Royal Institution

The 2026 Christmas Lectures®, supported by CGI, will be given by theoretical physicist @jimalkhalili.bsky.social, exploring the physics of time. We'll investigate mind-melting questions, including why there's no such thing as now, if time travel to the past is possible, and if time exists at all.

Stephen Hawking shed light on many of the mysteries of the Universe. Join a panel including Stephen's son and his biographer as they explore how his life influenced his ideas, and what they mean for the future of physics. www.rigb.org/whats-on/ste...

How can AI inherit human biases? Adrian Dredge, 16, from Great Western Academy explored this in his winning Young Science Writer Award 2026 essay. Today, a news article adapted from his work is live on BBC News! 🎉 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #ScienceWriting #AI

Laughing gas was once the life of the party for some of the Romantic era’s most famous poets 💨 Step into our archives to uncover the curious history of nitrous oxide, from Humphry Davy’s experiments to its role in modern medicine.

For #BlackHistoryMonth, we're highlighting the achievements of the Black scientists, mathematicians and engineers who have made their impact on the modern world. Read our thread below.

🔊 A new cohort of climate innovators, developing solutions to some of the world's most urgent sustainability challenges, has joined The Greenhouse! Excited help them test their tech, sharpen their business models & accelerate their route to impact. Meet Cohort 11: www.imperial.ac.uk/news/article...

AI doesn't have to come with big data centres to be powerful. Join computer scientist Eiman Kanjo to discover how tiny, physical AI could transform our everyday lives. www.rigb.org/whats-on/fut...

Absolutely fascinating talk on the musicality of Neanderthals at the @rigb.org tonight from Prof Steve Mithen. Check out more on the topic in episode 3 of For The Record. youtu.be/yBD3cggIxao?...

There's an invisible channel in the ocean that allows whale song to travel for thousands of kilometres 🐋 @helenczerski.bsky.social illuminates the physics hiding under the sea. Watch the full talk: youtube.com/watch?v=VKG-...

Spent the morning @rigb.org teaching a primary level computer science masterclass themed on DNA code and how codes work in our bodies and in computer games. 👾🧬 Thank you the opportunity to run this masterclass and the awesome group of kids from today’s session 😊 #STEM #STEMeducation #DNA

Practical quantum computers could transform our world—but what will we build them from? 💻 Join theoretical physicist Felix Flicker to discover the science behind the materials powering the quantum revolution. www.rigb.org/whats-on/how...

One minute it’s flooding, the next it’s drought. Welcome to weather whiplash. 🌦️ Join @ukceh.bsky.social to discover how scientists and engineers are working to tackle the impacts of increasingly unpredictable weather. www.rigb.org/whats-on/new...

What do we know about how Salmonella forms a biofilm to evade human-made interventions such as antibiotics and sanitisers, and how do we eliminate it?⁠ 🦠 ⁠ @jcihorton.bsky.social explores this on the Ri Science Podcast: shows.acast.com/ri-science-p...

Depression affects an estimated 300 million people. What can we do to better understand it? Join analytical engineer Parastoo Hashemi to explore how research measuring neurotransmitter levels could be opening up the bigger picture. www.rigb.org/whats-on/neu...

Tickets for the 2026 CHRISTMAS LECTURES®, supported by CGI, go on sale in less than a week! 🎟️ For your chance to access the exclusive tickets, become an Ri Member today. You'll also unlock a year of scientific discovery and get access to half-price and exclusive events. www.rigb.org/support-us/b...

Molluscs are champion shell makers 🐚 Marine biologist Helen Scales explained how they make their shells from calcium carbonate—the same chemical compound as chalk. Watch the full talk here: youtube.com/watch?v=n796...

Join us this Halloween to uncover long-forgotten tales where science and the paranormal have intersected 👻 We'll attempt to recreate the science that has led Ri speakers through the years to think that there may be more to this world (and building) than meets the eye... www.rigb.org/whats-on/shr...

