Lewis Dartnell

Early life and education

Dartnell was born in the UK, but spent much of his childhood years abroad, as his father was posted overseas while working as an engineer for British Airways. He attended Charterhouse School in Surrey from 1994-99. Dartnell was awarded a first class Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Oxford. Dartnell completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Astrobiology at University College London. His thesis, Computer modeling and experimental work on the astrobiological implications of the Martian subsurface ionising radiation environment, was subsequently reprinted under the title of Martian Death Rays.

Research

Dartnell was a UK Space Agency research fellow at the University of Leicester, where his research focused on the study of extremophile microbes and their signs of past or present life, including the use of Raman spectroscopy to detect micro-organisms even after they have been damaged by exposure to very high levels of radiation. Dartnell is currently a Professor of Science Communication at the University of Westminster.

Writing

Dartnell has written science articles for popular magazines including New Scientist, and was runner up for The Daily Telegraph Science Writer’s Award in 2004. Dartnell has also written several books, including Life in the Universe, an introductory book to the new scientific field of astrobiology, and The Knowledge: How to Rebuild our World from Scratch also known as The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Civilization in the Aftermath of a Cataclysm. Dartnell also contributed an essay on extra terrestrial life edited by Jim Al-Khalili to critical acclaim.

Broadcasting

Dartnell has appeared in several science programmes for BBC radio and television, including guest appearances on The Sky at Night and StarGazing Live. Dartnell also presented at TED in March 2015 during Session 10: Building from Scratch.

Personal life

Dartnell lives in the Stoke Newington area of London.