When we look out on a clear night, the universe seems infinite. Yet this infinity might be an illusion. During the first half of the presentation, computer games will introduce the concept of a multiconnected universe. Interactive 3D graphics will then take the viewer on a tour of several possible shapes for space, and we’ll see how recent satellite data provide tantalizing clues to the true shape of our universe. Finally, we'll see what Bill Thurston’s pioneering discoveries say about the curvature of space, using fleece surfaces to illustrate his main idea.

The only prerequisites for this talk are curiosity and imagination. For middle school and high school students, people interested in astronomy, and all members of the Ithaca community.

Parking information and directions: www.cornell.edu/maps

Bill Thurston Conference 2014: www.math.cornell.edu/~thurston/

Poster for this talk