UK space academy boss Anu Ojha on what finding aliens might mean – New Scientist News

As a child, what did you want todowhenyou grew up?

I grew up fascinated by space science and the world around me. As I grew older, this extended to a desire to understand societal and human issues, but I never really knew what I wanted to be apart from something that let me keep learning.

Explain your work in one easy paragraph.

I direct the UKs National Space Academy, which helps young people navigate towards careers in the space and wider science and engineering sectors. I have other roles nationally and internationally, including a lot of space science policy and government advisory work. I do some research: Im a co-investigator on a new planetary drilling technology being developed by the University of Leicester. And most importantly, Istill have opportunities to teach.

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Being invited to be principal investigator for an International Space Station experiment conducted by Tim Peake was a tremendous honour and took my understanding of humanspace flight operations to much higherlevels. My current work for the Science andTechnology Facilities Council and the European Space Agency focuses on long-term planning for UK physics research and human and robotic exploration of the moon and Mars.

How has your field of study changed in the time you have been working in it?

In my lifetime, we have seen distant moons transformed into worlds of fire (Io is the most volcanic object in the solar system), of ice (Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) and possibly of life (Enceladus). We also now have a far better understanding of the impact of human activityon our planet, the most astonishing, diverse planet in the solar system.

If you could have a conversation with any scientist living or dead, who would it be?

To be honest, I am more stimulated by the realdiscussions I have with young researchers and students. They are the true crucibles of creativity and innovation of thought.

What achievement or discovery areyoumost proud of?

Teaching young people really brings home to methe fact that the 21st century is theirs, not mygenerations. Sometimes, I think politicians need to be reminded about this.

What scientific development do you hopeto see in your lifetime?

The discovery of microbial life elsewhere in thesolar system would be one of the greatest achievements of science. But evidence of intelligence elsewhere in the universe would havea transformational impact on human civilisation, for better or possibly worse.

Do you have an unexpected hobby, and if so, please will you tell us about it?

I have been a freediver, scuba diver and skydiver for more than 20 years. When jumping out ofaplane with friends, the sky transforms into anaerial playground with a horizon over 100kilometres away. For that magical minute of free fall, the third dimension becomes accessible and you gain a new and very personal perspective of our home planet and our relationship with it. Even after nearly 1500 jumps, I never tire of it.

What is the best thing you have read orseen in the past 12 months?

The writings, activities and impact of advocates like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai challenge my generation in ways that may make us feel uncomfortable but which are essential for us to take on board.

OK, one last thing: tell us something that willblow our minds

I think I first heard it in a speech by the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees: The greatest complexity we see in astrophysics and astronomy pales into insignificance when compared to the biological complexity of a simple ant.

Professor Anu Ojha OBE is director of the UK National Space Academy and a director of the UK National Space Centre. He is also a member of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, the European Space Agencys Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee and the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester

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UK space academy boss Anu Ojha on what finding aliens might mean - New Scientist News