Life Solved Live: Where We Came From, Where We’re Going

How did Earth become a habitable planet within a dynamic solar system? And how, today, is our natural world inspiring breakthroughs in new forms of tech-driven intelligence? Join us to uncover the secrets of our planet’s past and discover pathways to an advanced future.  

This Life Solved Live event is your chance to hear first-hand how researchers unravel mysteries and illuminate new frontiers of knowledge – and what drives them to do it.

An Inaugural Lecture is one of the most prestigious Life Solved Live events. It’s a celebration of the career of a professor and the difference they make.

On 3 June 2026 we present two fascinating lectures in one evening. 

In Planetary Perspectives on Earth’s Dynamic Evolution, Professor of Earth and Planetary Science, James Darling, explores how insights from planetary science and terrestrial geology together illuminate the deep history of our planet.

Professor Darling says:

‘By studying Earth’s oldest rocks alongside samples from the Moon, Mars and asteroids, and probing them down to the atomic scale, it becomes possible to reconstruct the processes that shaped the early crust, the role of hypervelocity impacts in planetary evolution, and the conditions that led to the formation of major metal deposits and the emergence of life. These approaches reveal new perspectives on how our planet evolved and help to support the circular economy of critical raw materials.’

Professor Darling will also introduce the Institute of the Earth and Environment, a landmark initiative at the University of Portsmouth designed to bring disciplines together to address two fundamental questions: how our planet works, and how we can secure a sustainable future.

In Computational Intelligence – Nature Inspired Models and Their Applications, Professor of Computational Intelligence, Ivan Jordanov, will introduce the basics of Computational Intelligence and its two main technological paradigms: Artificial Neural Networks (NN) and Evolutionary Computation (EC). Both methodologies are inspired by nature: NN by the human brain and EC by natural evolution.

Professor Jordanov says:

‘I’ll begin with Global Optimisation and so-called Low Discrepancy Sequences, and the use of Genetic Algorithms as one example of EC. I’ll then consider Machine Learning (ML) – specifically, Deep ML NN architectures applied for solving supervised ML problems. 

‘Finally, I’ll share examples of applying these methodologies in successful research projects which I led or took part in as a co-investigator – from web applications to areas of engineering, defence and security, and healthcare.’

Don’t miss this unique double bill of mind-expanding talks. To book your FREE tickets, select how many you want, then click the ‘Reserve a spot’ button.

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Host or Publisher University of Portsmouth