Lecture: Experiments of Universal Scale

Have you ever wondered that the most powerful and incredible experiments in the Universe are already happening—and that space can be used as a giant laboratory to test the boldest physical theories? In a lecture by astrophysicist and science communicator Sergey Popov, we’ll learn how distant galaxies and other objects in the Universe help scientists find answers to fundamental questions about the cosmos.

We’ll talk about black holes and gravitational waves, cosmic rays, and the search for exotic particles. And of course, we won’t forget about neutron stars, where the most exotic and extreme processes take place.

“As Academician Zeldovich rightly called the Universe ‘a cheapener for the poor,’ astronomical observations reveal a world inaccessible in earthly laboratories: enormous scales, gigantic energies, strong gravitational and other fields. Many physical theories can be tested only using astrophysical objects and processes. This is what I will tell you in the lecture.”

Sergey Popov

In this lecture you will learn:

— how astrophysicists experiment with objects that no instruments can reach;
— whether the properties and behavior of objects in the Universe fit into “earthly” science;
— what unexpected discoveries were made thanks to collaboration between physicists and astronomers, and what surprises space still has in store for us;
— how different objects in the Universe—such as black holes and neutron stars—help us understand the limits of physical laws.

Be sure to come together with your teenage children: communicating with a real scientist not only provides food for thought, but also helps decide on a future profession.

Sergey Popov is an astrophysicist, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Author of popular science books and articles on astrophysics and astronomy. Winner of the “For Fidelity to Science” award in the category “Science Popularizer of the Year.”