The future of science fell under the spotlight when Edinburgh Napier welcomed scientist, author and broadcaster Professor Jim Al-Khalili to Craiglockhart for a very special lecture.
Speaking before a sold-out audience, Professor Al-Khalili took attendees on a journey through the developments that are set to shape the way we live in the future, discussing a range of topics including artificial intelligence, gene editing and even time travel and teleportation.
He also discussed the importance of ethics in science and reflected on some of his favourite moments from his successful run as host of Radio 4’s The Life Scientific.
The event with the University of Surrey-based professor was the latest in a series marking the 400th anniversary of the passing of mathematics genius John Napier.
Napier – who lives from 1550 to 1617 – had deep interests in astronomy and religion but is best known as the inventor of logarithms. He also invented ‘Napier’s bones’ and made common the use of the decimal point.
The mathematician’s Merchiston Tower family home now lives at the heart of Edinburgh Napier’s Merchiston campus.
Professor Al-Khalili said: “John Napier’s contributions to mathematics and science were profound and far-reaching – it was great to be in his home city to explore the developments which will shape our own world.”