Nature's Revenge

Time: 5:00pm

Location: Rainey Auditorium, Penn Museum, 3260 South Street

Are natural disasters really all that natural? Not so long ago, enlightened opinion viewed them as "acts of God," beyond human control. Today we increasingly see them as falling within the sphere of our own obligations and responsibilities. Renowned historian of science Lorraine Daston discusses this shift from the idea of an all-powerful Mother Nature to that of nature as a vulnerable child needing human protection and nurture, but still capable when injured, of exacting terrible revenge.