Special Events
David Elder Lecture - Prof Catherine Heymans
The Universe: Reality or Simulation?
Prof. Catherine Heymans
Scotland’s Astronomer Royal, Prof. Catherine Heymans, is having an existential crisis! Ever since her son asked, ‘could we be living inside a computer game?’ she’s been questioning everything she sees.
Throwing all the science that she knows at the problem, Catherine explores whether humanity could ever create a virtual universe as rich and diverse as our own. Unpack the rules that appear to govern our existence as we journey from the quirky quantum world, up into the wild dark Universe.
Will technology ever be able to replicate the complexity of life? Could consciousness be coded? Catherine invites you to reconsider what it means to be real.
About the speaker
Catherine Heymans is Astronomer Royal for Scotland, the first woman to hold the title in its 200-year history. A Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh, she is internationally recognised for her pioneering research mapping invisible dark matter and mysterious dark energy across the Universe.
Catherine’s accolades include the Royal Astronomical Society’s William Herschel Medal, the Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award, and fellowships of both the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Leopoldina. All net royalties from her book, How to Design a Universe, go to the Royal Observatory Trust, supporting astronomy youth projects across Scotland.
About the David Elder Lectures
Glasgow Science Centre is proud to host the David Elder Lectures in partnership with the University of Strathclyde's Department of Physics. This lecture is open to adults and interested young adults. Please ensure you arrive at least 10 minutes before the event begins. After the start the doors will be closed and access will not be permitted.
When is this on?
| Wednesday 23rd September | 19:00 |
This event is available as a standalone event. The tickets can be purchased below
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