On this wholesome helping of Science Weekly, the astronomy writer Stuart Clark tells us about the birth of astrophysics, and the tragic life of Richard Carrington, the amateur astronomer who, in 1859, was the first person to analyse the impact caused to the earth by a huge solar flare and geomagnetic storm. Stuart's fantastic new book, The Sun Kings is out now, and winning all sorts of plaudits - not just from us.
Also in the show, Alok Jha asks Prof Glenn White from the Open University why he believes there definitely will be evidence of extraterrestial life in the next ten years. Meanwhile scienceatrix Nell Boase tackles the fertility expert Lord Winston on the ethics of using the technique he pioneered in stem cell research
Meanwhile Bobbie Johnson struggles with his jet lag to tell us about WiTricity and the case of Otzi, history's most famous iceman. And producer Ben Green rummages through his record collection to a conjure up a twisted dub version of a Bill Withers classic, and something by Leonard Nimoy. All entirely scientifically justified, of course.
