Royal Institution Lectures

It was the universe's most elusive particle, the linchpin for everything scientists dreamed up to explain how stuff works. It had to be found. But projects as big as CERN's Large Hadron Collider don't happen without dealing and conniving, incredible risks and occasional skullduggery. Award-winning physicist and science popularizer Sean Carroll reveals the history-making forces of insight, rivalry, and wonder that fuelled the Higgs search and how its discovery opens a door into the mind-boggling domain of dark matter and other phenomena we never predicted.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili explores how the mysteries of quantum theory might be observable at the biological level. Although many examples can be found in the scientific literature dating back half a century, there is still no widespread acceptance that quantum mechanics -- that baffling yet powerful theory of the subatomic world -- might play an important role in biological processes. Biology is, at its most basic, chemistry, and chemistry is built on the rules of quantum mechanics in the way atoms and molecules behave and fit together. As Jim explains, biologists have until recently been dismissive of counter-intuitive aspects of the theory and feel it to be unnecessary, preferring their traditional ball-and-stick models of the molecular structures of life. Likewise, physicists have been reluctant to venture into the messy and complex world of the living cell - why should they when they can test their theories far more cleanly in the controlled environment of the physics lab? But now, experimental techniques in biology have become so sophisticated that the time is ripe for testing ideas familiar to quantum physicists. Can quantum phenomena in the subatomic world impact the biological level and be present in living cells or processes - from the way proteins fold or genes mutate and the way plants harness light in photosynthesis to the way some birds navigate using the Earth's magnetic field? All appear to utilise what Jim terms "the weirdness of the quantum world". The discourse explores multiple theories of quantum mechanics, from superposition to quantum tunnelling, and reveals why "the most powerful theory in the whole of science" remains incredibly mysterious. Plus, watch out for a fantastic explanation of the famous double slit experiment.

Psychologists, marketers and neuroscientists have learned a lot about the subtleties of persuasion. With the help of a panel including experts in scientific ethics, rhetoric, psychology and more, Helen Czerski and Marcus Brigstocke will debate what scientists should know about the dark arts of persuasion, and whether they should ever use them.

Materials are a defining characteristic of society. The ages of civilization are named after materials and the development of new materials do more than simple transform technology: they change behaviour and shape the urban landscape, from our cities and our hospitals, to our homes and our art. Professor Mark Miodownik introduces us to the innovations that are shaping a new materials age, one that blurs the fundamental distinction between living and non-living things and challenges the very notion of material itself. From ferrofluid to the revolution that is 3D printing, Mark points to the materials and innovations that will shape our future. Just as bionic limbs and synthetic organs are becoming the norm so our man-made environment is also changing to become more lifelike. Are living buildings and objects that heal-themselves are on the horizon?

Dr Helen Mason explores what causes solar activity and what we are learning about the Sun from space observations in the ultraviolet and X-ray wavelength ranges.

Rare earth elements - the 14 or so elements with romantic names such as neodymium, gadolinium and dysprosium - have been very much in the news over the past five years. Their niche uses in electronics and in the renewable energy industry make them indispensable to today's society. Yet most people know nothing about them or why they have become so controversial. Andrea Sella gives an introduction to the lanthanide elements and considers the features which made them a maddening puzzle for the chemists of the 19th century, how they are a key example of turning swords into ploughshares, and their role in bringing these very words to your computer screen. With growing concern that the world may soon face a shortage of the rare earths Andrea also considers the political and economic ramifications of their distribution and technology.

Professor Richard Dawkins discusses the influences and inspirations that have shaped his life and thinking. Chatting to science broadcaster Adam Rutherford in the world-famous Ri Lecture Theatre, the pioneering scientist and public thinker reveals how he developed an "appetite for wonder" for the biological sciences. From his upbringing in Nairobi and Nyasaland (now Malawi) to his early experiences with religion, Dawkins talks about his motivations for becoming a scientist and his experiences at Oxford University and Berkeley, California during a period of social and political unrest. Find out how he arrived at the idea of the "selfish gene" -- the basis of his seminal 1976 publication, one of the best-selling popular science books ever written -- and discover more about his research and writing process.

