Space oddities - with Harry Cliff

Join University of Cambridge and CERN physicist Harry Cliff as he explores the cosmic anomalies currently perplexing scientists. Watch the Q&A here (exclusively for YouTube members): Buy Harry’s book here: This Discourse was recorded at the Ri on 27 March 2024. From particles of astonishing energies erupting from the depths beneath the Antarctic ice to enigmatic forces subtly tugging at the fundamental building blocks of matter, the universe offers us an ever-growing compendium of cosmic riddles. Notably, stars are hurtling away from us at velocities that challenge the boundaries of explanation, leaving scientists astounded by the inexplicable. Harry will guide us on a journey that spans continents, introducing us to the brilliant minds who have dedicated their careers and reputations to unraveling the mysteries shrouding these cosmic anomalies. Are these cosmic quirks flukes of nature, or do they allude to the hidden parts of the universe we have yet to discover? Through Harry’s trademark wit and wonder, he opens the door to the tantalizing possibility of untold cosmic realms waiting to be discovered. --- If you’d like to watch this video without any ads, and support our charitable mission at the same time, you can do that here by becoming a YouTube channel member for just £ a month: You’ll also get ad-free previews of all our videos, along with exclusive access to scientist Q&As. --- Harry Cliff is a particle physicist at the University of Cambridge working on the LHCb experiment, a huge particle detector buried 100 metres underground at CERN near Geneva. He is a member of an international team of around 1400 physicists, engineers and computer scientists who are using LHCb to study the basic building blocks of our universe, in search of answers to some of the biggest questions in modern physics. His first popular science book, How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch, was published in August 2021. From 2012 to 2018 he held a joint post between Cambridge and the Science Museum in London, where he curated two major exhibitions: Collider (2013) and The Sun (2018). He has given a large number of public talks, including at TED and the Royal Institution, and made numerous appearances on television, radio and podcasts. --- Discourses are one of the Ri’s oldest and most prestigious series of talks. Since 1825, audiences in the theatre have witnessed countless mind-expanding moments, including the first public liquefaction of air by James Dewar, the announcement of the electron by JJ Thomson and over 100 lectures by Michael Faraday. In more recent times, we have had Nobel laureates, Fields medal winners, scientists, authors and artists – all from the cutting-edge of their field. Discourses are an opportunity for the best and brightest to share their work with the world. Steeped in nearly two centuries of tradition, a Discourse is more than just a lecture. The Discourse lasts exactly an hour, and a bell is rung to mark the beginning and end. To keep the focus on the topic, presenters begin sharply at 7:30pm without introduction and we lock the speaker into a room ten minutes ahead of the start (legend has it that a speaker once tried to escape!). Some of our guests and speakers dress smartly for our Discourse events to add to this sense of occasion. Read more about Discourses here: ---- The Ri is on Twitter: and Facebook: and TikTok: @ri_science Listen to the Ri podcast: Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: Our editorial policy: Subscribe for the latest science videos: Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won’t cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.