56 | New Scientist | 12 October 2019
The back pages Q&A
Maggie Aderin-Pocock has always been
fascinated by space, and sees our future there –
even though it would take thousands of years to
reach our neighbouring solar systemsAs a child, what did you want to do when
you grew up?
I wanted to go into space and find out as much
about it as I could.Explain what you do in one easy paragraph.
For many years, I worked as a space scientist. I also
do lots of science communication. This year,
I have worked on a project involving Stonehenge,
helped set up the science behind a TV drama and I
am working on a new children’s TV programme.What do you love most about what you do?
And what’s the worst part?
I love applying scientific knowledge to different
situations, and I have set up my own company so I
work for myself, which I really enjoy. The flip side
is there is lots of paperwork. As a dyslexic, I find
this quite hard work, but definitely worth it.Sum up your life in a one-sentence
elevator pitch...
A space scientist who likes to bring the
excitement of the amazing things in the
universe to the general public, releasing the
inner scientist in everyone.What’s the most exciting thing you’re
working on right now?
I was inspired by the programme The Clangers
as a child, and this helped me become a space
scientist. Now I am part of a team developing a
new TV show, which is cosmology for tots.What achievement or discovery are you
most proud of?
I visit schools where I try to reach the children
who are disillusioned, to see if I can excite them
with the wonders of space. To date, I have met
around 350,000 kids around the world.How has your field of study changed in the
time you have been working in it?
Astronomy has changed so much since I was a
child. We have bigger telescopes than I would
have ever thought possible and are discovering
planets travelling around distant stars. The
detection of gravitational waves gives us a whole
new way of doing astronomy and investigating
objects such as black holes and neutron stars.Were you good at science at school?
Not at first because the dyslexia got in the way, but
then I found the benefits of dyslexia, such as good
3D spatial awareness and a strong logical sense,
which were ideal for a career as a space scientist.What scientific development do you hope
to see in your lifetime?
Space travel for everyone, fusion to solve the
energy crises and medication based on our genes.Which discovery do you wish you’d
made yourself?
Cheap and accessible space travel. I truly believe
our destiny is out there.If you could have a long conversation
with any scientist, living or dead, who
would it be?
Albert Einstein. He was so ahead of his time. I
loved the way he did thought experiments, and as
he was dyslexic, we would have lots to talk about.What’s the best thing you’ve read or
seen in the past 12 months?
The film Armstrong stood out as it made me see
Neil Armstrong as a different person from what I
had assumed – a lot quieter and more reflective.How useful will your skills be after the
apocalypse?
My good general science knowledge could be
useful. Also, I am quite hands-on.OK, one last thing: tell us something that
will blow our minds...
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, has around 300 billion
stars, many with planets orbiting them. There are
around 100 billion galaxies, so a lot of planets for
life to potentially exist on. But using our fastest
space tech, it would take around 76,000 years to
get to the nearest solar system, Proxima Centauri.
The universe is mind-bogglingly big. ❚Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist, author
and broadcaster. Her latest book Dr Maggie’s
Grand Tour of the Solar System is out now“ As I got older I
found some of
the benefits of
dyslexia, such as
good 3D spatial
awareness”
CAPITAL PICTURESWhat has the moon
ever done for us?
Maggie Aderin-Pocock will be
speaking at New Scientist Live
on 12 October
newscientistlive.com