"Einstein's Outrageous Legacy" Topic at Caltech Luncheon

PASADENA— Black holes and the quest to understand them will be the focus of a talk, "Einstein's Outrageous Legacy," by Caltech astrophysicist Kip S. Thorne at the annual Friends of Caltech Libraries (FOCAL) spring luncheon Thursday, April 6, at 12 noon in the Athenaeum on the Caltech campus. The lecture is open to the public.

Thorne, Caltech's Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, is author of the book, Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy, and has been deeply involved in the struggle to solve the riddles of black holes--possibly the most mysterious objects in the universe. His book earned him a Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science for outstanding contributions to the literature of science. In it, he combines history and suspense as he focuses on the people and conflicts, as well as the science, involved in the discovery process.

Thorne, a Pasadena resident, will autograph copies of his book during an ll:30 a.m. reception on the Athenaeum East Patio. Reservations are available through Gloria Thomas, 818/395-6411, at a cost of $26, or $22 for FOCAL members, and are due by March 31. FOCAL supports Caltech Libraries special book collections.

Contact: Winifred Veronda or Barbara Huff-Duff (818) 799-5010 (818) 395-4048