Jodrell Bank: Tuning Into the Universe

It started 80 years ago with a field, army surplus, wartime radar and a visionary idea - and it changed how we see the universe forever. In this episode, we step inside the remarkable story of Jodrell Bank Observatory and its towering Lovell Telescope, an instrument that scientists have used to listen to the cosmos for almost 70 years.

Taking us on this journey, Maggie Aderin meets research scientist Dr Emmanuel K Bempong-Manful to discover how the team he is in decide who gets time on the renowned Lovell Telescope, and what it can reveal. But connect this giant telescope with telescopes across the UK, and it becomes the headquarters of E-Merlin, which provides astronomers with incredible resolution with which to view the universe in ways never seen before — delivering powerful results that deepen our understanding of how the cosmos works.

But how did this site become home to such an iconic scientific landmark, nestled in the Cheshire countryside? Professor Tim O’Brien takes Maggie on a tour of Jodrell Bank’s early history, from its beginnings as a botanist’s field, through the adaptation of wartime radar using army surplus, to the construction of what was, at the time, the world’s largest steerable radio telescope - an ambition many believed was impossible. Driven by the vision of Bernard Lovell, the project ran dramatically over budget and needed a miracle to be completed - which arrived with the onset of the Cold War.

At the University of Manchester Library, Chris Lintott joins Professor Danielle George, GCHQ’s chief scientific adviser for national security, to examine previously top-secret files revealing Jodrell Bank’s role at the height of Cold War tensions. From tracking potential intercontinental missiles to listening in on the Soviet race to the moon, Chris uncovers the ingenious technologies and human stories playing out during one of the most perilous periods in modern history.

Back at Jodrell Bank, the telescope’s constant watch on the sky continues. George Dransfield meets PhD student Phoebe Ryder, who is exploring how the Lovell’s extraordinary sensitivity can be adapted to study threats orbiting Earth - helping scientists anticipate potentially catastrophic collisions that could prevent any space launches for years to come.

Moving between past, present and future, this is a story of ambition, ingenuity and quiet vigilance - a reminder that some of the most important frontiers are explored not just by looking deeper into space, but by listening carefully to what the universe is telling us.