Royal Institution Einstein Telescope: Discovery and diplomacy

Robbert Dijkgraaf takes the stage at The Royal Institution on Monday 2 November, talking about the Einstein Telescope. It's an evening presented in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands, and it's aimed at an adult audience.

The telescope itself is planned for operation in 2035, and it's set to be one of the most powerful tools we've had for detecting gravitational waves and testing Einstein's general theory of relativity. Beyond that, it'll be used to search for dark matter and probe black holes and neutron stars, so it's a fair bit more than just a check on a century-old theory.

Dijkgraaf is a mathematical physicist and a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Amsterdam, and he previously led the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He's also the President-elect of the International Science Council and a former Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science. He's received the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific award in the Netherlands, and is a fellow of the Royal Society.

The session runs from 7.00pm to 8.30pm in The Theatre, with doors opening about 15 minutes before. If you can't make it in person, there's a livestream too. Tickets for the theatre audience are £16 or £10, and £7 for Ri Members or Ri Patrons, with the Eventbrite booking fee not included.