Four things we need to know about science - Brian Cox

There are four key points everyone should understand about science, according to Prof Brian Cox:

That the Universe began in a Big Bang; that everything is made of atoms; that we share a common ancestor (Darwin’s Theory of Evolution); and the theory of gravity.

"There are four fundamental forces of nature, of which gravity is the most obvious but the weakest," said the particle physicist.

We should all understand the cultural significance of science as an integral part of everyday life, added Prof Cox, who teaches at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester.

The fact we know that the universe began in a Big Bang 13.82 billion years ago, or that we’ve measured the age of the Earth (4.54bn years), are "culturally important statements”, he added.

"We know the story of the origin and evolution of the universe and the origin and evolution of life on Earth," said Prof Cox.

Prof Cox started by explaining why it is important that we understand this "culturally important information".