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In the second special science programme from the African Science Festival being held at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, presenters Gareth Mitchell and Alan Kasujja are joined by Cern particle physicist Professor Jim Virdee, astronomer and head of the Square Kilometre Array project in South Africa, Professor Justin Jonas and engineer at Nasa who designs robotic Mars landers, Dr Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu.

The researchers were all born in Africa and talk about how they were inspired to become scientists. This included rebuilding radios so that they could improve the reception of the World Service and listen to music that was not available in apartheid South Africa.

All these scientists work in areas that are about extremes – travelling to other planets, understanding the origin of the universe and the very stuff of matter. Dr Trebi-Ollennu tries to persuade Alan that it is easy to land on Mars, and Professor Jonas explains how he has found new uses for old mobile phone satellite dishes – as telescopes. And Professor Virdee explains that there is more to do at Cern even though the Higgs boson has been found.

(Image: CGI image showing Mars Curiosity Rover. Credit: Nasa via Associated Press)