Is humanity as doomed as the dinosaurs… or can we do something about our fate?
On Wednesday 18th June, PubSci is delighted to welcome Astrophysicist and Satellite Engineer Dr Stuart Eves back to The Old King’s Head to consider whether human life is doomed like the dinosaurs, and what we might do to prevent it. Having dazzled us with a tour of the solar system in 2023, Stuart is returning by popular demand to explore how our place in the Milky Way galaxy might be linked a the pattern of global mass extinctions on Earth.
Of the five known mass extinctions in Earth’s geological record, each is associated with a different trigger event, so why do they seem to occur with almost clockwork regularity? The most recent one ended the reign of dinosaurs, ultimately giving rise to humans, but now planet Earth is overdue for the next Big One – so what will it be and how might we prevent impending disaster?
With just a few tickets remaining, book your place now, or read on to learn more.
On June 30, 1908, an asteroid plunged into Earth’s atmosphere and exploded in the skies over Siberia. Eyewitnesses in the sparsely populated region reported seeing a fireball trailing smoke, then a flash brighter than the Sun, followed by a loud noise like thunder. Those closest to the event reported being blown into the air and knocked unconscious, and their dwellings damaged or destroyed. They also reported massive forest fires, with trees blown over for miles. When a scientific expedition finally reached the area in 1927 they encountered a butterfly-shaped area of destruction covering 830 square miles. An estimated 80 million trees were flattened and near the epicentre, trees remained standing but stripped of bark and branches, with clear evidence of burning.
The Tunguska Event, as it is known, involved a bolide (a bright meteorite or asteroid in Earth’s atmosphere) just 40 metres across. The asteroid that ended the era of giant dinosaurs was over 10,000 metres in diameter. So, did we get lucky in 1908, or is The Big One yet to come?
Will it be curtains for humanity? Is our species ‘Doomed’– or is there something we could do to prevent the universe wiping us out? Could it be stargazers who end up saving human civilisation from going the way of the dinosaurs?
Come to PubSci on Wednesday 18th June to discover what’s going on out there, and learn how astronomers are preparing to warn us of potential catastrophes. Hold on to your hats, this is a cosmic rollercoaster ride you won’t want to miss.
Book your place now, or read on to read about this month’s speaker. Full details and booking on Eventbrite.
Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head on Wednesday 21st May. Places for this talk are limited and selling fast, so book now!
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PubSci talks are pay-what-you-can – you can make a contribution when booking on Eventbrite or as a cash contribution on the night. Join us for another round of Sipping, Supping Science… in the pub.
Doors open at 6.30 for a 7pm start. Talks run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm, and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub.
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About the speaker
Dr Stuart Eves has more than 30 years of experience in satellite systems. He has an MSc in Astrophysics and a PhD in satellite constellation design and is a Fellow of both the Royal Astronomical Society and the British Interplanetary Society.
Following 14 years with Surrey Satellite Technology, Stuart founded his own space consultancy in 2018. His satellite technology has been displayed in the Science Museum and he serves on the Advisory Panel for the ESA’s Space Safety Programme. Stuart is a founder of the GNOSIS network on sustainability in space and his book “Space Traffic Control” is the manual for protecting satellites from natural hazards and man-made threats.
Stuart is passionate about sharing his love of space, and his outreach work has been recognised with the Arthur Clarke Award.
PubSci is delighted to welcome Stuart as the sixth speaker in our 2025 programme of Sipping, Supping & Science.
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Keep Up With Future Events
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Posted by Richard Marshall, PubSci organiser and host.
PubSci: Sipping • Supping • Science
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About PubSci talks
PubSci is organised and hosted by science communicator, Richard Marshall, assisted by Mike Lucibella. Events are held upstairs at the Old King’s Head, near London Bridge tube. No specialist knowledge is required, just curiosity. Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Talks run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm, and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub.
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There is no charge for attending PubSci talks, but we have a cash whip-round to cover expenses on the night – consider it “Pay What You Can Afford”. As few of us carry cash these days, you can make a donation when registering for ticketed events with Eventbrite. Please help us continue putting on events. PubSci has no other source of funding.
We aim to keep PubSci accessible for all, although it is unsuitable for under 18s as we meet in the function room of a pub. Regrettably, there is no wheelchair access.
You can find all our links on our LinkTree.
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We generally hold events on the third Wednesday of the month, upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge Underground (Borough High Street east side exit). Join us every month apart from December for a regular dose of Sipping, Supping & Science.
Address:
The Old King’s Head (upstairs room)
King’s Head Yard
45-49 Borough High Street
London SE1 1NA
PubSci takes place upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge tube. Doors open 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Talks run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub. 
He received his PhD in psychology from Florida Atlantic University and has a degree in Applied Science from Wolverhampton University,
PubSci 