A joint NASA/Library of Congress symposium held today in Washington DC asked: Will human civilization on Earth be imperiled, or enhanced, by our own world-changing technologies? Will our technological abilities threaten our survival as a species, or even threaten the Earth as a whole, or will we come to live comfortably with these new powers? I wasn't able to listen to the webcast discussion, so I'm keen to see any forthcoming coverage in the blogosphere or mainstream media. The assembled panels seem to have explored themes at the center of a larger debate on Anthropocene era. For another perspective on science's impact on civilization, head over to Slate's terrific special series on human longevity by Laura Helmuth.
