Gil Buller, volunteer and presenter for the Fiske Planetarium show “Live Star Talk: Astronomical Star of Bethlehem” stands in front of an image of outer space. (Photo courtesy of Fiske Planetarium)

Join in, drop in or stop by for these special holiday campus events this winter season. CU-Boulder is offering talks, events and workshops that are the perfect way for students to experience campus life together with family, friends and children.

Scientists and those interested in space will enjoy the talk, “Martian Habitability” given by Associate Professor Bruce Jakosky from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). Jakosky will talk about the possibility and potential for life on Mars. He will also discuss how the Red Planet is being extensively studied by robotic spacecrafts. The event is free and open to the public and will be held in the Boulder Public Library today, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.

Economic minded friends and family will enjoy hearing editor-in-chief and Chairman of Forbes magazine Steve Forbes’ talk “Money Makes the World Go Round.” Forbes will examine American consumer culture and how consumer cultures compare around the world. The talk will be held today, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Macky Auditorium. Tickets are $1 for students and $10 for the public and can be purchased at the Connection in the UMC, King Soopers locations or online at TicketsWest.

Families and children looking to explore the holidays in a unique way can check out the “Live Star Talk: Astronomical Star of Bethlehem” event at the Fiske Planetarium. Presenter and Fiske volunteer Gil Buller will combine history, science, religion and myth in an engaging presentation examining the star of Bethlehem. He has been giving the talk seasonally since 2005.

The talk is appropriate for all ages. “I invite children, young and old, to take a whimsical track and consider the planetarium as a way to time travel,” he said. The presentation is interactive and incorporates the CU clicker technology. “It allows the audience to participate and share how much they understand. Right away we can see a histogram on the screen,” Buller said. The study of the star of Bethlehem from a variety of different historical, religious, scientific and cultural angles makes the event “wild fun” for everyone. The talk will be held at the Fiske Planetarium on Dec. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and on Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Doors open a half hour before all shows.

Philosophers and health buffs will enjoy "What is Aging Anyway?" a talk by Dr. Thomas Johnson, professor, Department of Integrative Physiology and Institute for Behavioral Genetics. His talk will examine and expand on current notions of aging and what it means for the human body's physiology. The talk will be held on Dec. 11 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Ramaley Biology Building, C250.

With these and more events to choose from CU students will have many options for treating themselves and out of town guests to engaging events. The only hard part will be selecting which events to attend. For more information on campus events visit the official CU-Boulder Events Calendar.

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