What is the universe made of? Where does space dust come from? And how exactly might one go about putting on a one-man-show about Sir Isaac Newton?
These are all questions that Mike Edmunds, Emeritus Professor of Astrophysics at Cardiff University and President of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), has tackled during his distinguished career. And although physics is his first love, Mike is fascinated by an array of scientific disciplines - with achievements ranging from interpreting the spread of chemical elements in the Universe, to decoding the world’s oldest-known astronomical artefact.
Recording in front of an audience at the RAS in London, Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to Mike about his life, work and inspirations. And who knows, Sir Isaac might even make an appearance…
Produced by Lucy Taylor.
Hannah Critchlow on the connected brain
Fiona Rayment on the applications of nuclear for net zero and beyond
Nick Longrich on discovering new dinosaurs from overlooked bones
Sheila Willis on using science to help solve crime
Sir Charles Godfray on parasitic wasps and the race to feed nine billion people
Jonathan Van-Tam on Covid communication and the power of football analogies
Michael Wooldridge on AI and sentient robots
Mercedes Maroto-Valer on making carbon dioxide useful
Sir Harry Bhadeshia on the choreography of metals
Cathie Sudlow on data in healthcare
Sir Michael Berry on phenomena in physics' borderlands
Professor Sarah Harper on how population change is remodelling societies.
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy on human evolution and parenthood
Edward Witten on 'the theory of everything'
Alex Antonelli on learning from nature's biodiversity to adapt to climate change
Paul Murdin on the first ever identification of a black hole
Bahija Jallal on the biotech revolution in cancer therapies
Sir Colin Humphreys on electron microscopes, and the thinnest material in the world
Chris Barratt on head-banging sperm and a future male contraceptive pill
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