What climates can Earth have? From Snowball Earth to a runaway greenhouse

Climate change is here, but what about Earth's extreme past? Explore Snowball Earth, super-greenhouses, and planetary science over drinks. A UVic climate scientist breaks down Earth’s wild history of climate extremes — over drinks. We all know that climate change is happening right now, and that it's a Bad Thing. It's pushing us into uncharted territory for humans — but not for Earth. Throughout its history, our planet has undergone radical transformations far beyond anything humanity has ever experienced. This talk explores the different climates Earth has experienced across billions of years — from a frigid, completely frozen Snowball Earth, through the ice-age cycles of the last few million years, to a hot and wet super-greenhouse, and whether a runaway greenhouse could ultimately end life on our planet. Every Sip Smarter talk includes a 45-minute lecture followed by an open Q&A over drinks. DATE Thursday, October 22nd, 2026 LOCATION Swans Pub, 1601 Store St, Victoria TIME Doors open at 6:00 PM | Talk runs 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM SPEAKER Colin Goldblatt, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria, where he studies past, present, and future climates. His PhD at the University of East Anglia examined the evolution of Earth's atmosphere, and his postdoctoral research at NASA Ames Research Center and the University of Washington focused on planetary atmospheres and astrobiology. Dr. Goldblatt is the author of more than 50 scientific journal articles. "The only thing better than learning is the conversation after."