Driven by curiosity, we pursue research at Herts that redefines what’s possible and challenges conventional thinking - pushing boundaries across science, technology, and the humanities.
From rewriting the history of the universe and discovering new planets beyond our solar system, to uncovering hidden patterns of disease and learning from nature to build adaptive, intelligent systems, we are opening new frontiers of discovery.
Our researchers embrace high-risk, high-reward exploration – miniaturising sensors to monitor the Earth’s climate aboard micro balloons in the stratosphere, engineering electronic noses that out-sense animals, and harnessing quantum dot nanoparticles to boost crop yields. In the social sciences and humanities, whether studying the narratives that shape childhood or rediscovering 19th-century farming approaches, we show how curiosity deepens our understanding of who we are – and unlocks the knowledge we’ll need tomorrow.
Impact of our research
“Philosophy thrives on curiosity and discovery. I research how consciousness is connected to the unconscious mind and brain. Do we act freely or do our brains control us? How do memories exist when we aren’t recalling them? And how does grey matter create technicolour experiences? I work with neuroscientists and psychologists to solve these riddles, pioneering a new unified model of the human mind.”
Research group spotlight
