Dr. Philip Metzger, son of Trudy Metzger of south Westport Island, is a renowned scientist who spoke last year locally to a packed house and he is back again by request.

Dr. Metzger, director of Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education and co-founder of the NASA Swamp Works, a NASA innovation hub that develops technology for the Moon, asteroids, and Mars, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 1 at Old Town Hall, 1217 Main Road, Westport Island. 

He will present recent research showing the surprising ways lunar exploration will help the environment and climate of planet Earth. We can expect to move at least 50% of our industry off Earth into space by the end of this century, including most computing and artificial intelligence and at least half of all mining and manufacturing.

This will greatly reduce the environmental burden on our planet. This is being made possible by rapid advances in rocket technology, robotics and artificial intelligence. Using space resources will also open new horizons for human civilization beyond Earth, and lunar exploration will help us unravel the history of our solar system, informing the possibilities for life elsewhere in the cosmos.