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This talk focuses on understanding the Stars, the science behind planet searches, and the search for life in not only our Solar System, but around other stars. We start off by seeing how life on Earth was seeded with the building blocks of life while on its own generating them through natural processes.
Next, we venture into the Solar System to explore places where we have found water, necessary for life as we know it, and see what the latest science tells us. We then leap to the stars, and look at the different types of stars, discovering which stars can support planets and possibly life. Then we explore the planet hunting capabilities we have honed over the years and follow up with a discussion of the latest exoplanet finds and discuss our future prospects as well as some puzzling finds such as Tabby’s Star.
Marc D’Antonio has a degree in Astronomy and is the Mutual UFO Network’s (MUFON) Chief Photo/Video Analyst. He is CEO of FX Models, a model making and special effects company specializing in digital/physical models, and organic special effects in the film industry. He has an extensive work history in the Film and Television arena appearing regularly on a number of networks. His efforts creating UFOTOG2, a remote ufo detection system with Academy Award winner Douglas Trumbull promises to bring ufology into the 21st Century.
TV and Film Industry: Marc appears on a number of networks including CNN, Discovery, Sci-Fi, History, National Geographic, and Science channels, performing on-camera work in his role as a UFO investigator, scientific principle presenter, and photo/video analyst. In addition to such roles he also creates visual effects props, directs visual effects shots, and creates computer generated imagery (CGI) for productions.
Marc appears regularly on NASA’s Unexplained Files seen on Discovery Channel creating science demos and offering discussion and opinion on the scientific search for Life in the Universe. In addition, he also appears regularly on the series “What On Earth” seeking answers to perplexing Earth mysteries brought to us via Earth orbiting satellites.
Currently Marc and FX Models have teamed up with Academy Award winning producer and director Douglas Trumbull to create major science fiction films and television series’ that explore human kind’s place in the Universe. He has been performing for live audiences since the age of 12, and states that the TV and Film industry are far more forgiving than a live audience when things go wrong!
UFO Arena: Besides his MUFON duties, Marc delivers many presentations around the country at some of the largest UFO conferences including several Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Symposiums and International UFO Congress conferences appearing as a speaker.
Marc has also put together a team of top US scientists who are working together with UFOTOG Pioneer Douglas Trumbull to create high end autonomous ground units to search for evidence of extraterrestrial presence potentially using crowd-sourcing methodologies.
Currently authoring a book, Marc has taken his Astronomy focus on Exoplanets and put it to print. Tentatively titled “The Populated Universe” the book explores the scientific search for extraterrestrial life and makes the case for what he believes is the predisposition of the Universe to the creation of the building blocks of life and perhaps life itself.
In support of the quest for extraterrestrial life, Marc originated and operates the SkyTour LiveStream from the John Zack Memorial Observatory located currently in CT. This live broadcast on clear nights brings the wonders of the Universe to people worldwide and viewers and live participants are taught about the origins of the stars, Earth, and planets and learn about Exoplanet science.
Background: Marc’s degree is in Astronomy, and he has spent decades capturing hundreds of thousands of images of many kinds of sky phenomena using a diverse range of photographic gear ranging from small cameras and backyard telescopes to large multi-million dollar professional telescopes in large research observatories.
Marc operates the John Zack Memorial Observatory in CT. This observatory is being readied for fully automated online use and will be moved to Arizona in the near future under a fully dark sky when all automations systems are installed, tested, and completed.