Title: The behavior of rational points in one-parameter families
Abstract: How often does a "random" algebraic plane curve f(x,y) = 0
have a solution with rational coordinates? In one-parameter "twist"
families of elliptic curves, Goldfeld conjectured that there should be
a rational point exactly half of the time. Recent progress towards
this conjecture makes use of Selmer groups, and I'll explain the
geometric idea underlying their construction. I'll also describe
results for families of curves of higher genus, and abelian varieties
of higher dimension.