URN

We spoke to Dr Frazer Pearce about whether it's possible for there to be life out there...

This is the Drake equation, which predicts the chance that there is life elsewhere in the Universe...

Drake Equation

This is PROOF THAT UFOs EXIST:

UFO

Or is it just a seagull relieving itself?

Finally, here are some links that we spoke about today:

http://www.badscience.net/2006/12/mediaslut-ideas-money-corporatewhore/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kardashev_scale

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/21/hoagland-still...

Don't forget to download Frazer's podcast! It is FREE and available on the URN website and on iTunes.

We all know scientists are smart. Especially at the University of Nottingham. But if we were to quiz our resident scientists at common sense and popular culture, just how well would they do?

This is our Academic Leaderboard. Scored out of 15, we will see who really is the smartest cookie on campus.

Keith Smith - 9/15 - A stirling performance with wonderful knowledge of sport and scraping in at 60% - A 2:1.

Will Hartley - 4/15 - Despite claims of 'Keith's quiz was easier than mine!' Will unfortunately only managed to rack up 26.7%.

Roger Bowley - 4/10 - A lack of knowledge of the X-factor judges means that Roger comes in with a reasonable 40%. A pass at least.

Tony Padilla - 6/10 - With an ability to spell words such as 'embarass... embarress... embarrass', Tony storms in at joint first place.

Frazer Pearce - 3/10 - Receives a 'bonus point' from Dave for believing that 'Simon Cowell is the only judge that matters on the X-Factor so who cares about the others?' Narrowly missed the bottom of the table there, Frazer!

The Academic Leaderboard

In Week 4's show (24th October, 6-7pm), we spoke to particle cosmologist, Tony Padilla, about what makes up our Universe.

We will be covered the following topics:

- Dark matter
- Dark energy
- The expansion of the Universe
- Was Einstein wrong?
- Black holes and singularities

Dark Matter Pie Chart

Here is our audio clip on the 'basics' of dark matter and dark energy (if such things could ever be considered 'basic')...

And here is our view of the history of the Universe as we know it to be currently:

NASA Universe