Dr. Michio Kaku, center

Youngstown State University and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) got a real treat last month: a visit from world-renowned theoretical physicist, Dr. Michio Kaku. Dr. Kaku, who also hosts a blog called Dr. Kaku's Universe, is known for working on Einstein's Theory of Everything, in addition to his work in theoretical physics and authoring many books. On Thursday, March 20th, 2014, Dr. Kaku participated in a question and answer session at Stambaugh Auditorium with YSU students and community members. He began by telling the audience about his childhood.  "I was in high school and I went to my mom one day and I said, ‘Mom, can I have permission to build an atom smasher in the garage?’" Dr. Kaku recounted. "And my mom kind of just looked at me and said, ‘Sure! Why not? As long as you take out the garbage.’" After building his atom smasher and blowing every fuse in the house, Dr. Kaku went to the National Science Fair, where he met a nuclear physicist who helped him get into Harvard. That physicist was Edward Teller, father of the hydrogen bomb. During the afternoon session, Dr. Kaku expressed the importance of the sciences in children’s and young adults’ lives. He also answered questions from the more curious members of the audience; subjects included the state of our civilization and Star Trek. According to Dr. Kaku, our civilization falls just before the first level, but should reach level one in the next couple hundred years. His latest book, The Future of the Mind, was released earlier this year and has become a New York Times Bestseller. Dr. Kaku’s book is one of the only books in the Physics genre that has ever made it to the list. You can visit Dr. Kaku on his website and keep updated here!

Attendees sit waiting to listen.