Invaders from outer space - Frank Close 1993 Christmas Lectures 3/5

In his third lecture, Frank Close looks at the various methods of imaging fundamental particles.

Watch all the lectures in this series here:    • Frank Close 1993 CHRISTMAS LECTURES – The ...  
Watch our newest Christmas lectures here:    • Royal Institution Christmas Lectures  

This was recorded on 3 Dec 1993.

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This year marks 200 years of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures — a world famous series showcasing science, curiosity, and mind-blowing demos, and started by the legendary Michael Faraday himself. To celebrate, we're unlocking the archive. Every Saturday, we’ll upload a classic lecture to our YouTube channel — some not seen since they aired on TV. Sign up as a Science Supporter and get early access here:    / @theroyalinstitution  

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From the 1993 programme notes:
We are being invaded by extraterrestrials. The nuclei of atoms produced in deep space are whirled by electric and magnetic forces in the galaxy until, trapped by the Earth’s magnetic arms, they smash into the upper atmosphere far above our heads. Fragments rain down: millions of cosmic particles pass through our bodies all the time and, by means of spark chambers, we can expose them to view. The sparks show where particles smaller than atoms – such as electrons, protons, atomic nuclei – have passed by.

Occasionally, if you are lucky, you may see these particles produce matter from energy – E = mc2 at work. Cosmic rays show that there are things in the Universe that we didn’t know existed. To understand these essential pieces in Nature’s jigsaw we need to produce intense versions of the cosmic rays here on Earth and photograph efficiently what happens.

This brings us to the era of the high energy particle accelerator and to the beautiful images of the bubble chamber. The abstract art trails in bubble chamber photographs are like hieroglyphics that reveal the secrets of the Universe. They lead us to discover that deep inside all matter are bizarre particles called 'quarks'. And with the aid of a huge electron microscope we can even capture direct evidence of these ultimate particles, among the first inhabitants of the Universe.

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About the 1993 CHRISTMAS LECTURES
These lectures explore a century of discovery, beginning in 1893—a time before scientists knew of radioactivity, electrons, or atoms, and had no idea how stars shine or that galaxies rush away from a Big Bang. Despite this, many believed they were close to fully understanding nature. But discoveries at the century’s turn shattered that view, revealing a deeper, more complex reality.

By 1993, people spoke of a “Theory of Everything” and pondered whether we could “know the mind of God.” Yet again, there were signs that all was not well. These lectures trace this journey through discovery and debate, ending with a look toward the next hundred years.

They will show how each breakthrough not only answers questions but opens new ones—driving innovation, creating new tools, and extending our reach far beyond our senses.

While our eyes see nearby stars and fine detail, and our ears detect fleeting sounds, it’s our “sixth sense”—the tools of science—that let us look deep into atoms and far across the cosmos. Telescopes capture ancient light; particle accelerators recreate the moments after the Big Bang.

At the smallest scales, we image subatomic particles living for billionths of a second. Like hieroglyphs revealing ancient secrets, these modern symbols tell the story of creation—and may even hint at our future.

Find out more about the CHRISTMAS LECTURES here: https://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures

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