THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY IS IRELAND'S LEADING BODY OF EXPERTS IN THE SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

The Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann champions research. We identify and recognise Ireland’s world class researchers. We support scholarship and promote awareness of how science and the humanities enrich our lives and benefit society. We believe that good research needs to be promoted, sustained and communicated. The Academy is run by a Council of its members. Membership is by election and considered the highest academic honour in Ireland.

Read more about the RIA

2015 McCrea Lecture

The 2015 McCrea lecture entitled Are Comets the Giver and Taker of Life? was given by Professor Monica Grady, CBE, Faculty of Science, The Open University

In November 2014 the European Space Agency landed a probe on one of the building blocks of our Solar System, i.e. a comet.  As a member of the science team, Professor Monica Grady was at mission control when the landing occurred.  In her talk she introduced the topic of comets and explained why some people think they may have led to life on Earth and possibly its destruction through mass extinctions. She also gave a personal account of the Rosetta Mission, her involvement with it, and discussed some of its latest results.

Stay up to date with the Royal Irish Academy newsletter

Sign up now