51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Podcast: Celebrity visitor special

In this edition: We revisit interviews with some celebrity guests: singer Ana Matronic, Queen’s Brian May, and astrophysicist and author Katie Mack.

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– Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic visited 51³Ô¹ÏÍø in 2015 to meet robotics researcher Dr Aldo Faisal. She spoke about her book, her passion for robots and her devotion to the international, intellectual movement called transhumanism.

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– In 2007, a rather extraordinary PhD student submitted his thesis – Queen guitarist Brian May. He returned to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø to complete the PhD he started before the band took off, and we caught up with him to talk space dust, how 51³Ô¹ÏÍø has changed since the 1970s, and whether his thesis or Bohemian Rhapsody is his biggest achievement.

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– Astrophysicist and author gave a guest lecture at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø in 2019 for a ‘Science for Fiction’ event. We asked her about her favourite way the universe might die, whether she ever gets melancholy about the ultimate end, and how science fiction helps her unwind.

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The podcast is presented by Gareth Mitchell, a lecturer on 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's MSc Science Communication course. He’s also a longstanding BBC presenter and reporter. Gareth is joined each month by our roving reporters in the Communications Division.

Article text (excluding photos or graphics) © 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

Photos and graphics subject to third party copyright used with permission or © 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

Reporter

Hayley Dunning

Communications Division

Gareth Mitchell

Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication