The IMPACT, March 2026, Issue 2

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Houston, we may have a problem… When you combine a lack of compelling evidence for aliens with a distrust of global leaders and post-AI information, where is the room for empowered conversations about extraterrestrials?

If, or when (depending on which side of the Fermi Paradox fence you sit) aliens make contact, it’s hard to predict whether people would believe it or even care. In amongst civil unrest, environmental degradation and paying our highly-inflated bills, there is only so much mental energy left in the tank.

However, The Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement are proposing an alternative reality. Like Dr Michael Garrett discussed in The Expert, the civic team behind Jodrell Bank believe everyone should feel empowered to weigh in on conversations about space and it’s many mysteries.

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Jodrell Bank’s search for extraterrestrial life

Owned by The University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2019, joining the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef and the Taj Mahal in an international zeitgeist of cultural importance. All while residing down the road in Cheshire.

The centre is a world-leading deep space observatory and research facility, part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics in the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Famous for its landmark radio telescopes, these impressive tools detect radio waves emitted by astronomical sources in the sky.

It’s most widely-known for The Lovell Telescope, with its 76 metre diameter reflecting surface. Constructed in 1957, it received Heritage Grade I listing in 1988, and with upgrades over the years remains one of the biggest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world.

Aside from their arguably more conventional research, including the e-Merlin network, Jodrell collaborates with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) through the Breakthrough Listen initiative. In this partnership, the Lovell Telescope has joined forces with the Arecibo 305 metre Telescope in Puerto Rico, in what is described as ‘the most sensitive and comprehensive search yet undertaking for possible radio signals from extraterrestrial civilisations beyond our solar system.’

In addition to the Earth’s rotation, the great distance separating the two observatories makes for ‘precisely calculable differences’ on any signal received from outside our Solar System. Long story short: an extraterrestrial or ‘alien’ signal would be distinguishable among others closer to or from Earth.

Outside of this world-leading research, Jodrell Bank is also a visitor attraction, offering a catalogue of events and ticketed lectures open to the general public, families and schools. This branch of the centre orbits around creating community; including everyone in the discussion of space exploration.

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Bringing ‘community’ into the conversation on aliens

‘The aliens have landed in Cheshire!’ a Jodrell Bank webpage claims. Before you get ahead of yourself… no, this isn’t an exclusive.

Instead, this is one of the many outreach events run throughout the year at Jodrell Bank, engaging thousands of members of the public in exploring the world beyond our own.

Situated near Macclesfield, Jodrell Bank engages local people on their Northern doorstep. Conversations about astrophysics begin here, and for many, could be their very first experience in the world of extraterrestrials.

Whether it’s ‘looking for life across the planets’ on the Easter trail, or taking a journey through the solar system on ‘Ted’s Space Adventure’, these events introduce small children to science through interactivity, music and rhyme. The goal? To instil a sense of belonging for children in STEM spaces early on, and to engage those from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.

In fact, Jodrell Bank has events catered to all ages, from networking events and guest lectures to dome shows in their planetarium. This coming April, The Lovell Lecture Series is hosting ‘Down to Earth Astronomy’, which seeks to highlight the incredible capabilities of the humble radio wave in unfolding the cosmic story of our universe.

We’ve all seen the very impressive capabilities of optical astronomy in photographs produced by the Hubble Space Telescope. However, when we look at what we can’t see using radio frequencies, there is a whole new world out there to explore. With special guest and author of Radio Universe, Dr Emma Chapman, she will discuss the pulses of stars, the hearts of black holes and the search for extraterrestrial signs of intelligence. It brings the discussion of alien life to everyday people, in an arena outside of academic conferences.

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Interpreting the universe through art

Unique in their educational approach, Jodrell also welcome more holistic methods to astrophysics. Despite popular opinion, the arts and science are inexplicably linked (hello, Leonardo Da Vinci), and this belief informed a recent project marking the 80 year anniversary of Jodrell Bank.

‘Cosmic Threads’ sought to explore the importance of community in space exploration. Between the abstract fabric of time and the tangible fabric in an embroidery hoop, this project invited over 200 participants to imagine the universe for themselves on a 23cm x 23cm panel.

Textile Artist, Anne Kelly, coordinated the project, receiving contributions from people locally, internationally, and from all walks of life. Now completed, Cosmic Threads is a permanent art installation at the centre, depicting hundreds of people’s ‘personal connections to the wonders of the cosmos.’

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From Manchester, to the world…

The ultimate driving force behind Jodrell’s engagement efforts is twofold. Yes, this includes maintaining the rich legacy of its pioneering research and scientific discovery, but it’s also to send a signal into the cosmos closer to home. It’s a message to say: science is the beating heart behind an extra-ordinary community, too.

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