Exploring the Universe: Origins, Impacts & Legends

Asteroids are time capsules from the very beginnings of our Solar System, and are thought to have delivered the key ingredients for life to Earth. In September 2023, OSIRIS-REx, NASA’s first mission to delivered samples from an asteroid returned to Earth with its precious cargo from asteroid Bennu. Studies of rocks and dust collected from Bennu have revealed the presence molecules that are essential for life on Earth, along with the ingredients and conditions to produce those molecules. I will give an overview of this exciting mission, and highlight key results from early analyses.

Perhaps you've heard of dark matter before. Maybe you've seen it on the news or read an article about an experiment seeking to find it, or a new theory ready to blow the case wide open. But have you ever stopped to ask the question: how do we know it's there? In this talk, I will take you through the irrefutable evidence that all point to something missing in our understanding of our universe, and show you just why this thing called dark matter seems to solve all our problems. If only we knew what it was...

Join Tom, Science Communication professional at Jodrell Bank, on a journey through time, space and culture as he re-tells the legendary myths behind the constellations in an “appropriate” amount of detail. There may be some astrophysics, but mainly Tom will take any excuse to tell people about the crimes committed by Greek gods.