Astrophysicist Catherine Heymans talks to Jim Al-Khalili about her fascination with dark matter, her role as Astronomer Royal for Scotland, and the power of comedy to educate.
Have you ever considered the lighter side of dark matter?
Comedy has proved an unexpectedly succesful way to engage people with science – as today’s guest knows first-hand.
Astrophysicist Catherine Heymans is a Professor at the University of Edinburgh and the current Astronomer Royal for Scotland. She’s spent her career studying dark matter and dark energy: the mysterious ingredients that make up an estimated 95% of our cosmos, but which we still know surprisingly little about. Using increasingly powerful telescopes, both on earth and in space, Catherine has spent years building detailed maps of dark matter – even to the extent of capturing rare images of this mysterious cosmic component.
On top of her research achievements, she’s committed to making science accessible to all; not least by taking an astronomy-themed comedy show to the Edinburgh Festival and beyond.
In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Catherine talks about her passion for sharing the joys of astrophysics – and reveals how health challenges over the last few years have forced her to readdress her career, her ambitions and even her sense of self…
Presented by Jim Al-Khalili
Produced by Lucy Taylor
Revised for World Service by Minnie Harrop