Greenhouse Demo Day is on the horizon! 19 early-stage deeptech ventures tackling climate change across energy, infrastructure, materials, biotech & nature will pitch to investors on the iconic Ri stage. ​Tap into next-gen ideas & tech at the forefront of tackling climate change ➡️ luma.com/9sb4scx0

Filming day @rigb.org AI and assistive technology can give disabled people greater independence, but communication is more than transmitting words. It’s timing, humour, emotion and spontaneity. What makes you feel genuinely heard in a conversation? #AssistiveTechnology #AI #Disability

So sad to hear that the iconic, trailblazing, Apollo 11 moon landing software engineering lead, Margaret Hamilton, is no longer with us. Love this image of her, standing next to a print out of the software that landed Buzz Aldrin and Neil Amstrong on the moon! 👩‍🔬🔭🛰️🧪 ℹ️: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Have you ever seen a black flame? ⚫🔥 Most streetlights in the UK are now LED, but we love this neat trick involving an old-school sodium lamp.

From the molecules in medicines to the nanoparticles delivering them, chemistry is shaping the way we treat disease. Join Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu to discover how we can get molecules to obey us. www.rigb.org/whats-on/dis...

Nuclear fusion could transform how we power the world. But will the future of fusion be shaped by collaboration or competition? Join fusion physicist Alan Costley as he explores the global race for fusion power. www.rigb.org/whats-on/glo...

Science, comedy and songs—brought together in one wonderfully unnecessary evening. @standupmaths.bsky.social, @helenarney.bsky.social, Steve Mould and more return to the Ri for a night of fascinating things in outrageous detail. www.rigb.org/whats-on/eve...

Is the idea of cryogenically preserving people more fiction than science? 🧊 Neuroscientist @arielzj.bsky.social tells us how we're already doing something similar with bits of biological material. Watch the full talk: youtube.com/watch?v=RYKDS0MQRH4

Our friends @rigb.org are hosting a fantastic talk next week. Details below ⤵ Art cure: The science of how the arts transform our health Psychobiologist and world-leading expert Daisy Fancourt reveals how art improves our health. www.rigb.org/whats-on/art-cure-science-how-arts-transform-our-health

From alchemy to wool, the science of the past can help us understand the world today. Meet the Ri’s new Freer Fellows and explore their fascinating research. www.rigb.org/explore-scie...

"Scott likes to blow things up". We're so excited to welcome Fran Scott to the stage for our next show at @rigb.org You can expect things to go boom, audience smiles to stretch widely and to feel the heat reach the back of the room! You coming along? >>>> fotsn.com/tickets

Grab your headphones and dive into the most-listened-to Ri Science Podcast episodes, packed with big questions, surprising discoveries and brilliant science. Perfect listening for #WorldPodcastDay! 🎧 www.rigb.org/explore-scie...

Can the James Webb Space Telescope really see the past? 🔭 Join 2025 Christmas Lecturer Maggie Aderin-Pocock on a journey back in time to explore the creation and formation of our Solar System, galaxies and other exoplanetary systems in the Universe. www.rigb.org/whats-on/anc...

Just how old is human music? 🎵 We know that early humans and Neanderthals communicated through a system known as "musilanguage”. Archaeologist Steven Mithen will present the science supporting the idea that music is an integral part of our evolution. www.rigb.org/whats-on/did...

For decades, CERN has been the home of world-leading particle physics. But what is next? Join Mark Thomson (CERN's Director-General) as he reflects on our present understanding of particle physics and the future direction at the research facility. www.rigb.org/whats-on/dis...

Want access to the coveted tickets for the 2026 CHRISTMAS LECTURES®, supported by CGI? Become an Ri Member today! You'll also get: 🎟️ Priority booking and half-price tickets 🥂 Access to exclusive events and tours 🧪 A year of amazing science activities Find out more: rigb.org/support-us/b...

There's two separate chances to see the gang in action in London before the year is out! We're back at @rigb.org on 24th October, and tickets are flying out the door for this show which is themed as "Women of the Royal Institution" And let's just say, things might get explosive!

New photos of the Science of Star Trek event @rigb.org. I’ve met most of the main Star Trek actors now, and Martin Quinn has to be the loveliest.

The @rigb.org's Huxley portrait is **considerably** heavier than it looks. Fortunately, the rest of the evening belonged to @sadiahqureshi.bsky.social, a menagerie of extinct soft toys, and a fascinating exploration of extinction & de-extinction. 🎥 youtu.be/pISdCeZCYEg #histsci #envhist

From humble beginnings to becoming one of the world's most influential scientists ⭐ Michael Faraday was born #OnThisDay in 1791. Judy Wu told his story during her Discourse on benzene, a chemical discovered by Faraday himself. Watch the full talk: youtube.com/watch?v=0kYMUFzylOs