11:00am-12:30pm on Wednesday 18 March
Times shown are in GMT (UTC +0) up to the 26th March. For events on or after 27th March times are in BST (UTC +1).
The Pitt Building, Newton Room, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RP
We live in an age of unprecedented digital connection – yet loneliness is rising across all stages of life. What’s driving this paradox? And what does it mean for our health, our relationships and our society?
In 2023, the World Health Organization named loneliness a global public health priority, while the US Surgeon General warned that its health effects rival those of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Between 2014 and 2023, one in six people worldwide experienced loneliness. Although loneliness can affect anyone, it tends to be most pronounced at key points in the life course, particularly in younger and older age groups.
This event brings together researchers from multiple disciplines to explore how loneliness is experienced at different life stages, why it’s rising in our increasingly connected world and the factors that drive it – including social media use, economic pressures and the erosion of social networks.
Audience members will be invited to participate in live polls and questions, enabling us to collectively explore how loneliness is experienced and understood today.
As we move further into an era of AI and rapid technological change, how can we better understand and respond to the causes, impacts and possible solutions for our ‘lonely planet’?
