On the evening of Tuesday 8 February, Woldingham’s STEM Society held its very first STEM Live, where particle physicist Dr Harry Cliff delivered an engaging talk on How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch. You may be wondering why a physicist from the University of Cambridge was giving advice on baking, but his talk delved into the complex science of the very things that maintain our universe and all that we know.

From the creation of around 30 Earths-worth of gold by the collision of two neutron stars to the problems of the Standard Model, which suggest that the Big Bang should have wiped us all out, Dr Cliff explained PhD level physics in such a way that the audience could grapple with its intricate concepts. He answered numerous questions from staff, parents, and students from both Woldingham and nearby Warlingham School, which showed just how thought provoking the talk was.

Our first STEM Live was a huge success, and I am looking forward to the next talk from an epidemiologist in May.

Léonie, Lower Sixth