Amherst Cinema Amherst, MA
Dr. Salman Hameed
Astronomer and Associate Professor of Integrated Science and Humanities, Hampshire College
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)— Can we reasonably say anything about the biology or probable intentions of alien beings?
Program Description
Dr. Hameed gave a talk on whether we can reasonably say anything about the biology or probable intentions of alien beings.
Presented At
Amherst Cinema Amherst, MA
Film Synopsis
In San Francisco, a group of people discover the human race is being replaced, one by one, with clones devoid of emotion.
Spores rain forth from outer space over San Francisco, and soon strange flowers begin popping up all over the city. After bringing one of these hybrid specimens home with her one night, biologist Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) notices that her boyfriend (Art Hindle) doesn’t seem like himself. Her friend and coworker Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) dismisses her concerns at first, but begins to worry as more people report similar observations. His fears are confirmed when writer Jack Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum) and his wife (Veronica Cartwright) discover a mutated corpse. Besieged by an invisible enemy, Bennell must work quickly before the city is consumed. Based on the novel by Jack Finney, this 1978 film is a remake of the 1956 sci-fi thriller.
About the Speaker
Dr. Salman Hameed, associate professor of integrated science and humanities, holds a PhD in astronomy from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces, and a BS in physics and astronomy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His primary research interest focuses on understanding the rise of creationism in the Islamic world and how Muslims view the relationship between science and religion. He is currently the lead investigator of a three-year NSF-funded study on this topic, and heads the Center for the Study of Science in Muslim Societies (SSiMS) at Hampshire College. His other research interests include analyzing reconciliation efforts over sacred objects and places of astronomical importance and new-religious movements (NRM). His astronomy research is focused on understanding star formation processes in spiral galaxies. He teaches interdisciplinary courses on science and religion. Dr. Hameed also runs IRTIQA, a science and religion blog with an emphasis on scientific debates taking place in the Muslim world.