The Royal Institution

Professor Lesley Yellowlees explains how chemists can contribute effectively to solar energy in this special Ri talk. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Watch the Q&A here: http://youtu.be/587oQ_qf_wg With a growing global population, an international challenge is to find sustainable sources of energy. Professor Lesley Yellowlees explains how chemists can contribute effectively to solar energy. She describes the research she and her team have undertaken in Edinburgh to characterise dye sensitised solar cells using techniques such as UV/Vis and EPR spectroelectrochemistry. Lesley Yellowlees is the Professor of Inorganic Electrochemistry in the School of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh.Her research centres on electron transfer reactions, which are vital to many diverse areas of chemistry such as solar energy conversion, catalytic processes, synthetic procedures, and chemical biology pathways. Her research group are particularly interested in the redox properties of compounds. She completed her higher education at the University of Edinburgh, gaining a BSc in Chemical Physics, and PhD in Inorganic Electrochemistry. Since then, her work has brought her international recognition with numerous awards including the IUPAC’s Distinguished Women Chemistry/Chemical Engineering Award. She is the Immediate Past President, having been the first female president of the Royal Society for Chemistry. This event was filmed at the Royal Institution on 31 October 2014. The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Roma Agrawal, civil engineer from the team that built The Shard in‘’ for Ada Lovelace Day 2014, with talks and performances from Roma Agrawal, Caro C, Hannah Fry, Konnie Huq, Turi Kingand more, all sharing their inspirations and their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. Find out more about Ada Lovelace Day: http://FindingAda.com ALD on Twitter: https://twitter.com/findingada Subscribe for ALD news: http://findingada.com/get-involved/ald-newsletter/ Roma Agrawal is a civil engineer from the team that built The Shard, bringing stories of bridges and a few jelly babies too. More about her work can be found on the Ri Blog: http://bit.ly/1x9ouVI The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Konnie Huq revels in the intersection between art and science, poetry and maths. She discusses the influences on her life and performs a poem/rap about the perils of technology. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Konnie Huq is a television presenter, writer, mathematics enthusiast, and at one time the longest-serving female presenter of Blue Peter after studying economics at Cambridge University. She talks about growing up with the competing pulls of the arts and sciences, and how she ended up presenting one of Britain’s greatest children’s TV shows. She touches on the parallels she can see between her life and Ada Lovelace’s. This was filmed at the Ri at Ada Lovelace Day 2014. Ada Lovelace Day is an international celebration of the achievements of women in STEM. For one night only, the Ri hosted a ‘cabaret of science’ for Ada Lovelace Day 2014, with talks and performances from Roma Agrawal, Caro C, Hannah Fry, Konnie Huq, Turi King and more, all sharing their inspirations and their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. Find out more about Ada Lovelace Day: http://FindingAda.com ALD on Twitter: https://twitter.com/findingada Subscribe for ALD news: http://findingada.com/get-involved/ald-newsletter/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner shows how adaptations are not only driven by chance, but rather by a set of fundamental laws that give rise to a world of biological creativity. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Andreas' book "The Arrival of the Fittest" is available to buy now - https://geni.us/Y0raJi How do innovations arise in biology? Darwin’s theory of natural selection doesn’t tell us, except that they come about by ‘trial and error’. Evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner shows how adaptations are not only driven by chance, but rather by a set of fundamental laws that give rise to a world of biological creativity, and to innovations as diverse as animals that fly and plants that harvest energy from sunlight. Finding where innovations in nature come from begins to place the final puzzle piece in the mystery of life’s rich diversity.

Creating a high-resolution 3D scan of a person’s head. For the 2014 CHRISTMAS L’

Sally Le Page traverses the weird and wonderful world of evolution and reproduction, with regular musi’

Teach children how to find the beautiful hidden colours in ink and use chromatography to solve mysteries. For info sheets and printable badges, click here: http://rigb.org/experimental/series-2/colour-quest ExpeRimental is a series of videos showing fun, cheap, simple science activities to do with 4-10 year olds. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Fiona and her daughters Samantha and Emma explore the beautiful science of chromatography. In this fun experiment to do at home, they reveal the hidden colours inside felt tip pens. As water is drawn up through the kitchen roll, it drags up the colours that make up the felt tip ink. Fiona and her daughters learn that although two inks may look the same, they may be made of different balances of colours. Using their newly learnt skills, Samantha and Emma solve a felt tip mystery, identifying which pens were used to write which letters. Make beautiful pictures called chromatograms, that show the hidden colours in inks. ExpeRiment with different pens to see what colour dyes are in their inks. Learn about the scientific technique of chromatography and how it can be used to solve mysteries. This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a go and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/Ri.ExpeRimental Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tum

Whoosh bottle explosive science experiments. Watch as Andy takes to the pre–

Make bouncy eggs and experiment with the chem’’ve dissolved its shell. Will it bounce? If you don't want to use up an egg for this activity, it can be done with just the shell of an egg - simply put pieces of empty egg shell in the liquids and see what happens. This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a go and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/Ri.ExpeRimental Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy

If you imagine a three dimen

Make a flame jump through the air in this fun science experiment to do at home with children. For i’’s more oxygen so the candle can keep burning for longer, but that the flame will eventually go out. This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a go and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/Ri.ExpeRimental Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy

Watch a candle suck up water into a jar as if by magic. Click here for more great science experiments to

What is quantum biology? Philip Ball explains how strange quantum effects take place in the messy world of biology, and how these are behind familiar biological phenomena such as smell, enzymes and bird's migration. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe In this guest curated event on quantum biology, Jim Al-Khalili invited Philip Ball to introduce how the mysteries of quantum theory might manifest themselves at the biological level. Here he explains how the baffling yet powerful theory of the baffling yet powerful theory of the subatomic world might play an important role in biological processes. Philip Ball is a science writer, writing regularly for Nature and having contributed to publications ranging from New Scientist to the New York Times. He is the author of many popular books on science, including works on the nature of water, pattern formation in the natural world, colour in art, and the cognition of music, and he has also broadcast on many occasions on radio and TV. Jim Al-Khalili is Professor of Theoretical Physics and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at University of Surrey. He is author of several popular science books and appears regularly on radio and television. In 2007, he was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for Science Communication. This event took place at the Royal Institution on 28 January 2015. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Philip Ball is a science writer, writing regularly for Nature and having contributed to publications ranging from New Scientist to the New York Times. He is the author of many popular books on science, including works on the nature of water, pattern formation in the natural world, colour in art, and the cognition of music. He has also broadcast on many occasions on radio and TV. Download the transcript of this talk: https://www.philipball.co.uk/articles/other/108-quantum-biology-an-introduction The Ri is on Twi

