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Physicists deal with the fundamental principals of existence by studying space and time on the largest and smallest scales. Tonight we demonstrate how branches of Physics marry together to advance science and technology. We'll show how Particle Physics affects the Universe and we'll discover how Materials Physics is pushing the boundaries of knowledge in the quest for futuristic materials.
What are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?
Professor John Ellis FRS
(Clerk Maxwell Professor of Theoretical Physics, King's College London)
Particle Physics addresses these fundamental questions by studying the fundamental
structure of matter and using the knowledge gained to understand the evolution of
the Universe, from the Big Bang to the distant future. In addition to our current
understanding, this talk will also discuss some of the big open questions, such as the
stability of space itself and the nature of the dark matter that holds galaxies together.
structure of matter and using the knowledge gained to understand the evolution of
the Universe, from the Big Bang to the distant future. In addition to our current
understanding, this talk will also discuss some of the big open questions, such as the
stability of space itself and the nature of the dark matter that holds galaxies together.
Light at the end of the tunnel
Dr Wayne Dickson
(Senior Lecturer, King's College London)
Since their inception, materials with designer optical properties engineered at the nanoscale can demonstrate headline grabbing phenomena such as invisibility cloaks. However, these metamaterials are an ideal platform for develloping ultrasensitive sensors, designed to detect myriad targets, from tiny biological molecules, the faintest whispers of ultrasound to a puff of hydrogen gas. In this talk I will explain what makes these materials so sensitive to the environment, how they achieve specific detection and the latest advances in metamaterial sensors based on quantum mechanical tunnelling.
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