Put your dark matter savvy to the test at SURF’s virtual Dark Matter Day event

Graphic with photos of LZ dark matter researchers and detector components with the text "Deep Talks: Are you smarter than a dark matter physicist?"

Graphic by Adam Gomez 

 

LEAD, SD— Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) invites the public to our virtual event, “Deep Talks: Are you smarter than a dark matter physicist?” on Thursday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 7 p.m. MT.

At SURF’s gameshow-themed event, we’ll quiz our audience about dark matter and the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment. Once the audience poll closes, dark matter physicist Markus Horn will reveal his answers and give brief explanations. From nerds to novices, all are welcome—Horn’s explanations will be geared toward a curious general-public audience.

Horn earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany, while working on a dark matter experiment beneath the French-Italian Alps. He then continued the search with ZEPLIN and LUX—two precursors of the LZ experiment—at underground labs in the United Kingdom and at SURF.

 

Markus Horn, SURF research scientist at SURF and member of the LZ dark matter experiment, will speak at SURF's upcoming event, "Deep Talks: Are you smarter than a dark matter physicist?" Photo by Matthew Kapust">

 

In 2016, Horn became a research scientist at SURF, where he supports researchers studying physics, biology, geology and engineering deep underground. As a member of the LZ dark matter experiment, Horn is now helping construct a world-leading dark matter experiment, which will begin its search for dark matter this year.

“As a fan of quiz-shows myself, I’m very excited to have questions just about my field of expertise and to test the SURF-community on their knowledge of the science we do at SURF,” Horn said.

Attendees can join this free event via Zoom webinar to answer polls and submit questions for speakers or watch live on SURF’s Facebook page. Webinar space is limited; early registration is encouraged.

View full event information and register for the Zoom webinar on SURF’s website.

Sponsored by the Interactions Collaboration, an international community of particle physics communication specialists, Dark Matter Day celebrates the work being done in laboratories and institutions around the world, and shares what we do know about this cosmic puzzle with audiences worldwide. With the ongoing pandemic, Dark Matter Day is going virtual, making every event accessible to a worldwide audience. To explore the many opportunities to participate, visit the Dark Matter Day website. 

This event is part of SURF’s Deep Talks lecture series, a monthly series ushering scientific discussions into the public sphere. In the 2021-2022 season, Deep Talks will bring voices from the international scientific community to your home through our virtual format. The Deep Talks lecture series is sponsored by Chuck and Jolene Lichtenwalner, Crow Peak Brewing Company, RCS Construction and Northern Hills Federal Credit Union. 

SURF is operated by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) with funding from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Our mission is to advance world class science and inspire learning across generations. Visit Sanford Lab at www.SanfordLab.org.

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