Comedian Rufus Hound and his son Alby make soap powered boats and learn how soap affects the way water molecules hold onto each other. For info sheets and printable boat templates, click here: http://bit.ly/RufusRacerSheet ExpeRimental is a series of videos showing fun, cheap, simple science activities to do with 4-10 year olds. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Rufus and Alby do a science magic trick with some pepper (or oregano, if that’s your flavour), washing up liquid and water. Watch the flakes shoot across the water at the touch of a finger. They experiment with different liquids, investigating how substances around the house affect the surface of water. The dramatic effect you see is because the soap weakens the pull that water molecules have on each other. As a result, as the soap spreads over the surface of the water, the water is able to pull away, taking the oregano or pepper with it. This amazing trick can be used to make a great activity. Cut a boat shape out of a drinks carton, with a little space at the back (for the ‘engine’). When you add a drop of soap in the hole, it pushes water out, backwards. The water moving out the back of the boat pushes it forward, just as hot gases coming out of the bottom of a rocket push it upwards. Download our boat templates and info sheet and race some boats yourself. Try using different liquids as ‘fuel’ to see which makes the boat travel furthest and fastest. This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a

Hannah Fry shows how maths can explain real world events. From crimes t’‘cabaret of science’ for Ada Lovelace Day 2014, with talks and performances from Roma Agrawal, Caro C, Hannah Fry, Konnie Huq, Turi King and more, all sharing their inspirations and their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. http://findingada.com/ https://twitter.com/findingada The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Matt Parker, comedian and mathematicia

Take authentic vintage-style photos with a camera you can make yourself. In a world saturated with selfies and instant effects layered over endless phone photos, take a step back and experience the science of the spiritual home of photography. Learn how to develop the photos using a homemade solution: http://bit.ly/1UpDlX5 To make this homemade DIY pinhole camera, you’ll need the following items: • Stiff black card • Paper templates http://www.rigb.org/docs/camera_template_0.pdf • Glue and black tape • Scissors, craft knife and metal ruler • Aluminium can • Needle or pin • Cork and a pair of pliers • Fine emery or sandpaper • Velcro strips Cut the template out of the black card and fold it into shape, and cut a small space for the pinhole shutter. The pinhole itself is made from a small strip from a drinks can. Poke a hole with your needle, and then slot this into a shutter made of black card. You can attach a removable lid on your box with some strips of Velcro, and fix the shutter in place with glue. With the photographic film safely in the sealed box, you’re ready to take photos. Making pinhole cameras is an excellent educational activity to do at school or at home. It can introduce children to the art and science of analogue photography, and also help instil a deeper understanding of the digital technology so prevalent today. This film was created as part of a workshop for the L'Oréal Young Scientist Centre at the Royal Institution in March 2015, generously supported by L'Oréal. Full instructions: http://www.rigb.org/education/loreal-young-scientist-centre/activities-to-try/pinhole-cameras Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsl

Make home-made play dough and learn about mixtures, solutions’‘mixture’ – they are physically combined but no reaction has taken place. When the water and food colouring mix completely they form a solution. When all the ingredients are heaped in together and kneaded, a new substance is formed because chemical reactions have taken place. For more on the science of this activity, download the infosheet: http://bit.ly/PlayDoughInfo This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a go and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/Ri.ExpeRimental The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

From space to glow-in-the-dark scorpions and having a software-developer mother, He‘’ for Ada Lovelace Day 2014, with talks and performances from Roma Agrawal, Caro C, Hannah Fry, Konnie Huq, Turi King and more, all sharing their inspirations and their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

What are bacteria? How do antibiotics work? And wha

Make a juice bottle rocket fly through the air with some fizzy ta

Dr Turi King, geneticist and historian, explains the role of DNA analysis in finding Richard III. At the start, no one expected the Greyfriars Project to succeed, but a truly interdisciplinary team beat the odds to find him under a car park in Leicester. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Dr Turi King is the geneticist who led the DNA analysis that located the remains of Richard III in Leicester, and explores how genetics combined with history, archeology, anthropology and forensics can shed light on our past and future. This was filmed at the Ri at Ada Lovelace Day 2014. Ada Lovelace Day is an international celebration of the achievements of women in STEM. For one night only, the Ri hosted a ‘cabaret of science’ for Ada Lovelace Day 2014, with talks and performances from Roma Agrawal, Caro C, Hannah Fry, Konnie Huq, Turi King and more, all sharing their inspirations and their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Andrew Syzdlo, chemist and school teacher, explores the chemistry of iro

Make a beautiful ’

User experience researcher and designer Steph Troeth talks about designing for real people in the real world. Can simple solutions solve problems of humans in the wild? Bendy phones, everyday hidden behaviour, and how Mary Berry can make you do the washing up. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Steph Troeth, user experience researcher and designer, shares her obsession with finding ways to improve technology by understanding what people do (and don’t do) in the real world. This was filmed at the Ri at Ada Lovelace Day 2014. Ada Lovelace Day is an international celebration of the achievements of women in STEM. For one night only, the Ri hosted a ‘cabaret of science’ for Ada Lovelace Day 2014, with talks and performances from Roma Agrawal, Caro C, Hannah Fry, Konnie Huq, Turi Kingand more, all sharing their inspirations and their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Try this fizzy cubes experiment with your children, then use the reaction to make a balloon blow itself up. Download the infosheet for more ideas and information: http://bit.ly/FizzyInfosheet Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Olympia and her daughter Viola explore how bicarbonate of soda reacts with different liquids from around the house. Some fizz vigorously, others bubble gently, and some substances don’t appear to react at all. These simple chemical reactions introduce the idea that substances can react together to make a new substance, and are an excellent starting point for looking closely at the world around us. This experiment can be a little messy, but that's part of the fun. When bicarbonate of soda reacts with substances like vinegar, carbon dioxide is given off as a gas, which forms the bubbles you see as the reaction fizzes. Experimenting with different liquids shows how some have certain things in common with each other. Acidic liquids cause fizzing while some don’t react. After exploring the different liquids, Olympia and Viola use this fizzing reaction to make a balloon inflate itself with carbon dioxide on top of a bottle. This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This is the first of three special ExpeRimental films released in British Science Week. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a go and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/Ri.ExpeRimental The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.c

