Sunday Reads: Santa Cruz’s place in the cosmos, debating the Second Amendment & take our quiz

Is there anybody out there? Frank Drake and Santa Cruz County’s crucial link to the search for intelligent life in the universe

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Frank Drake, the namesake of the famous Drake Equation and a giant in the field of the search for extraterrestrial life, died last year in Aptos. On April 17 at the Rio Theatre, daughter Nadia Drake — a graduate of Aptos High and UC Santa Cruz who’s an accomplished science journalist — will host “Whispers From Other Worlds,” an event sure to be bursting with the spirit of her father’s life’s work. Wallace Baine catches up with Nadia Drake in his Sunday column.

➤ INTELLIGENT LIFE HERE ON EARTH: Bad Animal’s grand ambitions to become the world’s next great bookstore

The time machine works! We can now settle the Second Amendment question once and for all

(Created with Midjourney by Daniel DeLong)

In light of the latest unthinkable school shooting, in Nashville, Daniel DeLong tackles the thorny issue of the Second Amendment by bringing the framers of the Constitution forward in time, and asking them for clarity. Read his latest Community Voices opinion piece here.

➤ MORE FROM DANIEL: What NYT omitted about life in the Santa Cruz Mountains: Neighbors with chainsaws

Test your newsy knowledge with this week’s Lookout news quiz

How closely do you follow Santa Cruz County goings-on? Our 10-question quiz based on stories from Lookout correspondents and contributors puts you to the test. Click here to see how you fare.

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