Why Society Needs Astronomy and Cosmology

‘One day, Sir, you may tax it’: Faraday’s prescient quip when quizzed about the practical value of electricity in 1850 neatly demonstrates that advanced societies cannot afford to stifle scientific curiosity for its own sake – a powerful if serendipitous driver of technological and societal progress.

It will be argued that fundamental research into astronomy, cosmology and particle physics is a luxury that humankind cannot do without. This cultural, technological and scientific returns of such an enterprise far outweigh the costs.

This is a free public lecture by Dr Roberto Trotta, Imperial College London.

There is no need to book in advance for this lecture. It runs on a first come first served basis.