29:I[46696,["/_next/static/chunks/a945bbd300834012.js","/_next/static/chunks/4060b63f78e0382c.js","/_next/static/chunks/65c5d5dcc87c22c9.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/653d605fffff2e75.js","/_next/static/chunks/fa59d51a8b0726c5.js","/_next/static/chunks/a33d1a413064ef53.js","/_next/static/chunks/381ae72bfa6637bb.js","/_next/static/chunks/022589ef34b8ee03.js","/_next/static/chunks/efa6f06dc5162244.js"],"Toaster"] 2a:I[22016,["/_next/static/chunks/a945bbd300834012.js","/_next/static/chunks/4060b63f78e0382c.js","/_next/static/chunks/65c5d5dcc87c22c9.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/653d605fffff2e75.js","/_next/static/chunks/fa59d51a8b0726c5.js","/_next/static/chunks/a33d1a413064ef53.js","/_next/static/chunks/381ae72bfa6637bb.js","/_next/static/chunks/022589ef34b8ee03.js","/_next/static/chunks/efa6f06dc5162244.js"],""] 2b:I[5500,["/_next/static/chunks/a945bbd300834012.js","/_next/static/chunks/4060b63f78e0382c.js","/_next/static/chunks/65c5d5dcc87c22c9.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/653d605fffff2e75.js","/_next/static/chunks/fa59d51a8b0726c5.js","/_next/static/chunks/a33d1a413064ef53.js","/_next/static/chunks/381ae72bfa6637bb.js","/_next/static/chunks/022589ef34b8ee03.js","/_next/static/chunks/efa6f06dc5162244.js"],"Image"] 2c:I[58016,["/_next/static/chunks/a945bbd300834012.js","/_next/static/chunks/4060b63f78e0382c.js","/_next/static/chunks/65c5d5dcc87c22c9.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/653d605fffff2e75.js","/_next/static/chunks/fa59d51a8b0726c5.js","/_next/static/chunks/a33d1a413064ef53.js","/_next/static/chunks/381ae72bfa6637bb.js","/_next/static/chunks/022589ef34b8ee03.js","/_next/static/chunks/efa6f06dc5162244.js"],"ProcessEpisodeButton"] 2d:T4cc,

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

Catherine Heymans on the lighter side of the dark universe

Powered by Wave AI