Name: The Future is Now
Start: 2026-05-20T19:00:00
End: 2026-05-20T21:00:00
Location: The Forum Music Centre

Get ready for an exciting look at how science and technology shape our lives, from the distant stars to our own DNA. Journey back to the Big Bang to discover how our cosmic origins influence everything from climate change to space travel. Explore how Artificial Intelligence is mapping our gut health to fight disease, and go behind the scenes of digital forensics to see how investigators track technology to solve crimes. Whether it is the edge of the universe or the phone in your pocket, learn how today’s biggest discoveries are building a better world for everyone.

From the Big Bang to the Future: Why Our Cosmic Origins Matter Today

Dr Atma Prakash (Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering)

The atoms that make up our planet and ourselves were forged in stars billions of years ago. From the Big Bang to the birth of Earth, this talk explores how everything came to be. But more importantly, it asks what this means for us today. From climate change to space technology and the resources powering our future, our cosmic origins are shaping the world we are building right now.

Uncovering the Hidden Link Between Genes, Microbes, and Health with AI

Dr Chaimaa Tarzi (Lecturer in Computing & Games)

In this talk, I will briefly introduce the modelling pipeline used in my research, including how we reconstruct genome-scale metabolic models, simulate interactions between microbial communities, and integrate machine learning approaches to predict microbiome behaviour in health and disease. I will also highlight some current challenges, such as modelling microbial interactions at scale, as well as the opportunities that AI offers for integrating complex biological data.

Digital Forensics: the most important tool in solving crime

Ben Findlay (Senior Lecturer in Computer & Digital Forensics)

Today, 90% of all crimes involve at least one digital device. The investigation of digital technology provides answers to investigative questions that often cannot be answered through other means. This talk will explore the crucial role that such technology plays in modern, everyday society, and how that same technology can be utilised in investigations to solve cases, catch dangerous criminals and ultimately protect the most vulnerable in society.

[{"lat":54.5260561,"lon":-1.5481157,"title":"The Forum Music Centre","html":"<div class=\"location-tooltip\">\n    <h6>Events at The Forum Music Centre<\/h6>\n\n    <address class=\"mb-1\">Borough Rd, Darlington, DL1 1SG<\/address>\n\n    <div class=\"mb-3\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?daddr=Borough+Rd%2C+Darlington%2C+DL1+1SG\" target=\"_blank\">\n            Get directions <i class=\"fa fa-external-link\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <ul class=\"lt-events\">\n        \n        <li>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/pintofscience.co.uk\/event\/unseen-worlds-microbes-and-medicine\">\n                <span class=\"lt-event-name\">Unseen Worlds: Microbes and Medicine<\/span>\n                <span class=\"lt-event-date\">(18 May 2026)<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        <li>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/pintofscience.co.uk\/event\/nature-to-nurture\">\n                <span class=\"lt-event-name\">Nature to Nurture<\/span>\n                <span class=\"lt-event-date\">(19 May 2026)<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        <li>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/pintofscience.co.uk\/event\/the-future-is-now\">\n                <span class=\"lt-event-name\">The Future is Now<\/span>\n                <span class=\"lt-event-date\">(20 May 2026)<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n    <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","zoom":15,"icon":"https:\/\/pintofscience.co.uk\/assets\/Topics\/tech-map__ScaleWidthWzMwXQ.png"}]

Other Darlington events

Other The Forum Music Centre events

19 May

Darlington

Nature to Nurture

18 May

Darlington

Sold Out!