Make your own butter and whipped cream from double cream in this fun science experiment for

What is culture? Is it uniquely human, or do animals have culture too?’‘Adventures In The Anthropocene’ in which she writes about the human-changed planet, human societies, ecosystems and our relationship with the natural world. Ruth Mace is Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology in the Human Evolutionary Ecology Group at UCL, exploring human behaviour and life history as adaptations to local environments, including cultural evolution. Areas of interest include human reproductive scheduling, parental investment, human marriage, and the evolution of social institutions. This event was recorded on 26 November 2014. Watch more science videos on the Ri Channel http://richannel.org The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://richannel.org/newsletter

Make a cake in a microwave with our recipe, and do a science experiment for children. Download the infosheet for more instructions, ideas and the recipe: http://bit.ly/MicroCakes_IS Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Jo and her daughter Sally investigate the chemistry of cakes by making microwave mug cakes in this fun kitchen science experiment. They follow the recipe for the perfect cake, then investigate what happens if they try making the cakes without certain ingredients. This scientific approach reveals which ingredient does what to the cake. They discover how baking powder is needed to make a cake spongy, because of the carbon dioxide gas it produces; how an egg with its long chain-like molecules gives structure; and how oil coats the other ingredients to stop them drying out, leaving a nice moist cake. Experimenting in the kitchen is a great way to get children thinking like scientists while they have fun, and make something delicious. This series of ExpeRimental is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. ExpeRimental, brought to you by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a series of free short films that make it fun, easy and cheap to do science at home with children aged 4 to 10. Our films give you lots of ideas for kids' activities that will help you explore the world around you, question and experiment together. We'll show you how to do the activity and how to make sure adults and children get the most out of it. Why not have a go and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/Ri.ExpeRimental The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Join a guided tour of science’s most iconic image with chemical physicist and material scientist Jamie Gallagher, geek songstress Helen Arney and nanoscientist Suze Kundu. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The periodic table is an emblem of science. Explosions, poisonings, space exploration and novelty Victoria parlour games are all contained within the chemist's favourite poster. Discover the stories and wonder behind the elements in this family-friendly talk. Jamie Gallagher is a science communicator and part-time comic, touring the country with his own science shows while also working as the public engagement officer at the University of Glasgow. He appears on BBC radio, has performed for Bright Club and speaks at various science festivals and comedy shows around the UK. Helen Arney is a self-professed geek songstress, who writes maths and science-inspired comedy songs and performs across the UK. Suze Kundu is a materials nanochemist, Teaching Fellow at Imperial College London, and science presenter. This event was filmed at the Royal Institution on 19 February 2015. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

(Okay, you got us, this

Why your DNA is not your destiny. Molecular biologist Nessa Carey prese

Does watching this video make you itch? Dr Emily Grossman explains why the ‘social itch’ might have evolved. Subs’– seeing a person scratch can make you want to do the same. But why does this happen? Dr Emily Grossman explains that it might be a mechanism for preventing the spread of parasitic diseases in close-nit social groups. Social itching is likely prompted by the interplay of various areas of the brain. Mirror neurons – cells in the brain that are active when we do a behaviour or watch another person doing it – may be the root cause. Dr. Emily Grossman is an expert in molecular biology and genetics, with a Triple First in Natural Sciences from Queens' College Cambridge and a PhD in cancer research. She also trained and worked as an actress, and now combines her skills in her work as a science broadcaster and educator; teaching maths and all three sciences at all academic levels and explaining science for a wide range of TV and radio programmes. She recently completed a season as resident science expert on ITV's The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and was a member of the panel of experts for two series of Sky1's celebrity panel show Duck Quacks Don't Echo, hosted by Lee Mack. She has appeared as a science expert on ITV's This Morning, Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped, Sky News, BBC1's The One Show, and London Live’s Not the One Show, has been interviewed several times on Radio 4’s Last Word, Radio 5 live’s Daily Bacon, BBC World Service’s Newshour and LBC Radio, and is a regular guest on the Guardian Science Weekly podcast. Emily has hosted science events for the Academy of Medical Sciences and at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, she has run workshops and given talks for The Royal Institution, she has performed at Science Showoff at the Bloomsbury Theatre, and she has presented many interactive science shows in schools and at science festivals. She is also a communication skills trainer for the Famelab International science communication competition -

Have yo’’t perfect. Dr. Emily Grossman is an expert in molecular biology and genetics, with a Triple First in Natural Sciences from Queens' College Cambridge and a PhD in cancer research. She also trained and worked as an actress, and now combines her skills in her work as a science broadcaster and educator; teaching maths and all three sciences at all academic levels and explaining science for a wide range of TV and radio programmes. She recently completed a season as resident science expert on ITV's The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and was a member of the panel of experts for two series of Sky1's celebrity panel show Duck Quacks Don't Echo, hosted by Lee Mack. She has appeared as a science expert on ITV's This Morning, Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped, Sky News, BBC1's The One Show, and London Live’s Not the One Show, has been interviewed several times on Radio 4’s Last Word, Radio 5 live’s Daily Bacon, BBC World Service’s Newshour and LBC Radio, and is a regular guest on the Guardian Science Weekly podcast. Emily has hosted science events for the Academy of Medical Sciences and at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, she has run workshops and given talks for The Royal Institution, she has performed at Science Showoff at the Bloomsbury Theatre, and she has presented many interactive science shows in schools and at science festivals. She is also a communication skills trainer for the Famelab International science communication competition - running master-classes for competition finalists across the globe - and is a judge for the Institute of Ideas Debating Matters Competition. Emily has taught science and maths at two London schools and the Manchester Science Museum, and has tutored over 150 private students. She is also the new voice of Oxford University Press’s online resource, MyMaths. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstituti

