After Dinner SpeakersMark Thompson is a leading science communicator, BBC presenter, astronomer, speaker, and award-winning author of nine astronomy and science books.
He holds an Honorary Doctorate in Science from the University of East Anglia and has spent over a decade making the universe accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Mark Thompson isn’t just an academic astronomer – he’s best known for bringing astronomy to the public:
- He’s a regular presenter on the BBC’s Stargazing Live alongside people like Brian Cox and Dara Ó Briain.
- A frequent guest on science documentaries and radio shows.
- Mark is known for explaining complex topics like black holes, planets, and cosmology in plain language.
In addition to his broadcasting work on TV shows including BBC’s The One Show, Good Morning Britain and BBC Radio 5 Live’s Midnight Expert, Thompson is the author of several popular science books, including The Beginner’s Guide to Astronomy and How to Read the Solar System.
His writing focuses on helping beginners understand what they can actually see in the sky, rather than just abstract theory.
Known for his approachable and passionate style, Mark Thompson has become a key figure in modern science communication, encouraging both amateur astronomers and complete newcomers to look up and explore the cosmos for themselves.
Spectacular Science Show
Mark has toured his Spectacular Science Show for over a decade, performing in theatres and schools across the UK and winning Edinburgh Fringe Best Children’s Show 2019.
Combining genuine scientific credibility with high-energy performance, it has delighted tens of thousands of young people and families.
Mark Thompson – Keynote Speaker:
Mark brings something rare to the speaking circuit: genuine scientific expertise delivered with the warmth and accessibility of a seasoned broadcaster.
Are We Alone?
It is arguably the biggest question humanity has ever asked, and for the first time in history, we have the science to start answering it.
From the discovery of over 5,000 exoplanets to the latest findings from Mars rovers, the tantalising phosphine signal from Venus, and the extraordinary capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope, the search for life beyond Earth has never been more exciting or more scientifically credible.
As a leading astronomy and space speaker, Mark takes audiences on a journey through the cosmos, asking where we are looking, what we have found, and what it would actually mean for civilisation if we were not alone.
Accessible, awe-inspiring, and bang up to date.
Why Sleep Could Save Your Life
Most people know they should sleep more. Very few understand why it might be the single most important thing they do for their health, their mind, and their longevity.
Drawing on his own 5.5-day sleep deprivation experiment, the longest continuous lecturing event ever staged and the cutting-edge science linking poor sleep to dementia, heart disease, and cognitive decline, Mark delivers a talk that is personal, surprising, and scientifically rigorous.
He brings the subject alive not just as a health message but as a human story, woven through with his parents’ experience of dementia and his own extraordinary physical challenge. Ideal for corporate wellbeing programmes, conferences, healthcare events, and after-dinner speaking.
Sleep – the Missing Rep
During this presentation, Mark discusses the importance of good sleep to the effectiveness of exercise.
Mark’s Charity Challenge:
In early 2026, Mark lost both parents within twelve days of each other; his father, Neville, to vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s, and his mother, Judy, to heart and kidney failure.
Rather than step back, Mark channelled his grief into action. On 3 October 2026, he will walk 84 miles of the Norfolk Coastal Path from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea, non-stop and without sleep, in their memory and raising funds for Dementia UK and Priscilla Bacon Lodge hospice.
It is a challenge that brings together everything Mark stands for: the science of sleep and dementia, the limits of human endurance, and the power of a personal story to move people to do something extraordinary.
