Paul Simon is special guest at Duke biodiversity event

Biologists E.O. Wilson and Thomas Lovejoy, two of the most influential and widely cited scientists of our time, are among the speakers slated to take part in Biodiversity Days in Durham. Wilson will present the event's keynote address, "Half-Earth: How to Save the Natural World," at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at the Carolina Theater.

Posted 6:35 p.m. Feb 28, 2017 — Updated 6:35 p.m. Feb 28, 2017

DURHAM, N.C. — Biologists E.O. Wilson and Thomas Lovejoy, two of the most influential and widely cited scientists of our time, are among the speakers slated to take part in Biodiversity Days, a two-day series of public talks, Thursday and Friday, at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and the Carolina Theater in downtown Durham.

The theme of this year’s talks is “Half-Earth” – reflecting Wilson’s urgent call for humans to set aside half of Earth’s surface as protected landscapes to ensure the survival of the 10 million other species that share the planet with us.

Wilson will present the event’s keynote address, “Half-Earth: How to Save the Natural World,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Carolina Theater.

Joining him in a panel discussion will be Lovejoy of George Mason University, John Seager of Population Connections, and Louie Psihoyos of the Oceanic Preservation Society. Singer Paul Simon will also make a special appearance.

Tickets for this event are available through the Carolina Theatre at (919) 560-3030, www.carolinatheatre.org or by stopping by the theater’s box office in person.

Other highlights of Biodiversity Days:

“Uprooted and On the Move,” a free public talk at 9 a.m. Friday by award-winning columnist Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times. Friedman’s talk, which does not require advance tickets, will be at Field Auditorium in Duke’s Environment Hall, 9 Circuit Drive. Wilson will join him for a discussion following the talk.

“Using Art to Scale Social Change,” a free public film event at 12 p.m. Friday with Academy Award-winning documentary film director Louis Psihoyos. This film event does not require advance tickets, and will be at Love Auditorium in Duke’s Levine Science Research Center, 308 Research Drive.

“Window on Eternity,” a free public talk at 3:30 p.m. Friday by humanitarian and prolific philanthropist Greg Carr, who has worked for the past 20 years to restore Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. No advance tickets are required. Carr’s talk will be in Field Auditorium.

“Forging Global Cooperation to Save the Biosphere,” a free public talk at 4:30 p.m. Friday by economist and senior United Nations advisor on sustainable development Jeffrey D. Sachs. No advance tickets are required. Sachs’ talk will be in Field Auditorium. A reception and book signing by E.O. Wilson will immediately follow.

Biodiversity Days events are sponsored by the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, the Half-Earth Project, The Nature Conservancy, Discover Life in America, NatureServe, Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

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