Fwd: Exploring space from the mine, creative coding and the launch of Webb
These RAL and Royal Observatory events and talks may be of interest.
Chris H
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| Subject: | Exploring space from the mine, creative coding and the launch of Webb |
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| Date: | Wed, 17 Nov 2021 15:04:47 +0000 |
We hope that you are all keeping
safe and well. We are really excited about the events we, and
our sister labs, are planning in the run up to Christmas and
beyond: we’re getting more and more excited about the launch
of the James Webb Space Telescope, we’re going to be running
some tests on space rovers at our underground lab, and our
Glow Your Own project is finishing with a grand finale this
week! You can find details of all of Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory’s events (including our events aimed at schools) on
our main Eventbrite page:
https://stfc-ral.eventbrite.co.uk.
If you cannot make any of our
events live but would like to receive a recording of them,
please register at the links below.
Over the past six weeks, we’ve been
working with IF Oxford to do some creative coding – creating
beautiful coded Christmas lanterns. The projects Grand Finale
will be taking place this week, and we do hope you’ll be able
to join it in person!
·
Glow Your Own LED
switch on (all ages); Friday 19 November 18:30-21:00
·
This is your chance to
see the new supersized LED artwork for the first time using
emojis, imagery of computer circuitry and retro computer games
to create a new splash of light in Blackbird Leys that
responds to your presence using QR codes.
·
You’ll be able to make
your own small LED lamp in 2 minutes, and create your own
lantern from recycled materials.
·
This is a free public
open-air event at Blackbird Leys Community Centre (Oxford, OX4
6HW).
·
There is no need to
book, but for more information, visit:
https://if-oxford.com/event/glow-your-own-led-switch-on-2021/
Our friends at SCIO are running a
panel discussion about the important issue of plastics in our
environment:
·
Science vs plastics
– A panel discussion; Wednesday 24 November 18:30
·
One of the most
pressing global crises currently is the large-scale global
production of plastic and its build-up as waste in the
environment. The Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI), is trying
to address this problem using enzymes: substances found within
living things that speed up chemical reactions. The CEI and
focusses on research to combat plastics and deliver
transformative enzyme-enabled solutions for the circular
recycling of plastics.
·
To register, please
visit
https://scio-plastics.eventbrite.co.uk
We’re really looking forward to
this year’s MINAR – this is a yearly event at our Boulby
Underground Laboratory, where we use the Mine to test out
experiments and techniques for extreme environments! This
year we’re going to be running some tests on rovers, to get
ready to send our experiments to explore space. We would love
it if you could join us for our live link deep underground!
·
Exploring Space from
1.1 km underground (age 12+); Thursday 2 December 14:00
·
From deep in the mine,
the Boulby Underground Laboratory team are taking part in a
wide variety of science: from searching for dark matter and
testing robotics for future space exploration, to studying
different materials and investigating the possibility of alien
life. This event will take place during a very exciting
project, MINAR (Mine Analogue Research).
MINAR
has brought international teams from NASA, ESA, India, and
universities across the UK and internationally to study life
in the deep subsurface and test planetary exploration
equipment. The initiative has also hosted the NASA Spaceward
Bound project and ESA astronaut training.
·
To register, please
visit
https://minar2021.eventbrite.co.uk
Our popular Talking Science series
began in September and continues next week:
·
Talking Science –
The Science of Dr Who (age 12+); Tuesday 23 November 18:00,
by Karl Byrne
o
Dr Who is the longest running science
fiction programme in the world, entertaining and terrifying
children and adults alike for over 50 years! Keep your sonic
screwdrivers close as mega fan Karl Byrne looks into the
scientific possibilities behind travelling through time and
space, regeneration and aliens with two hearts. Step into
the TARDIS and get ready to meet Cybermen, Daleks and Co!
o
To register, please visit
https://ukri.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-QDHCGw4SZG8WgHl8EYcoQ
·
Talking Science –
Marvellous microbes for plastics pollution (age 12+); Friday
26 November 19:00, by Dr Joanna Sadler (University of
Edinburgh)
o
From the clothes we
wear, through to tiny components of a mobile phone, plastic is
present in almost every corner of our lives. Dependence on
these useful materials has led to a vast build-up of plastic
in natural environments, leading to a global crisis.
