NU Ideas | Season 4 Talk 5 | Rewilding & limits of Universality

Thursday 19th March 2026 | 6pm

NU Ideas | Season 4 Talk 5

A series of talks in partnership with Northumbria University

Why rewilding drives us wild

A talk by Mike Jeffries, Visiting Fellow

Department Geography & Environmental Sciences

Research area: Ecology and conservation, mostly of ponds, rivers and wetlands

“Rewilding” is one of those ideas that gets people’s attention, pops up in news headlines and provokes politicians way beyond the day-to-day work of nature conservation. For some advocates rewilding is a vital step to help us reconnect with the natural world and our own true selves. For others rewilding is a daft idea, foisted on rural communities by eco-nutters. Even for conservationists directly involved with specific projects, perhaps managing a site or nurturing rare wildlife, rewilding is tricky because there are at least four different types, two of them mutually exclusive. We cannot agree what rewilding is, even before a single wolf has been released. Not that mentioning wolves is a good idea. How about harvest mice? We have rewilded them in Northumberland and they are very cute, very photogenic. Come along to find out more about what rewilding may or may not be, why it causes such controversy and some examples from Northumberland.

The limits of Universality

A talk by Dr Antonio Moro. Associate Professor of Mathematics, School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics

As Galileo famously observed, “The universe… is written in the language of mathematics.” While mathematics explores shapes and patterns, physics seeks to understand the recurring patterns woven throughout nature itself.

Why do vastly different physical systems behave so similarly? Why do patterns emerge seemingly indifferent to the forces behind them?

This is the essence of Universality, the principle that certain phenomena transcend the specifics of the forces at play. By probing its limits, we define “universality classes” that reveal hidden connections across diverse realms of physics, turning physical complexity into mathematical order. By understanding and pushing the boundaries of Universality, we expand the frontiers of knowledge, unlocking new theories that can potentially reshape our understanding of the physical world.

A LIVE Lit & Phil Event | FREE

(If you would prefer to book directly over the phone, please call the Library Desk team on 0191 232 0192 and they will be happy to help)