Advances in technology have enabled tremendous progress in our understanding of the Universe. Today’s telescopes allow study of the Universe all the way back in time to its earliest stages, and provide firm evidence for planets orbiting other stars. They may – in the near future – reveal the existence of life on other worlds.

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is an intergovernmental organization for astronomy founded in 1962 by five European countries, with the mission to build and operate world-class telescopes to enable astronomical discoveries. ESO operates the world-leading Very Large Telescope in the Atacama desert in Chile, is a partner in the transformational radio interferometer ALMA, and is constructing the 39-meter diameter Extremely Large Telescope, which will be the world’s biggest “eye on the sky” when it starts operation in 2024. After a brief introduction on the link between technology and astronomy, the lecture will describe ESO’s current science program, its role in the broader context of astrophysics, and opportunities for the future.