Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
AD | Get started with Brilliant’s tutor for free at brilliant.org/drbecky and save 20% off an annual subscription | 700 astrophysicists. Unlimited coffee. And a whole load of science. This is the National Astronomy Meeting. The UK's largest gathering of astrophysicists and astronomers, and this year, I'm not just attending. I'm presenting. And you’re coming with me.
Over the next two days, I’ll take you into the big plenary talks, and the parallel science sessions, including the one where I’ll give my talk, and support my PhD student giving hers. Plus I’ll take you behind the scenes for the bits you don’t normally see: the poster hall gossip, the coffee-machine debates, and yes the fancy awards dinner.
Watch this video to find out what science has got everybody excited this year, and what a day in the life at NAM looks like…
Papers mentioned:
Smethurst et al. (2025) - arxiv.org/pdf/2503.21869
Previous videos:
youtube.com/watch?v=INhHgflGwaE
youtube.com/watch?v=eQRUcAzktXU&t=469s
Video filmed on an iPhone 13 Pro with DJI Mini Mics
Video edited by Martino Gasparrini: martino.freelance@gmail.com
Video produced by Marina Hui & Dr Becky Smethurst
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📚 My book, "A Brief History of Black Holes", out NOW in hardback, paperback, e-book and audiobook (which I narrated myself!): lnk.to/DrBecky
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👕 My merch, including JWST designs, are available here (with worldwide shipping!): dr-becky.teemill.com
---
🎧 Royal Astronomical Society Podcast that I co-host: podfollow.com/supermassive
---
🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when I post a new video!
---
👩🏽💻 I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford. I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.
drbecky.uk.com
AD | Get started with Brilliant’s tutor for free at brilliant.org/drbecky and save 20% off an annual subscription | 700 astrophysicists. Unlimited coffee. And a whole load of science. This is the National Astronomy Meeting. The UK's largest gathering of astrophysicists and astronomers, and this year, I'm not just attending. I'm presenting. And you’re coming with me.
Over the next two days, I’ll take you into the big plenary talks, and the parallel science sessions, including the one where I’ll give my talk, and support my PhD student giving hers. Plus I’ll take you behind the scenes for the bits you don’t normally see: the poster hall gossip, the coffee-machine debates, and yes the fancy awards dinner.
Watch this video to find out what science has got everybody excited this year, and what a day in the life at NAM looks like…
Papers mentioned:
Smethurst et al. (2025) - arxiv.org/pdf/2503.21869
Previous videos:
youtube.com/watch?v=INhHgflGwaE
youtube.com/watch?v=eQRUcAzktXU&t=469s
Video filmed on an iPhone 13 Pro with DJI Mini Mics
Video edited by Martino Gasparrini: martino.freelance@gmail.com
Video produced by Marina Hui & Dr Becky Smethurst
---
📚 My book, "A Brief History of Black Holes", out NOW in hardback, paperback, e-book and audiobook (which I narrated myself!): lnk.to/DrBecky
---
👕 My merch, including JWST designs, are available here (with worldwide shipping!): dr-becky.teemill.com
---
🎧 Royal Astronomical Society Podcast that I co-host: podfollow.com/supermassive
---
🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when I post a new video!
---
👩🏽💻 I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford. I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.
drbecky.uk.com
