Thomas Shutt - Asteroseismologist and award-winning teacher, University of York

From the hydrogen born in the Big Bang to the elements synthesised in ancient stars, the chemical foundations of life on Earth were forged long before our planet existed. In this talk, we will explore where those cosmic ingredients came from, and how they came together to form our solar system and make Earth the fertile, enduring home for life that it is.

We will examine what makes our planet so remarkable, and the likelihood of similar conditions arising elsewhere. Looking beyond our solar system, we’ll explore distant exoplanets, the environments they inhabit, and the challenges life may face on worlds very different from our own. Even if life exists elsewhere, what do the vast distances and cosmic timescales mean for our chances of ever encountering intelligent civilisations?

In so doing, we will consider one of our most profound questions: are we a rare cosmic accident, or is life a natural outcome of a universe rich in stars and planets?