How do you learn about the social behaviour of animals that have been extinct for millions of years? Pa–’t – tell us about how the dinosaurs lived. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Piecing together the behaviour of long extinct groups is naturally very difficult, but can be done with care. New fossil from the Gobi deserts of Mongolia are helping us work out how these animals lived and died together. David Hone is a palaeontologist and writer. His research focuses on the behaviour and ecology of the dinosaurs and their flying relatives, the pterosaurs. He writes about palaeontology and science outreach online through his own blog and on the Guardian. http://www.davehone.co.uk/ The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Are you ticklish? Dr Emily Grossman shows you how to use the science of tickling to stop yourself squirming when you're tickled. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Why do we feel ticklish? Why does it make us laugh? It’s hard to pin down a scientific definition – or explanation – of tickling. It’s a complex phenomenon, involving a range of sensory and neurological elements, which means it’s hard to identify why it evolved. Is it socially significant? Or an alarm system, warning us of things crawling on our skin? Why can’t you tickle yourself? Dr Emily Grossman explains how your brain anticipates the movement of your hands, and suppresses the tickle response. Can you use the fact that you can't tickle yourself to stop other people being able to tickle you? Dr Emily Grossman, science presenter and educator www.emilygrossman.co.uk @DrEmilyGrossman Dr. Emily Grossman is an expert in molecular biology and genetics, with a Triple First in Natural Sciences from Queens' College Cambridge and a PhD in cancer research. She also trained and worked as an actress, and now combines her skills in her work as a science broadcaster and educator; teaching maths and all three sciences at all academic levels and explaining science for a wide range of TV and radio programmes. She recently completed a season as resident science expert on ITV's The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and was a member of the panel of experts for two series of Sky1's celebrity panel show Duck Quacks Don't Echo, hosted by Lee Mack. She has appeared as a science expert on ITV's This Morning, Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped, Sky News, BBC1's The One Show, and London Live’s Not the One Show, has been interviewed several times on Radio 4’s Last Word, Radio 5 live’s Daily Bacon, BBC World Service’s Newshour and LBC Radio, and is a regular guest on the Guardian Science Weekly podcast. Emily has hosted science events for the Academy of Medical Sciences and at the Royal College of Physici

Where does a mathematician’s inspiration come from? Fields Medal winner Cédric Villani takes us on a fantastical éédric Villani combines passion and imagination to take us on a fantastical adventure through the beautiful, mysterious world of mathematics. Cédric Villani is a French Mathematician who was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal in 2010 - an award often viewed as the highest honour a mathematician can receive. He is also a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Council and stands out for his sense of fashion. If you're in London, find out what's on at the Ri: http://rigb.org/whats-on This event was filmed at the Ri on 9 March 2015. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

The human epoch, and how it shapes our planet. Jan Zalaäägerl come together to discuss the innovations, fears and promise of a pivotal moment in planetary history in this Ri event. Dr Jan Zalasiewicz is Senior Lecturer in Palaeobiology at the University of Leicester. His research looks into stratigraphy and the Anthropocene concept. He is interviewed by newspapers on what might happen in our human-changing world. Christian Schwägerl is a science, environment and political journalist who writes for GEO magazine and others. He is the author of 'The Anthropocene - The human era and how it shapes our planet' (Synergetic Press, 2014). The German edition of his book has triggered the three year 'Anthropocene Project' at House of World Cultures in Berlin and the current special exhibition at German Technology Museum Munich. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Daniel Dennett explores the first steps towards a unified theory of information,

Could we bring back mammoths? Should we bring’

Why do we sweat? Can we stop it? Kate swims through the science of sweating and shows you how to ha’’s Lake Ynterstella (https://youtu.be/W1nT87AWPX8) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Cardamine pratensis Ynterstella (https://youtu.be/QXenWic5zdE) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Park train Ynterstella (https://youtu.be/IQFg5_E_coM) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The most powerful lasers in the world can be used to make some of the most extreme conditions possible on earth, and are revolutionising science. Dr Kate Lancaster leads you through this extreme world with demonstrations along the way. http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe When lasers were invented over half a century ago they were hailed as a “solution looking for a problem”. Since then lasers have come to revolutionise our lives through their practical applications such as data transport and CD/ DVD players, and as a tool for industry and science. The largest and most powerful lasers in the world can be used to make some of the most extreme conditions possible on earth. Scientists around the globe are using these lasers to try to miniaturise particle accelerators, make astrophysical conditions in the lab, and create fusion energy. Dr Kate Lancaster leads you through this extreme world with demonstrations along the way in celebration of the International Year of Light. Kate Lancaster was awarded a PhD in Advanced Fast Ignition studies (laser driven fusion) by Imperial College London before working at the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Her background is in laser plasma interactions and laser driven fusion and she is now the Plasma and Fusion industrial officer for the York Plasma Institute, University of York. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

What is jet lag? Can we cure it? And why is it a big problem for astronauts going to Mars? Kate dives into th‘’ flew into the dictionary in 1966, courtesy of Horace Sutton. It describes the physiological strain that long distance air travel can put on your body. Internal rhythms, governed by regular molecular processes known as circadian clocks, keep our bodily functions in a consistent 24 hour pattern. Although these rhythms can keep time on their own, they are amenable to external inputs, such as light. When you fly across the world and plunge your body into a new time zone, the rhythms that have over time lined up with your daily life are thrown out of synch. The result? Your whole body feels the strain as your clocks try to wind themselves back into the right time. But once you understand how changes in light levels can trigger the internal processes at the root of jet lag, you can try this simple trick to try to stave it off. This film is part of our new series that will provide the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. From sweating to hay fever, insects to jet lag, Kate Mulcahy will help you hack summer to engineer the perfect season. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Music: Danse Morialta by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Travel Light by Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Does the month you were born in determine whether you’re right handed, ’’t mean it applies universally, and it definitely doesn’t mean the one is necessarily causing the other. You are not defined by your birthday. This film is part of our new series that will provide the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. From sweating to hay fever, insects to jet lag, Kate Mulcahy will help you hack summer to engineer the perfect season. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe References: Riala, K. et al. (2009) Season of birth and smoking: findings from the northern Finland 1966 birth cohort. Chronobiology International 26(8): 1660-1672 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/07420520903534484 Marzulo, G. and Clarke Fraser, F. (2009) Conception season and cerebral asymmetries among American baseball players: Implications for the seasonal birth effect in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research 167(3): 287-293 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2008.02.002 Mandel, Y. et al. (2008) Season of birth, natural light, and myopia. Ophthalmology 115(4): 686-692 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.05.040 Davies. G. et al. (2003) A systematic review and meta-analysis of Northern Hemisphere season of birth studies in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 29 (3): 587-593 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.schbul.a007030 The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

