Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a renowned British space scientist, believes that life exists beyond Earth. She argues that human pride and conceit have led people to assume we are alone in the universe.
Aderin-Pocock’s views come as science has made significant progress in understanding the size of the universe, but there is still much to learn, particularly about dark energy and dark matter. These mysterious substances make up a vast majority of the universe, yet scientists have yet to fully comprehend them.
The discovery of dark matter and dark energy has sparked new questions, including whether the laws of physics are constant and if these unknown entities exist. Aderin-Pocock notes that this contrast between startling revelations and unanswered conundrums is a hallmark of scientific progress.
The Royal Institution’s Christmas Lectures, hosted by Aderin-Pocock this year, will explore these questions and more. The institution is launching a year-long celebration called Discover200, featuring new demonstrations, the release of past lectures on YouTube, and an archive search for clips from previous years.
Aderin-Pocock is also a key figure in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission, which has revealed that galaxies may be larger than anticipated in the early universe. This discovery has raised questions about the nature of space and whether humanity will establish colonies elsewhere in the universe.
The JWST’s findings have sparked debate about the role of Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, in assessing NASA. Aderin-Pocock believes that Musk’s involvement is a conflict of interest and that legislation is crucial to regulating commercialization of space.
Despite budget cuts and controversies surrounding the JWST mission, Aderin-Pocock remains optimistic about humanity’s future in space. She emphasizes the importance of exploration and the potential benefits of space travel for humanity.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/14/life-must-extend-beyond-earth-leading-space-scientist-says