For this episode we’re back in the Faraway Forest at Latitude Festival with astrophysicist and science communicator Jen Gupta. Based in the super cooly named Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth where she is the SEPnet/Ogden Physics Outreach and Public Engagement Manager, Jen is also one of the hosts of the BBC Tomorrow’s World Live series, one of the creators and hosts of the Seldom Sirius astronomy podcast and has also been known to perform comedy sets where she uses astronomy to make people laugh. For unknown technical reasons we didn’t record the very end of this conversation so it ends quite abruptly. Sorry, Jen!
In this episode Jen and UNSA’s Director of Human Spaceflight Jon Spooner talk about
- how she became an astrophysicist
- the weirdest thing in the Universe
- smashing the patriarchy
- Jen's Tactile Universe project that allows you to 3D print your own galaxy (!)
and Jen answers questions including
- what do galaxies look like?
- how many atoms there are in the Universe?
- the science of the movie Interstellar
- is time travel possible?
Also they and the audience argue about what the best sci-fi movie is and Jen twists small peoples’ melons by answering questions about what is beyond space and leads everyone in a thought experiment where we imagine ourselves as ants on a piece of string. On the last day of a music festival.
Enjoy!
LINKS
Jen on Twitter @jen_gupta
Jen’s website jengupta.com
Tactile Universe
CREDITS
Presenters: Jon Spooner & Mini Jon
Sound Engineer & Editor: Andy Wood
Additional sound design: Elena Pena
Music: Public Service Broadcasting
Producers: Jon Spooner, Alice Massey, Sarah Webb for Unlimited
Consultancy: Storythings
Graphic Design: Lee Goater
The Unlimited Space Agency and The Space Shed are projects of Unlimited Theatre
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