The Centenary of the Discovery of Cosmic Rays: the End of the Beginning

• 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm on Friday 21 September 2012
• at The Royal Society, London

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Photograph of cosmic rays (detail) taken by Patrick Blackett (1946).

History of Science lecture by Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS.

Event details

Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Durham, and former Astronomer Royal.

In 1912, Victor Hess embarked on a perilous balloon ascent and discovered the 'Cosmic Radiation', actually a beam of atomic particles. Whole areas of science were stimulated by the discovery, although it must be said that we're still not quite sure where they are coming from. This lecture will discuss the discovery of cosmic rays, its implications, Britain's role and where we go from here.

Attending this event

This event is free to attend and open to all. No tickets are required. Doors open at 12:30pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Recorded audio will be available on this page a few days afterwards.

Enquiries: Contact the events team.