RENSSELAERVILLE — Matthew Szydagis, an assistant professor of physics at the University at Albany is a noted authority on the current ongoing research to find the elusive dark-matter particle.

He will give a free talk, entitled “The Heart of Darkness — The Hunt for Dark Matter,” this coming Friday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Guggenheim Theater at the Carey Institute in Rensselaerville.

Szydagis has a unique ability in his public talks to make the technical aspects of this research comprehensible to the layman and at the same time he is able to convey the excitement of what it is like to be a part of the effort, at the cutting edge of science, to help unravel one of the mysteries of the universe.

Szydagis will also give a short tribute to noted science-fiction author Isaac Asimov who was an integral part of The Institute On Man and Science, a forerunner of the Carey Institute for Global Good.

Following a question-and-answer period, supporters of the event, The Helderberg Earth & Sky Observatory Science Center, which is seeking to place an Astronomical/Geophysical observatory in the Rensselaerville area, will hold a reception at the Carriage House Restaurant on the Carey Institute campus.

A $15 contribution is requested to help defray expenses for the observatory association.

Editor’s note: Ron Barnell is president of the Helderberg Earth & Sky Observatory Science Center.