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Victoria Gill is on a mission to understand our place in the universe. She is crewed with some of the best experts in understanding harsh environments on this planet and beyond.

Under the mighty radio Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank, Victoria Gill brings together some of the UK’s leading experts who were visiting the recent ‘bluedot’ science and music festival. They discussed the ongoing hunt for extraterrestrial life.

We hear from Karen Olsson-Francis, a microbiologist who focuses on the tiny living things that have managed to occupy Earth's most hostile environments. Her research is helping shape space missions that are looking for evidence of life elsewhere in our solar system.

Also on the panel is Libby Jackson, head of space exploration at the UK Space Agency, who specialises in preparing humans for the extremes of interplanetary travel.

Finally, we hear from Tim O'Brien, associate director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics. He’s explored parts of the Universe that no human can travel to by making the most of the radio telescopes based at Jodrell Bank.

Get the latest ‘inside’ scoop on how the UK is assisting with the search for life beyond Earth.

Presenter:  Victoria Gill
Producers:  Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Harrison Lewis
Editor: Richard Collings
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

´óÏó´«Ã½ Inside Science is produced in collaboration with the Open University.

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39 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Thu 5 Oct 2023 16:30
  • Thu 5 Oct 2023 21:00

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Inside Science is produced in partnership with The Open University.

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