This group explores topics in science and technology not typically encountered in our daily lives. For the Fall/Winter of 2025-26 meetings we consider five books from different fields with an underlying theme focused on ‘how randomness shapes our world.’  The first book by Sean B. Carroll describes how accidents and random events impacted the evolution of life on earth. Next, Venki Ramakrishnan leads us through the biology of aging and death and the impact of uncertainty. Continuing with biology, Nicole C Rust shows how randomness informs complexity in neuroscience and its use in developing effective treatments for neurological diseases. Our fourth selection is by Daniel C. Dennett who takes on the evolution of mental capacity as we  progress from biology of the brain to mind, consciousness and culture. Finally, Kahneman, Sibony, and Sunstein show us how “noise” in and around our minds influences human judgement.

Led by Maurice Lanman and Laurie Calvet.

• A Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You by Sean B. Carroll  
• Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality by Venki Ramakrishnan
• Elusive Cures: Why Neuroscience Hasn’t Solved Brain Disorders by Nicole C. Rust
• From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds (Reprint Edition) by Daniel C. Dennett
• Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein

• 30 September
• 4 November
• 9 December
• 20 January
• 24 February