The Royal Institution

Tehran-born Niayesh Afshordi is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute in Theoretical Physics. His research challenges our fundamental understanding of the cosmos, from black holes and quantum gravity to the origins of the universe itself. His latest book is titled Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins, co-written with Phil Halper and published by the University of Chicago Press in 2025.