2024-04-23
32 分钟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.
BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts.
Hello and welcome to the podcast edition of the Life Scientific.
I'm Jamal Khalili and this is the show where I get to talk with some of the world's leading scientists and you get to find out what drives them.
So sit back, get comfortable and enjoy the episode.
Hello and welcome to the Life Scientific coming to you complete with audience from the Royal Astronomical Society headquarters at London's Burlington House.
Now, this is a place that holds special importance for my guest today, who first became a member of the RAS as an eager young student of physics back in the 1970s and is now just coming to the end of his two year term as the Society's President.
Mike Edmonds is an emeritus professor of Astrophysics at Cardiff University, where he's worked for some 50 years.
And although physics is his first love, Mike is fascinated by an array of disciplines, from statistics to amateur dramatics to history.
Wide ranging interests that once prompted a PhD supervisor to describe him, slightly tongue in cheek, as a dilettante.
But dabblers seldom enjoy such success.
Mike's achievements range from interpreting the spread of chemical elements in the universe to decoding the world's oldest known astronomical artifact, to performing his one man play about Sir Isaac Newton.
More about that shortly.
Mike says he's taken great satisfaction in a career that's allowed him to think about the cosmos and our place in it.
A calling which of course, continues to this day.
He says, like many of us, I continue to try and understand the story of the universe and how humankind has managed to discover the wider picture from our position on this speck of a planet orbiting the sun.
Words that rather neatly point out our capacity for both accomplishment and insignificance.
Professor Mike Edmonds, welcome to the Life Scientific.
Thank you, Jim.
Now then, Mike, you're clearly a man of many talents, but much of your research has focused on the chemical abundances of stars.
Can you just set out for us exactly what they are and why they're so important?