The maths we learn in school can seem like a dull set of rules, laid down by the ancients and not to be questioned. Jordan Ellenberg shows how wrong this view is through stories that show the power of mathematical thinking. Buy Jordan's book "How Not to Be Wrong: The Hidden Maths of Everyday Life" - https://geni.us/aBdKqAq Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Maths touches everything we do, allowing us to see the hidden structures beneath the messy and chaotic surface of our daily lives. Maths is the science of not being wrong, worked out through centuries of hard work and argument. Jordan Ellenberg is a professor of Mathematics at University of Wisconsin, and the 'Do the Math' columnist at Slate. His book 'How not to be wrong: The hidden mathematics of everyday life' was be published in June 2015. The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

How do sunglasses actually work? How can some types cause damage to your eyes? And why do astro’– or good sunglasses, at least – block out UV rays. But if your glasses don’t have 100% UV protection, then they’ll cause damage, as your pupils will dilate to accommodate the darker view the tint is giving, but won’t then protect you from the increased UV rays that will flood into your wide open eyes. This film is part of our new series that will provide the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. From sweating to hay fever, insects to jet lag, Kate Mulcahy will help you hack summer to engineer the perfect season. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe References: Alexander, A. D. and Makas, A. S. (1969) Sunglass lenses and colour fidelity. The Australian Journal of Optometry. 52: 364-369 Glazer-Hockstein C, Dunaief JL (January 2006). "Could blue light-blocking lenses decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration?". Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) 26 (1): 1–4. Langley, R.C. (1971) Gold coatings for temperature control in space exploration. Gold bulletin 4(4): 62-66 Turro, N. J. et al. (2009) Principles of Molecular Photochemistry: An Introduction. p. 29-33 Zigman, S. (1993) Ocular Light Damage. Photochemistry and Photobiology. 57(1): 1060-1068 Music: Hepcats by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Mining by Moonlight by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Images: Caribou by daryl_mitchell (www.flickr.com/photos/daryl_mitchell/5176736443/) Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ Inuit snow goggles by Julian Idrobo (ht

Ever wondered what Seasonal Affective Disorder actually is? Or if it’s even a real thing? What ca’’s this could be partly due to our ancestors hibernating in winter months. However, not to worry; if the effects of the disorder are really too much, just move to Arizona, the sunniest place in the world. This film is part of our series that provides the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. From sweating to hay fever, insects to jet lag, Kate Mulcahy helps you hack summer to engineer the perfect season. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe References: Kurlansik, S.L. and Ibay, A. D. (2013) Seasonal Affective Disorder. Indian Journal of Clinical Practice. 24(7): 607-610 Revell, V.L. et al (2006) Advancing Human Circadian Rhythms with Afternoon Melatonin and Morning Intermittent Bright Light. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 91(1): 54-59 Wehr, T.A. (1997) Melatonin and Seasonal Rhythms. J Biol Rhythms 12: 518-527 http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/sunniest-places-countries-world.php Music: Vivacity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Mining by Moonlight by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewslet

Elizabeth Stokoe shows how conversation analysis works to provide a scientific understanding of talk, –‘nudge’ theory, she also shows how small variations in what we say impacts on what others say and do next. Finally, she will demonstrate how her research findings can underpin communication training – in contrast to role-play and simulation – and upended common assumptions about how talk works. Elizabeth Stokoe is Professor of Social Interaction at Loughborough University, analysing the science of interaction in settings including police interrogations, sales calls, and initial inquiries to services including mediation and doctors’ surgeries. She teaches on the BSc Social Psychology programme, and also runs workshops with mediators, doctors, police and other professionals using her research-based communication training method called the ‘Conversation Analytic Role-play Method’. The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.

Hay fever has an awful habit of ruining what should be the nicest time of the year. But wha‘’? Kate explores the science of allergies, and hunts through the research for a cure. Subscribe for more from Kate: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe How to prevent hay fever? Hay fever isn’t caused by hay, and isn’t really a fever. Allergic rhinitis is the technical name, but what’s it all about? At its centre, hay fever is an inflammation and irritation of the mucus membranes in the nose. Wind-pollinated plants hurl their pollen into the atmosphere, which finds its way into your nose and starts to wreak havoc. Much like other allergic reactions, hay fever is the result of your body fighting off the injected pollen as if it were a disease-causing invader. Antigen presenting cells, T cells and B cells launch into a hyperactive, over enthusiastic frenzy, ultimately causing symptoms that, although crucial when fighting off real infections, are a needless frustration. Is there a cure? Not yet, but one strand of new research is finding hope in an unlikely source: parasitic worms. The idea is that the worms alter our immune system to avoid being repelled. These alterations just might hold the key to staving off hay fever, and finding summer happiness at last. This film is part of our series that provides the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe REFERENCES Anthony, R.M. et al (2007) Protective immune mechanisms in helminth infection. Nature Review. Immunology 7(12): 975-987 Bostock, J. (1828). Of the Catarrhus Æstivus, or Summer Catarrh. Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, 14(2): 437–446 Bozzetto S. et al. (2012) Asthma, allergy, and respiratory infections: the vitamin D hypothesis. Allergy 67: 10–17 Carlsten, Chris et al. (2012) Air pollution, genetics

Kate tries to use science to find the perfect summer holiday destination, asks why summer isn't the same everywhere, and investigates the many-layered science of the seasons. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe If climate and temperature were determined purely by the tilt of the earth, predicting the weather would be pretty straightforward. But climate is actually the result of a whole bundle of factors, from altitude to proximity to water, ocean currents to butterflies. Kate navigates the fine line between weather and climate, asks, is there anywhere on earth you can go and be guaranteed year-round idyllic holiday conditions? This film is part of our series that provides the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe References: Barry, R.G. and Chorley, R.J. (2010) Atmosphere, Weather, and Climate. Ninth Edition. Lorenz, E.N. (1963) Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow. J. Atmos. Sci., 20: 130–141 http://www.holiday-weather.com Music: Daily Beetle & Carefree, Kevin MacLeod, (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Maps: http://freevectormaps.com Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Dr Marty Jopson leads us through the story of electricity in a show buzzing with demonstrations. Have we tamed electricity? From the Ancient Greeks to Faraday’s genius, this show puts the awesome back into electricity. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Join Dr Marty Jopson, the BBC One Show’s resident scientist as he takes a sparky journey through the story of electricity. Do you know the difference between current and voltage? With the aid of the audience, Marty will explain. From the Ancient Greeks, through Faraday’s genius, this show aims to put the awesome back into electricity. You may think we have electricity tamed, but are you sure? A show chock full of demonstrations and a plucked chicken. Expect an electrifying performance. Marty Jopson is a science TV presenter, live show performer, writer and strange prop builder. He is most famous from the BBC's The One Show, on which he has reported on the mathematical formula, Benford’s Law, the origins of the seismograph, the sound mirrors of Denge, the ban on lead in petrol, and the invention of lava lamps. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Make your own developing solution with household liquids, make your ’