Incredibly, nature has already responded with its own
solutions to tackle plastic waste. This talk will explore how
some microbes (microscopic living organisms) can ‘eat’
plastic, and how we can use this to design new methods to
break down plastic.
o
To register, please
visit
https://talkingscience2021-22.eventbrite.co.uk
·
Talking Science –
The James Webb Space Telescope: Preparing for launch (age
10+); Friday 17 December 19:00, by Paul Eccleston (Chief
Engineer, RAL Space) and Dr Stephen Wilkins (University of
Sussex)
o
The James Webb Space
Telescope is the largest space telescope ever built and, after
years of designing, building, planning and testing, it will
launch on 18 December. Webb is the scientific successor to
the famous Hubble telescope, and will learn even more about
the Universe: from the first galaxies to the air around alien
worlds. This talk will cover both the fascinating science
Webb will undertake and the incredible engineering that has
made it possible – including the testing for launch, some of
which took place here at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
o
To register,
please visit
https://talkingscience2021-22.eventbrite.co.uk
·
Talking Science –
The amazing 24 million intvertebrates and their associated
scientists in the Natural History Museum (age 12+); Friday
28 January 19:00, by Dr Lauren Hughes (Natural History
Museum)
o
The Museum is a
world-class visitor attraction and leading science research
centre. They use their unique collections and unrivalled
expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world
today. They care for more than 80 million specimens spanning
billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors
annually. Over the coming seven years they are excited to
undertake their largest move of naturally history specimens
gaining an additional research and collections facility in the
prestigious Harwell Science Campus. Come hear about these
amazing invertebrates, our current researchers and the future
of our natural history.
o
To register, please
visit
https://talkingscience2021-22.eventbrite.co.uk
·
Talking Science –
How the world of the very small can help us tackle big
problems (age 12+); Friday 25 February 19:00, Dr Chiara
Decoroli (National Quantum Computing Centre)
o
The foundations of
quantum physics were laid out 100 years ago and initiated a
Quantum Revolution. The First Quantum Revolution saw
scientists such as Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr and Erwin
Schrödinger uncover the counterintuitive laws governing the
world of the very small, of individual quantum particles such
as atoms, photons and electrons. Nowadays, we are witnessing a
Second Quantum Revolution: quantum technologies are entering
our everyday life. Among them, Quantum Computers are expected
to have a transformative and disruptive impact. In this talk
Chiara will bring you along with her in a quantum computing
laboratory, and show you how we can use individual quantum
objects to solve incredibly hard problems.
o
To register, please
visit
https://talkingscience2021-22.eventbrite.co.uk
The launch of the James Webb
Space Telescope is something we’ve been looking forward
to for a very long time, and December will see its launch. Our
next talk will be:
·
Building the James
Webb Space Telescope; Tuesday 13 December 19:00
o
Starting as a junior
engineer, Piyal Samara-Ratna worked in an international team
of more than 200 engineers to support the Mid-Infrared
Instrument (MIRI) through its 10 year development. MIRI is one
of Webb’s four science instruments, and is so sensitive it
could see a candle on one of Jupiter’s moons! Piyal is now the
lead mechanical engineer for the instrument and played a key
role in delivering it to NASA and connecting it to Webb for
its trip to space.
o
To register,
please visit
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-the-james-webb-space-telescope-tickets-185921635617
You can find out more about the James Webb
Space Telescope at the UK’s Webb website
www.jwst.org.uk.
Booking is also open for the Royal
Observatory Astronomy Talks, which take place on Monday
evenings at 19:00.
·
To register for all
talks, please visit
https://www.roe.ac.uk/vc/public/astronomy-talks/
·
Missions to Near
Earth Asteroids; Monday 22 November 19:00
o
This talk will describe
the two recent missions which have taken samples at Near-Earth
Asteroids, Hayabusa-2 at Ryugu and OSIRIS-REx at Bennu. Hear
about the scientific results from the orbital phases of the
missions, the dropping of surface landers, and how the
material is returned to Earth. The talk will be illustrated
with amazing images from these missions.
·
Black holes in the
Universe; Monday 6 December 19:00
o
In 2015, a merging pair
of black holes was directly detected for the first time. Since
then, the number of detections has grown substantially. This
talk will describe the new catalogue of black holes and
highlight some surprising features that pose new challenges
for our understanding of these elusive objects.
Normally, at this time of year,
applications for our
work experience programme would be open, with
placements in the summer term 2022. With the still uncertain
national situation, we’re not quite sure how work experience
will work this academic year, so we have not yet opened
placements. We’ll have an update for you about the programme
by the end of the year!
We do hope you’ll be able to join
us for an event soon. If you have any questions or
suggestions, please contact us at
visitral@PROTECTED.
Best wishes,
The Public Engagement Team at RAL
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