Is it possible to explain the mysteries of the Universe using only the 1000 most commonly used words in English? Or Gaelic?

The Edge of the Sky | Oir Nan Speur is a unique new theatre show, adapted from a book in which award-winning science communicator Roberto Trotta tries to explain some of the most complex ideas in astronomy using only the 1000 most commonly used words in the English language. For the stage version, Hebridean theatre director Laura Cameron-Lewis has added another challenge – what if you add the 1000 most commonly used words in Gaelic to that list? 

Episode 7 of our podcast is a fascinating meeting of minds in which Roberto and Laura discuss everything from ancient storytelling traditions and how language shapes the way we think to interstellar travel, aliens, climate change, dark matter, and the end of the Universe.

The Edge of the Sky | Oir Nan Speur is produced by sruth-mara and supported by Creative Scotland and Bord na Gaidhlig.