UCL Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences

13/10/2026

It's Ada Lovelace Day celebrating the achievements of women in STEM! To mark it, we asked UCL astrophysics students to share how they use computing in studies and research: https://youtube.com/shorts/Uw6QQWGTi6o

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, also known as Ada Lovelace, was an English mathematician in the 19th-century, most well known for being recognised as the world's first computer programmer.

On 13 October 2026, we celebrate Ada Lovelace Day! Held annually on...

09/10/2026

: talking Professor Sarah Matthews of about unexpected career turns and unanswered scientific questions ✨

Sarah Matthews is the Professor of and the Head of the Solar Physics group at UCL’s Mullard Laboratory (), as well as the Course Lead for MSc Space Science and .

08/10/2026

Hypernovae, theorised to be the most powerful explosions in the Universe, may not have occurred after all, according to new analysis by Anmol Aggarwal and Dr Ralph Schoenrich of UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory.

Previous work argued that unusual stars in the Milky Way's halo and in a neighbouring dwarf galaxy could only have formed from material blasted out by a star explosion at least 10 times more energetic than a typical supernova.

But in two papers in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the team argued that ordinary supernova could better explain the unusual make-up of these stars, once the uneven way that material is flung into space was taken into account.

Read more: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/oct/ultra-powerful-star-explosions-might-not-have-occurred-after-all

07/10/2026

It's , and we have an update on the which launched in May and aims to image Earth's shield for the first time - it has been approved to begin its science operations 🌎️

Dr Colin Forsyth, Co-Principal Investigator of the mission based at UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “It’s fantastic to see the hard work put in over the last decade by the instrument, spacecraft and launch teams paying off as we move into this exciting new phase of Smile.”

The mission is being conducted jointly by the and the .

Footage from Smile’s UVI (ultraviolet imager) has also been released, showing activity in the ring of due to a disturbance in Earth’s caused by a rush of solar wind particles.

Read more via the link in our bio 🔗

07/10/2026

It's , and we have an update on the Smile space mission which launched in May and aims to image Earth's shield for the first time - it has been approved to begin its science operations 🌎️

Dr Colin Forsyth, Co-Principal Investigator of the mission based at UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “It’s fantastic to see the hard work put in over the last decade by the instrument, spacecraft and launch teams paying off as we move into this exciting new phase of Smile.”

The mission is being conducted jointly by the ESA - European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Footage from Smile’s UVI (ultraviolet imager) has also been released, showing activity in the ring of northern lights due to a disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field caused by a rush of solar wind particles.

Read more: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Smile/Science_begins_for_Smile

02/10/2026

More memories from our recent graduates - the people really do create the experience! Excited for our freshers to start theirs… 🙌

01/10/2026

We asked our recent graduates what’s their favourite memory from - freshers, make the most of your time here! ✨

30/09/2026

Thinking about postgraduate study? Come and meet our team at Postgrad LIVE Bristol.

Ask questions and discover what studying at UCL could look like.

📍 City Hall, Bristol
🗓️ 7 October 2026
🕛 12pm to 3pm

Register now: https://tinyurl.com/ypkn277j

FindAMasters

17/09/2026

A vast sheet of volcanic rock in the Andes has preserved clues to a buried landscape that existed 22 million years ago, according to a new study led by Dr Byron Adams and Dr Frances Cooper (UCL Earth Sciences): https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/sep/giant-volcanic-blanket-reveals-hidden-pompeii-andean-landscapes

11/09/2026

Final fresh graduate catch-ups, with Khadar from .stats and Jack from 🎓