Our host Vick Hope is joined by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock.
Maggie is a space scientist and pioneering figure in communicating science, having spoken directly to over half a million people globally, 350,000 of whom are children. She is committed to inspiring emerging generations of astronauts, engineers and scientists, and presents the new series of BBC’s The Sky at Night and Mini Stargazing for CBeebies. Maggie’s new book, Webb’s Universe: The Space Telescope Images that Reveal Our Cosmic History, is the definitive book on the James Webb Space Telescope, with a full array of stunning images.
Listen to the full episode here and read on to see Maggie’s top five most influential books written by women.
I think what really, really entranced me was the idea of meta-powers – telepathy, telekinesis, the ability to speak to other people with your mind – the power of the human mind […] I think it was just the idea of being able to communicate with no barriers.
As you read the book, as clouds come in, bits of the market start to disappear. I think I am fascinated by science and logic, but I do like the wispiness of magic. I love the idea that what we call magic today is just science that we don’t yet understand.
It talks about [the characters’] world and about the challenges they face and sometimes the best intentions can go awry. It explores the world – but from a slightly different viewpoint. And I love the way [Malorie Blackman] takes us in and we make assumptions and then those assumptions are blown out of the water – it’s such a powerful tale.
I encountered this fairly recently and just fell in love with it because it is a really simple story that encompasses so much […] Mary’s story in this book starts off at a wonderful place and then slowly but surely degrades as war and fractions appear. We take our civilisation for granted but to me, it is a fragile thing […] Sometimes we can get caught up in the detail and what I loved about Mary is that she transcended that – as problems came along she tackled them, she was resilient. And I think that’s perhaps one of the most powerful things you can be.
I have quite a close relationship with my daughter – and I loved [Maya Angelou’s] idea that “My daughters are everywhere and this is the message I want to give them” so that they can hopefully lead happy lives. I read that and thought “Oh yes this is a book for me but it is a book for my daughter too” […] Some of it makes you wince – and some of it is the joys in life and how we can find them, and utilise them.
