What is the science and economics behind mounting concerns about freshwater? On a planet that is 70% covered in water, how can we be running out ? How does it relate to climate change more generally and economic development? What are the solutions to this potential crisis? And how did I use my research in this area to write a trilogy of adventure stories set during a world war for water?

This talk delves into the hidden world of hacking, covering everything from hybrid warfare, malware, and DDoS attacks to compromised sites, data exfiltration, and the vulnerabilities lurking in WiFi networks and dark hotels. It explores the global cyber arms race, the allure of multi-million-dollar zero-day exploits, and even chilling encounters with intelligence agencies like the KGB. The discussion also unpacks the Metaverse, its connection to blockchain and cryptocurrency, and the implications of these evolving digital ecosystems on society. Looking ahead to 2030 and beyond, this session uncovers the deep ties between the physical and digital realms, from the shadowy corridors of the Deep and Dark Web to the geopolitical struggles playing out through cyber and hybrid warfare. It also considers the digital footprint every individual carries—how OSINT, deepfakes, and facial recognition can expose people to exploitation. Ultimately, the goal is to arm users with knowledge and strategies to protect their online and offline experiences from compromise.

Was Marie Curie really the greatest female physicist of the early 20th century? Could the atomic energy contained in a kilogram of radium really drive a ship across the Atlantic? Did a traffic light near the Royal Institution really give Leo Szilard his idea of the chain reaction? And was Oppenheimer really the “father of the atomic bomb”? This talk reveals how Henry Becquerel’s accidental discovery, in 1896, of a faint smudge on a photographic plate sparked a chain of discoveries which would unleash the atomic age and reveals some of the myths that have grown around this saga. Based on Frank Close’s new book, Destroyer of Worlds, the talk is the story of how pursuit of this hidden nuclear power source, which began innocently and collaboratively, was overwhelmed by the politics of the 1930s, and following devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki opened the way to a still more terrible possibility: a thermonuclear bomb, the so-called “backyard weapon”, that could destroy all life on earth – from anywhere. For those who saw the movie Oppenheimer, today’s talk is effectively “Oppenheimer - the prequel and sequel”.

Answers to your questions - please send in suggestions to chairman.pccitg@gmail.com Afterwards, join the ITG Committee for a glas of wine or soft drink and a mince pie