Professor Brian Cox is among the big names appearing on the opening day of the Cheltenham Science Festival which starts today.

The Festival @ Home runs until Sunday from 10am-8pm on YouTube with AI curator AIDA.

Professor Cox will be appearing in a live-only event at 7pm tonight with physicist Jeff Forshaw in a series which explains what we know about the cosmos and also features Brian Greene from the World Science Festival, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees and Jim Al-Khalili.

Head of programming Marieke Navin said: "We have put together the next best thing to our amazing tented village in the heart of Cheltenham - six days of exciting free events for everyone to enjoy at home and for 30 days after the Festival ends."

Among the highlights of the ree online events, interactive workshops and live Q&As:

• Liz Bonnin, Helen Czerski, Mark Miodownik and experts from UK Research and Innovation join host Greg Foot to take part in a daily investigation into six UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Director of GCHQ Jeremy Fleming gives an insight into the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic to our national security.
• Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Stefan Gates, Jamie Gallagher, Katie Steckles and Nate Adams present fun Family Shows.
• Interactive workshops for all ages on making and drawing which must be booked in advance.
• Nine of the finest new science voices from across the country battle to represent the UK in FameLab - the world's foremost science communication competition.
• Scientific bartenders Mark Miodownik and Andrea Sella explore the perfect cocktail daily at 5pm with online editions of thought-provoking show I Am Echoborg and anarcho-nerd pub quiz UniverSilly Challenged
• A festival finale with Robin Ince and Josie Long's Cheltenham Shambles.
• Mind and Body events include the benefits and risks of DNA testing; personalised diet plans based on genetics; the science of language; the brain; our desire for possessions; and canine companions.
• A Virtual Discover Zone with online activities from festival partners including computer games design challenges from the University of Gloucestershire, codebreaking challenges from GCHQ, the future of medicines from the British Pharmacological Society and a virtual tour of EDF's nuclear power plant.

You can watch the festival on the Cheltenham Festivals YouTube channel and find a full programme at cheltenhamfestivals.com/science