on the role of AI in healthcare. The presentation will introduce the audience to the types of AI and its applications in medicine and showcase notable examples where AI has already demonstrated its value, such as in medical imaging interpretation, early disease detection, precision medicine, and robotic surgery. Through these examples, attendees will witness the potential transformative power of AI in improving patient outcomes, enhancing diagnostics, and optimizing treatment plans.


Dr. Daniel John Doyle is a Professor Emeritus at Case Western Reserve University. Trained as an electrical engineer and an anesthesiologist, he holds M.D., Ph.D., and D.Phil. degrees and has edited or written several books, the latest being What Does It Mean to be Human? Life, Death, Personhood and the Transhumanist Movement.

The Mummy as Monster:
Unraveling a Pop Culture Icon

In the 19th century, deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs left a wake proliferating with myths, curses, and kitsch that infected generations with Egyptomania. The search for knowledge simultaneously fueled elaborate fantasies — some of which soon turned into ghoulish horror. The Mummy, a pop culture icon, was born by appropriating Egyptian cultural imagery and blending it with Victorian Gothic. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 fueled the flames as the legend of the mummy’s curse was deemed death on swift wings for those who opened the tomb. Boris Karloff brought such nightmares to the silver screen, establishing a franchise that continues to (mis)influence generations of viewers.
This talk begins to unravel the threads of this cultural phenomenon from its ancient inspirations to its sci-fi origins, from pulp fiction to blockbuster releases.


Foy Scalf works at the intersection of higher education, museums, libraries, digital humanities, and scholarship. As a nonprofit professional and librarian, he has managed the premiere library for the ancient world as Head of the Research Archives at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures of the University of Chicago. As a scholar and research associate, he has published widely on ancient Egypt, making contributions to the understanding of its intellectual culture, textual transmission, and history of the book. He received his PhD in Egyptology with honors from UChicago.

Overthinking and High IQ

Your own experiences are central to this workshop. You also get the space to ask questions and help answer each other's questions. Because together we think better than alone!
The workshop wll last approximatel 90 - 100 mins.


Overthinking and Giftedness: causes and how to handle
Do you recognise anything from this list in yourself?
  • ou constantly gather extra information, but do not get around to taking action as much as you would like.
  • You analyse a lot, but it prevents you from deciding and/or acting
  • You see so many advantages and disadvantages that you lose yourself in them.
  • You are very critical and quick to see the mistakes others make.
  • You are more preoccupied with the future and the past than you would like.
  • You have trouble concentrating, because your thoughts are all over the place.
  • You try to control the outcomes of something, e.g. through perfectionism.
  • Your thoughts never stop and you feel tense, insecure, restless or stressed.
  • Creativity and outside-the-box thinking are sometimes difficult, because your mind is focused on “inside the box”.
  • Thinking (a lot) keeps you from sleeping, affects your relationship with others, and/or gets in the way of your satisfaction.
  • You wish all that thinking were a little less, but without setting your mind to zero.

These are all signs of excessive thinking (“overthinking”). Many gifted people suffer from overthinking. There are a variety of reasons and causes for this. Let me mention three that you may be familiar with:
  • What you want to do is new to you; you feel you have to think everything out first.
  • To you, a lot depends on having success, or rather the judgement of others; you want to exclude all possible interference factors.
  • Thinking and studying takes less effort than actually doing it.

But do you know about the roles of the Amygdala and the Default Mode Network?

Emotional drivers
Our thinking may seem ruled by our intellect, but the emotional drivers are at least as influential. And then there are these brain centers and brain functions that we seem not to be able to ‘govern’. Overthinking is often an expression of a certain anticipated anxiety. We can change our thinking habits only when that anxiety subsides. In this online workshop we will start to learn how to calm our minds. (This is applicable to many areas of life.) Surprisingly, this can (permanently) increase our clarity and decisiveness. Less thinking, but clearer. This takes practice, and I'll introduce you to that too.


Ton Bil works as a coach, therapist and public speaker. His workshops and coaching are grounded in his studies of Social and Organizational Psychology, combined with 40+ years of experience in various roles and industries. He continues to draw insights from the significant overlap between Buddhist psychology and (Western) neuropsychology.

He lives in a natural reserve in Southern France, yet he is a member of Mensa The Netherlands, his country of birth (1962).

Promoting Your Book

In September, Vance spoke about three paths to publishing your book. However, once your book is published, whether you are signed to a book deal with a major publisher or self-publish, promoting and marketing your book will largely be your responsibility. Here, he will provide an introduction to how books are promoted, the resources available to promote your book, and how to avoid being scammed.


Vance Mitchell Gloster had a career as a computer scientist before turning to writing full-time. He worked for several leading technology firms, developing artificial intelligence and encryption software, as well as a massive email system. He is also a musician, having played keyboards on progressive rock albums with the bands Gekko Projekt and Bomber Goggles, as well as scoring a movie. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Kathy, and their dog, Cali, where the human family members enjoy riding recumbent bicycles.