Have you ever wondered what happens when insects get drunk? Can you tell the temperature by the frequenc’– their internal temperature can vary hugely depending on the environment. The opposite of humans. As a result, they rely heavily on external conditions to govern their bodily processes like development and growth. And the more you look into insects’ summer-loving lifestyles, the more interesting they become. From butterflies that can only fly once they get warm enough to crickets that tell the temperature better than your local weatherman, insects have unique approach to life. And have you ever wondered what happens when insects get drunk? This film is part of our series that provides the blueprint for a scientifically perfect summer. Taking a different topic each Thursday, the videos will gradually build up an equation for summer perfection; a summer survival guide certified by science. Subscribe to keep up each week: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Reference list: Boggs, C.L. et al (2003) Butterflies: Ecology and Evolution Taking Flight p. 321-330Frazier, M. R. et al (2006) Thermodynamics constrains the evolution of insect population growth rates: “warmer is better”. The American Naturalist 168(4): 512-520 Frings, H. and Frings, M. (1962) Effects of temperature on the ordinary song of the common meadow grasshopper, Orchelimum vulgare (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). Journal of Experimental Zoology 151(1): 33-51 Gibbs, A.G. (2002) Lipid melting and cuticular permeability: new insights into an old problem. Journal of Insect Physiology 48(4): 391-400 Huey, R.B. and Kingsolver, J.G. (2011) Variation in universal temperature dependence of biological rates. PNAS 108(26): 10377-10378 Maze, I.S. et al (2006) Acute ethanol ingestion produces dose-dependent effects on motor behavior in the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Journal of Insect Physiology 52(11-12): 1243-1253 Milan, N.F. (2012) Alcohol consumption as self-medication against blood-borne parasites in the frui

Can you cook a steak with pure electricity or focussed beams of light? And can you fry a prawn with a bottle rocket? Andy invited ’’t conduct electricity very well, so the electrons have to be pushed very hard and transfer energy to the meat, in a process called joule heating. Not satisfied with that, Andy and Greg cracked out the parabolas. Parabolas focus all the incoming beams into one central focus, meaning that energy normally spread across a wide area can be harnessed to one spot of intensity. Intense enough, in fact, to singe a steak to perfection. We’ve soared through the science of whoosh bottle rockets before (click here to watch that film: https://youtu.be/_pR6w7G06tw) – could they provide the perfect platform for rapid prawn cooking? Perhaps, but there’s a projectile prawn issue to resolve first. Greg and Andy also investigated the best way to cook a steak using chemistry. Check out their attempts on the Brit Lab channel here: https://youtu.be/s7HqYfIR5zg And subscribe to Brit Lab for more awesome videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/HeadsqueezeTV Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

How dangerous is taking a shower? Jared Diamond shares what he learnt about r‘’. Watch the full discussion here: https://youtu.be/ceLuaf7low4 Pullitzer Prize-winner Jared Diamond discusses how insights from the lifestyles of far-removed cultures can impact the way we think about our own lives. Is it worth worrying about the risk of everyday actions like falling in the shower or tripping on the street? Each time you do these things, the risk of mishap is low, but we do them every single day. Over time, does that mean these tiny risks accumulate to become almost inevitable? This animation is based on audio from a 2013 event at the Royal Institution with Jared Diamond. You can watch the full discussion on how tribal societies offer an extraordinary window into how our ancestors lived here: https://youtu.be/ceLuaf7low4 This animation was produced by Andrew Khosravani, thanks to generous support from the Sfumato Foundation. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

How was the code of DNA cracked? How did it confirm the theory of evolution? And why did

Nitrogen triiodide is a highly

The vital question: Earth teems with life but why is it the way it is, and how did it begin in the first place? Nick Lane unravels the tangled history of life. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Nick's book "The Vital Question: Why is life the way it is?" is available to buy now - https://geni.us/JjoZRx Nick Lane and Matthew Cobb came together to tell the story of life. Watch Matthew Cobb’s take on the tale here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYxASuEqMlY And watch the Q&A here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4N6ws1YTEk Nick Lane is an evolutionary biochemist in the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London. His work focuses on the origin of life, and the origin and evolution of eukaryotes. He is also author of prize-winning popular science books, including 'Life ascending'. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.

Why babies are powered by rocket fuel, why slime moulds have 13 sexes, and why 98% of the Univers

How simple questions inspired Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek’s groundbreaking wo’

Leading cosmologists Renée Hlozek, –– pulling and pushing the parts that we see. BBC Stargazing Live and Sky at Night presenter, Lucie Green explores this frontier of understanding with Nobel laureate Adam Riess and leading cosmologists Renée Hlozek and Risa Wechsler. Adam Riess is an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute. Riess shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011 for providing evidence that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating. More recently, he has also been awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, adding to his many awards and prizes over the years. Lucie Green is a space scientist based at UCL’s Department of Space and Climate Physics. She studies the atmosphere of the Sun, particularly the immense magnetic fields which sporadically erupt into the Solar System. She is also actively involved in public engagement with science, regularly giving public talks and presenting TV and radio programmes. Risa Wechsler is an astrophysicist and a professor at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Wechsler's work combines massive cosmological simulations with large galaxy surveys that are mapping the Universe, to study the nature of dark energy, dark matter, and the formation of galaxies. She is currently leading the science collaboration of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, which will make a 3D map of 30 million galaxies to elucidate the structure of the Universe. Dr. Renée Hlozek is the Lyman Spitzer Jr. Postdoctoral Fellow in Theoretical Astrophysics in at Princeton University; the Spitzer-Cotsen Fellow in the Princeton Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts and is currently a Senior TED Fellow. In 2011, she received her DPhil in Astrophysics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar from the class of South-Africa-at-Large and Christ Church, 2008. Her research focuses on theoretical cos

This Halloween, we thought we’d investigate the interface between pumpkins and thermite. The results were explosive. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe It wouldn't be Halloween without some exploding pumpkins. In the top jack-o'-lantern, iron oxide and aluminium powder react to spectacular effect. Once set off by a strip of magnesium, which provides enough heat to get the reaction started, the temperature inside the top pumpkin rises to around 2000 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the iron melts and is spewed out in a rain of fire, and flows out as a river of molten metal into the poor head below. This is more than enough to set off the gun cotton in the second pumpkin, which bursts into a healthy fireball.

