ECS lecturer explores new understanding of evolution

Dr Richard Watson of ECS will explore the field of artificial life at the University's next Science Cafe event on Thursday 17 July.

Dr Watson will consider the area of artificial life which studies the evolution of artificial creature in computer models, and compare these simulations with our current understanding of evolution. His talk 'What we still don't know about evolution' will be followed by a question-and-answer session and an informal discussion of the issues.

The event takes place from 7pm to 8.45pm on Thursday 17 July at the Soul Cellar, 78 West Marlands Road, Southampton.

Richard comments: 'I will show some examples of artificial evolution simulations and artificial life creatures, and also illustrate current shortcomings in our understanding of how evolution works.

'I will also talk about the kind of mechanisms that my team in ECS has been working on to develop a more complete theory of evolution.'

Dr Watson is part of the ECS SENSe group (Science and Engineering of Natural Systems) which is next month hosting the first Artificial Life conference to be held in Europe. The event takes place in Winchester between 5 and 8 August.

The University's Science Café aims to show how science influences our modern world. The monthly events consist of short half-hour talks by world-leading scientists on their cutting-edge scientific research, followed by a question and answer session and a discussion of the science presented and its impact, in an informal and friendly atmosphere. The Science Café is free and no booking is necessary.