“In Search of our Origins”

Tim de Zeeuw, Professor of Theoretical Astronomy at Leiden University (Netherlands), gave this lecture in April 2017.
It begins with an introduction on the relationship between technology and astronomy, followed by an overview of ESO’s current scientific program and its significance within the global astrophysics landscape, as well as the perspectives and opportunities offered by the near future.

This lecture is part of the astrophysics series ‘The Science of the Cosmos, the Science in the Cosmos’, tackles the fundamental questions in contemporary astrophysics. The lectures in the sixth edition focus on our cosmic origin, as well as the fact that gravity, the most familiar and important force in the universe’s evolution, continues to pose some challenging questions.