The Standard Model is fantastic but has one big flaw: it only describes 5% of matter. Dr Charity will discuss what's next for the field.

What is the Universe Made of -- Precisely?

This lecture is face-to-face on the University of Liverpool's campus, in Lecture Theatre B of the Central Teaching Hub. This is building 221 in square F7 of https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/files/docs/maps/liverpool-university-campus-map.pdf (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/files/docs/maps/liverpool-university-campus-map.pdf). Please note that Eventbrite's map is showing the wrong location.

It is suitable for anyone aged 16 or over with an interest in mathematics. Please book one ticket for each person attending. There will not be a live stream or a recording.

The Standard Model of Particle Physics is an incredibly successful scientific theory, with one major flaw: it only describes 5% of the matter in the universe. Particle physicists use different experiments around the world to search for echoes of elusive “Dark Matter” and “Dark Energy” that make up the missing 95%. Dr Saskia Charity will explain the different approaches taken to search for Dark Matter, with an emphasis on ultra-precise tests of the Standard Model, and discuss the potential for groundbreaking discoveries in the coming decades.

About the speaker

Dr Saskia Charity is a particle physicist at the University of Liverpool. She is part of the international Muon g−2 experiment at Fermilab, USA, which makes extraordinarily precise measurements of subatomic particles to investigate whether there is physics beyond our current understanding of the universe. In 2024, she was awarded a prestigious STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship, one of just ten awarded that year. Having spent five years working at Fermilab, she is now continuing this research at Liverpool, where she is passionate about sharing the excitement of fundamental physics.

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