Imagine. It is wonderful to have you all here with us this evening at the museum and also to all of you at home who are watching via cspan. We have this evening a wonderful presentation by john browne and then followed by a discussion with professor daniel of rice university. Without further ado i will hand it over to john browne. Help me welcome mr. Browne to houston. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, i want to thank the Houston Museum of Natural Science for inviting me. As someone who served on the boards of several museums and galleries i have a deep appreciation for the role that institutions like this play in the local community and indeed in society more generally. As a window on the path and an explainer of the present and as a guide to the future they are indispensable resources which go above and beyond what you can read in books. Houston is fortunate to have this place and it is a great pleasure to be here. As a natural scientist and subsequently an engineer ive always sought