Does writing well matter in an age of ’’s trust and, not least, in adding beauty to the world. Steven Pinker is an experimental psychologist and one of the world’s foremost writers on language, mind, and human nature. He is Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University and conducts research on language and cognition but also writes for publications such as the New York Times, Time, and is the author of many books, including The Language Instinct and How the Mind Works. Melvyn Bragg is a broadcaster, writer and novelist. He was made a Life Peer (Lord Bragg of Wigton) in 1998. Since then he has hosted over 660 episodes of In Our Time on subjects ranging from Quantum Gravity to Truth. He was presenter of the BBC radio series The Routes of English, a history of the English language. He is currently Chancellor of the University of Leeds The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.

Dr Karl leads a whirlwind tour of scientific explanations and bizarre facts. Watch the Q&A with the audience here: https://youtu.be/CswMMByLOf4 Subscribe for regular science talks: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe You can buy Dr Karl's book "House of Karls" now - https://geni.us/SaQhA What makes you forget why you entered a room? Why is it safer for a cat to fall from 32 stories than from seven? And why do you feel more drunk from rum and diet cola than rum and regular cola? Join Australia’s science legend Dr Karl for a whirlwind tour of scientific explanations and bizarre facts. Find out how photos of eyes make you honest, why the phrase "sinister buttocks" gets into students' essays, and what the ‘big cover up' is on kissing. Dr Karl is a well-known Australian science communicator and populariser, who is best known as an author and science commentator on Australian radio and television. He has many strings to his bow having done a degree in Physics and Mathematics, a Masters in Biomedical Engineering, and a degree in Medicine and Surgery. He has also studied Computer Science as well as reading for a Masters in Astrophysics. The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.

The properties of light which could not be explained through classicö’s cat". In celebration of the International Year of Light, join Nobel Laureate Serge Haroche to explore these quantum phenomena, the role of light in an explosion of discovery and possible applications of the counter-intuitive quantum logic. Serge Haroche is a French physicist who was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics jointly with David J. Wineland for "ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems", a study of the photon. He is now professor of quantum physics at Collège de France, where he is also the president of the institution. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

With a beautiful, explosive experiment, Andy demonstrates how Humphry Davy's simple invention s

What do astronauts dream of? In 1991, Helen Sharman became the first Briton in space; in this animation s’‘A Place Called Space’. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent Sign up to receive each instalment by daily email: https://rigb1.secure.force.com/subscriptions/WebPageSubscribe What do astronauts dream of? How do they feel while they float above the clouds? In 1991 Helen Sharman became the first Briton in space; in this animation, hand-drawn by Ri animator-in-residence Andrew Khosravani, Sharman shares a dream she often has about returning to space, and talks about what it’s like to gaze down on the earth from above. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

In 1959, Project Mercury became the United Sta‘’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Is space travel a waste of money? Can we justify reaching for the stars when there’s so much that n‘’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

A space suit is a carefully engineered cocoon, designed to protect an astronaut from ‘’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

What’s it like to see our planet from above? To gaze upon the Earth from beyond our atmosphere? Four seasoned astronauts, Helen Sharman, Daniel Tani, Michael Barratt and Jean-Francois Clervoy, recall that unique experience. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The view of Earth from space is one that few of us will ever get to experience. To see the planet as a single orb in the expanse of space can change the way you feel about your life, our species, and our place in the universe. It’s an experience currently reserved for the fortunate few who carry the torch of humanity into space. Helen Sharman, Daniel Tani, Michael Barratt and Jean-Francois Clervoy recall that moment when they first set eyes on our blue planet from above.

Synthetic biology is a new, intriguing technology that could have a huge impact on humans and our environment. Adam Rutherford chairs a panel of experts, including Louise Horsfall, Paul Freemont, Susan Molyneux-Hodgson and Robert Edwards. This event was organised by the Biochemical Society and Royal Society of Biology as part of Biology Week 2015: http://www.rsb.org.uk/get-involved/biologyweek. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Watch the Q&A here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDbUYiTAMJU Robert Edwards is Head of the School of Agriculture, Food & Development at Newcastle University. His interests are focussed on the biotransformation of synthetic compounds and natural products in plants and the manipulation of these pathways for applications in crop protection and biorefining using technologies including synthetic biology. Paul Freemont is Co-director of Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation at Imperial College London. The Centre aims to develop foundational technologies to enable synthetic biology research in application areas like biosensors, biosynthesis, bioprocessing and metabolic and genome engineering and enable the translation of new synthetic biology technologies into industry. Louise Horsfall is a Lecturer in Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh. She is interested in multidisciplinary challenges involving Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, Novel Enzymes and Protein Engineering. She is currently the elected co-chair of the Bioengineering and Bioprocessing Section of the European Federation of Biotechnology and a member of the EPSRC's Early Career Forum in Manufacturing Research. Susan Molyneux-Hodgson is Director of Research, Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield. Susan co-founded and is currently Director of SATIS (Science and Technology in Society) research group in Sheffield. Her research is focused on three substantive areas: the sociology of scientific communities

The story of a lost piece of debris, struggling to find her place in the vastness of space. An illustrated short story. Day 11 of A Place Called Space: http://rigb.org/advent Download the audio piece: https://soundcloud.com/royal-institution/junk-log-034 Thousands of pieces of man-made debris hurtle through the space around our planet. Are they just junk? This tale of a piece of troubled space debris comes from the creative mind of Nina Garthwaite. As this lonely shard floats through the abyss and encounters an orbiting cloud of nefarious space chunks, can she find purpose in her perpetual circles of planet earth? Illustration by Tuchi http://yayayay.com/ To learn more about the science and story of space debris, take a look at Dr Stuart Grey's visualisation, released on day 7 of A Place called Space: http://rigb.org/christmas-lectures/how-to-survive-in-space/a-place-called-space/7-space-debris-visualisation ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: h