Sir Roger Penrose provides a unique insight into the "forbidden symmetry" of his famous penrose tiles and the use of non-repeating patterns in design and architecture. Penrose reveals the mathematical underpinnings and origins of these "forbidden symmetries" and other related patterns. His talk is illustrated with numerous examples of their use in architectural design including a novel version of "Penrose tiling" that appears in the approach to the main entrance of the new Mathematics Institute in Oxford, officially opened in late 2013.

Policy committees and think-tanks usually feature economists, but it's rare that they turn to psychologists. Should their research be taken more seriously? And how would a society look where psychological research contributed to evidence-based policy? Claudia Hammond chairs an expert panel discussion. This lecture is only available as podcast.

The number of female politicians in Britain is decreasing, teenage girls are suffering increased violence from boyfriends, and the pay gap between men and women over the age of 30 shows no sign of equalising. Some claim that inequality and sexism are on the increase. But where does sexism come from? Claudia Hammond chairs an expert panel discussion. This lecture is only available as podcast.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Jared Diamond takes you on an epic journey into our rapidly receding past, opening a window on tribal societies and how they can provide unique, often overlooked insights into human nature. This lecture is also available as podcast. This lecture is also available as podcast.

Antimatter, an identical, oppositely charged version of normal matter, is one of the most mysterious substances in the Universe and very little of it survives today. Tara Shears examines the progress being made towards understanding this elusive version of matter, and explains the latest results from LHCb and elsewhere.

Tasting food and drinks is a familiar, everyday experience. But how much do we really know about taste? Barry Smith, Founding Director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses is joined by a historian, a neuroscientist, an artist and a chef in order to explore the many dimensions of food and taste. Together they reveal how our experience of flavours is shaped not only by taste and smell, but also by our environment, the context of the meal we are eating, and even visual cues such as the shape and colour of our plate. Through this we discover how tastes are developed and acquired and why we like some foods more than others.

X-Ray Crystallography might seem like an obscure, even unheard of field of research; however structural analysis has played a part in almost every major scientific field since its discovery 100 years ago by William Henry, and William Lawrence Bragg. Professor Stephen Curry charts the discovery and development of this extraordinary technique, starting with a simple explanation of diffraction, moving through the integral work of the Braggs, and ending with the cutting edge uses that X-Ray Crystallography has found in the modern world. This lecture is also available as podcast.

What is life? Where did it come from? In what form did it first appear? And how? Adam Rutherford draws on recent and dramatic advances in experimental biology to answer these questions. He also looks to the future where we can create entirely new life-forms within the laboratory, offering tailor-made solutions to the crises of food shortage, pandemic disease and climate change. This lecture is only available as podcast.

The ‘reading’ of DNA is a solved technological problem but what about ‘writing’ DNA? Could we program or reprogram biological systems and even generate new life forms? Paul Freemont explores how the powerful fusion of molecular biology, design and engineering could lead to a ‘Biotechnological Revolution’ and considers the implications of the extraordinary field of synthetic biology. This lecture is only available as podcast.

Your life stems from a single cell. Yet within the trillion of cells that make up your body lies a fundamental conundrum. Each cell contains identical DNA, yet muscle cells are very different from skin cells; blood cells are very different from brain cells. How does each of your cells ‘know’ exactly what to do? And when? And where? How do your heart cells start beating? How can your eye cells help you see the world around you? Can we use our understanding of how stem cells transform into specialised cells to build new body parts? What can we learn from animals that can regenerate their limbs? And what are the implications of tinkering with the fabric of life?

Yes, you are a mutant. But so am I. And so is the mouse that we share 99% of our genes with. As our DNA replicates, mutations arise. Sometimes they can be catastrophic, but sometimes they confer a huge advantage. Falcons have eyes that allow them to see for miles, but ants are virtually blind. How come? How are developmental processes altered over evolutionary time to produce novel structures and, ultimately, new species? The history of life revolves around survival of the fittest ‘mutant’. As we understand more about mutations it could help us devise new treatments for genetic conditions. But are we prepared to genetically engineer humans?

Every living thing – humans, animals, plants or a single cell – eventually dies, but why? How do cells know when to die? What controls the ageing process and could we ever halt it? Developmental biology and genetics give us new insights into how cells work and what happens when genes switch on and off. Can we use this knowledge to improve or even extend life? And what are the ethical issues if we do? Would you really want to live forever?