Lecture

SG - Space Ecology and Post-Planetary Poiesis: Inoculating the Cosmos with Life

Once life is enclosed in a system, the stability and reliability of that system become crucial for survival. How do you make sure that stability is maintained as soon as the airlock of, say, a spaceship is sealed?

Organised by Studium Generale
Date

Tue 8 June 2021 20:00

Venue Impulse, building number 115
Stippeneng 2
115
6708 WE Wageningen
+31 (0) 317 - 482828

Space Ecology and Post-Planetary Poiesis: Inoculating the Cosmos with Life

Are we – humans – even capable of controlling and predicting a closed ecosystem, or should we take a radically different stance towards the system as soon as we intend to become its inhabitants? Tonight, artist and space systems researcher Angelo Vermeulen joins us via a livestream and guides us through the astonishing history of space ecology.

Drawing both from his research and the artistic projects of the SEADS collective, Angelo shows how the recognition of the agency of a life supporting system and a post-planetary perspective on life are decisive for our future in space, and on Earth.

About series ‘Biodomes and Spomes. What Do Closed Ecosystems Teach Us About Life on Earth?’

Imagine inhabiting a massive mason jar; substantially closed with respect to matter, but open to energy. What are the preconditions for life to thrive within such a closed ecosystem for an indefinite amount of time? And what role do we play in regulating these systems from both the outside and inside? Fasten your seatbelts, for in this series we travel through biodomes and spomes to unravel what closed ecosystems teach us about life within the largest known space home – planet Earth.

About Angelo Vermeulen

Angelo Vermeulen
Angelo Vermeulen

Biologist, community organizer, artist, futurist, space systems researcher, and HI-SEAS crew commander – it’s hard to categorize Angelo Vermeulen. Conjoining nature and technology, the tech pioneer blends rationality and intuition in order to explore innovative and speculative ways of shaping the future. He works at Delft University of Technology, where he develops bio-inspired concepts for interstellar exploration, and is co-founder of the cross-cultural and transdisciplinary SEADS (Space Ecologies Art and Design) collective.

Registration Instructions

Registration for Live Attendance in Impulse (on-campus):

  • Seating is limited due to the live in person maximum admittance for this venue. Priority is given to WUR students.
  • To register for a single seat at this activity send an email to info.sg@wur.nl. It is not possible to register for someone else. Subject: Seat registration + Title and date of the event.
  • You will receive an email at the latest in the lunch hour on the day of the event confirming your admittance to the live event and giving you further instructions and essential information. Know that your registration is not transferable. Should you develop symptoms or encounter circumstances requiring your cancellation, please send an email to info.sg@wur.nl preferably before 16.00 on the day of the event, so we can give your seat to someone on the waiting list.

Registration for the Livestream:
If you wish to follow this event online via the livestream (MS Teams meeting), please register via info.sg@wur.nl. Subject title: Livestream + Title and date of the event. The livestream is directly accessible for WUR-account holders.