Project Apollo took America to the moon. But what came before? The second in our series of films using archive footage to ’’s eventual triumph in reaching the moon; a crucial scaffold on which Project Apollo was built. It is a story of innovation and growing experience, at a time when America seemed stuck one step behind in the Space Race. Tackling their first space walk and space rendezvous, Project Gemini bridges the Mercury and Apollo missions, providing the foundation for NASA’s first great triumph. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Experience weightlessness on a parabolic flight, or ‘vomit comet’ in 360 video. Please note: this in’– affectionately nicknamed ‘the vomit comet’ – gives short bursts of weightlessness as a plane plunges down to earth. This unique experience is a key training ground for astronauts preparing to venture beyond our atmosphere. Christmas Lecturer Kevin Fong got himself a ticket, and we snuck a 360 degree camera on board. Yes, that is Miss France, but no, we're not sure why. Move the video in real time to experience zero gravity like never before. For the best viewing experience you’ll need to be using the YouTube app on your iOS or Android mobile device, or an up-to-date browser on a desktop, laptop or Mac, but it’s worth it. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

In 1977 Carl Sagan gave the CHRISTMAS LECTURES on space travel. In his final lecture, he spo’‘The planets’ with are as meaningful now as there were then. As we look to send people to Mars and then beyond, are we finally realising Sagan’s vision? This clip from the 1977 CHRISTMAS LECTURES was animated by the Ri animator-in-residence Andrew Khosravani. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Why do astronauts pee on the wheel of a bus before they take off? Do superstitious traditions really help astronauts about to fire into space? Kevin Fong investigates. Day 15 of A Place Called Space, our 2015 advent calendar: http://rigb.org/advent As Tim Peake launches to the ISS, we take a look at the strange traditions, rituals and superstitions that astronauts dutifully carry out before any flight into space. Following in the footsteps of Yuri Gagarin, they echo his actions and pay respects to those that have flown before them. But given that space travel is the culmination of decades of work of scientists and engineers, do these irrational quirks have a place and purpose? Maybe – just as athletes build confidence and assurance by carrying out certain pre-game habits, so too can astronauts, as they struggle to feel a sense of control over the daunting prospect of being fired into space. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Music Credit: "Americana" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie ( Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Official image credit: NA

Why does water behave in such weird ways in microgravity? We went on a parabolic 'vomit comet' flight to investigate. Check out the interactive 360 footage from this flight: https://youtu.be/mVJvyteAH0E Day 16 of our advent calendar: http://rigb.org/advent Microgravity is a key characteristic of life aboard the ISS. And in a weightless world things behave very differently. Christmas Lecturer Kevin Fong got a taste of this unearthly sensation on board a parabolic flight, which simulates microgravity by flying in steep peaks and troughs. While on board, he did a few simple experiments, investigating the properties of water in a weightless environment. Christmas Lectures Assistant Jon Farrow explains what's going on. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Four seasoned astronauts recall what life in space is really like. Helen Sharman, Michael Barratt’‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Being an astronaut is stressful. But astronauts aren’t the best at admitting when they’re feeling the strain. An innovative research project uses speech analysis to spot hints of underlying anxieties. Day 19 of our advent calendar, A Place Called Space http://rigb.org/advent Being an astronaut is a stressful job. You face the constant threat of annihilation, and know that a huge team and expensive mission rely on you doing your job well. But astronauts aren’t always the best at identifying, or admitting, when they’re stressed or overwhelmed. Sarita Robinson, a psychologist from the University of Central Lancaster, says that while we’re increasingly comfortable with the intense physiological conditions of space travel, our understanding of the psychological impacts still leaves something to be desired. Mark Huckvale and a team at University College London ran a research project that investigated whether subtle variations in speech patterns of astronauts taking part in the Mars 500 experiment might reveal anxieties that the astronauts’ words were hiding. Could subtle cues in the way an astronaut speaks let mission control know when they’re starting to feel the strain? ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http:

Project Apollo: the most famous space programme to date. In the final part of our trilogy exploring American’s first steps into space, we tell the tale of the Apollo program. Watch Project Gemini: https://youtu.be/rXTTXAJJkhc Watch Project Mercury: https://youtu.be/pa4S8h9HVY4 Day 20 of A Place Called Space, our 2015 advent calendar: http://rigb.org/advent The year is 1961. The space race is in full flow and the USA are lagging well behind. Under mounting pressure John F Kennedy stands before congress and declares that they will put a man on the moon before the decade is through. So begins the story of the Apollo Program. This is the third in our series of films using archive footage to look at America’s first steps into space, this time focussing on NASA’s mission to the moon. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

Chemist Andrea Sella combines dimethylhydrazine with dinotrogen tetroxide to show how hypergolic mixtures ’‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

A look at the history and habitat of the inhospitable home of space travel: Baikonur Cosmodrome. Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe Part of A Place Called Space, our 2015 advent calendar: http://rigb.org/advent In a hostile natural environment environment, and over 400 km away from the original ‘Baikonur’ in a place first called Tyuratam, Baikonur Cosmodrome has a special place in space travel history. It has been the launch site of hundreds of missions off our planet, from Sputnik, Laika and Gagarin and to Tim Peake. As Tim Peake set sail for the ISS, 2003 Christmas Lecturer Monica Grady was there to watch the launch. We take a look at the history of the enigmatic town that is the home of space travel. ‘A Place Called Space’ is the 2015 Royal Institution advent calendar. Every day in the run up to Christmas we'll be releasing an original piece of content exploring the human experience and cultural significance of space travel. With hand-drawn animations, experiments in zero gravity, interviews with astronauts and creative data visualisations, the calendar will fire you into space every morning. 'A Place Called Space' channels the voices of seasoned astronauts and expert scientists through the eyes of a team of talented animators, film-makers and artists, bringing you a thought-provoking gem to kick-start each day. Check it out at http://rigb.org/advent With special thanks to our lead supporter, Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and Tumblr: http://ri-science.tumblr.com/ Our editorial policy: http://www.rigb.org/home/editorial-policy Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter

A dive into the spiralling world of seashells and the bizarre animals that make them. Helen Scales explains how hermit crabs lik’