Star power

Scientists have an unusual dream: to use the world's biggest laser to create a star on Earth. This may sound like the plot of a Hollywood film, but science tells us that harnessing the power of stars has the potential to solve our long-term energy problems. Stars use nuclear fusion to smash atoms together to release vast amounts of energy; Arthur will explain how to replicate this process on earth, and how close we really are to achieving it.

In the 100th year since Einstein’s theory of gravity and relativity, Toby will tell us the story of how us, and the Universe, was created. He’s promised a maths-free (!) journey through the Big Bang and expansion of the universe, explaining how the explosion of an early star created all the chemicals that we are made from. It promises to be a fascinating evening enlightening us about our solar origins.