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Royal Institution Christmas Lectures poster
Running · 1966–

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

Each year a renowned name in the world of education leads a series of televised lectures all around one topic.

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Seasons & episodes

Season 1966 · 6 episodes
  1. S1966 E01 · The White Rabbit
  2. S1966 E02 · Only the Grin was Left
  3. S1966 E03 · The Caucus Race
  4. S1966 E04 · Curiouser and Curiouser
  5. S1966 E05 · If Only I Were the Right Size to do It
  6. S1966 E06 · It's the Oldest Rule in the Book
Season 1967 · 6 episodes
  1. S1967 E01 · Ancient Eyes and Simple Brains
  2. S1967 E02 · Learning to See Things
  3. S1967 E03 · Playing with Illusions
  4. S1967 E04 · How Illusions Play Games with Us
  5. S1967 E05 · Human Eyes in Space
  6. S1967 E06 · The Future: Machines that See?
Season 1968 · 6 episodes
  1. S1968 E01 · The World of Captain Gulliver
  2. S1968 E02 · Meat and Drink Sufficient for 1728 Lilliputians
  3. S1968 E03 · A Prodigious Leap?
  4. S1968 E04 · Lilliput and Brobdingnag Since the Industrial Revolution
  5. S1968 E05 · Dwarf and Giant Numbers
  6. S1968 E06 · Beyond the Map
Season 1969 · 6 episodes
  1. S1969 E01 · In the beginning...
  2. S1969 E02 · Clockwork harmony
  3. S1969 E03 · The tick of the atom
  4. S1969 E04 · Big time, little time
  5. S1969 E05 · Faster, faster
  6. S1969 E06 · To the ends of time
Season 1970 · 6 episodes
  1. S1970 E01 · Man has a very short neck and no tail
  2. S1970 E02 · Man comes in several different sizes and shapes
  3. S1970 E03 · Fancy having to climb trees in order to eat
  4. S1970 E04 · Man chooses a sensible place to live at last
  5. S1970 E05 · Why choose to walk on two legs when it is much safer on four?
  6. S1970 E06 · What's the idea of shooting at us?
Season 1971 · 6 episodes
  1. S1971 E01 · Making and measuring the waves
  2. S1971 E02 · From small beginnings
  3. S1971 E03 · Growing and changing
  4. S1971 E04 · Craftsmanship and technology
  5. S1971 E05 · On the way to the ear
  6. S1971 E06 · The end of the journey
Season 1972 · 6 episodes
  1. S1972 E01 · Ripples in the Ether: How it All Began
  2. S1972 E02 · Ripples in the Ether: Getting Rid of the Wires
  3. S1972 E03 · The Sound of Broadcasting
  4. S1972 E04 · Pictures With and Without Wires
  5. S1972 E05 · But Electrons aren't Coloured!
  6. S1972 E06 · Vision of the Future
Season 1973 · 4 episodes
  1. S1973 E01 · Beware!
  2. S1973 E02 · Be mine
  3. S1973 E03 · Parents and Children
  4. S1973 E04 · Simple Signs and Complicated Communications
Season 1974 · 6 episodes
  1. S1974 E01 · Looking Glass House
  2. S1974 E02 · Tweedledum and Tweedledee
  3. S1974 E03 · Jam Yesterday, Jam Tomorrow
  4. S1974 E04 · The Jabberwock
  5. S1974 E05 · The Time Has Come the Walrus Said
  6. S1974 E06 · Its My Own Invention
Season 1975 · 6 episodes
  1. S1975 E01 · Signals From the Interior: You As An Engine
  2. S1975 E02 · Signals From the Interior: Pumps, Pipes and Flows
  3. S1975 E03 · Signals From the Interior: Spikes and Waves
  4. S1975 E04 · Signals From the Interior: Probes, Sondes and Sounds
  5. S1975 E05 · Signals From the Interior: Looking Through Your Skin
  6. S1975 E06 · Signals From the Interior: Signals From the Mind
Season 1976 · 6 episodes
  1. S1976 E01 · First light
  2. S1976 E02 · Light and life
  3. S1976 E03 · A leaf from nature
  4. S1976 E04 · Candles from the Sun
  5. S1976 E05 · Making light work
  6. S1976 E06 · Survival under the Sun
Season 1977 · 6 episodes
  1. S1977 E01 · The Planets: The Earth As A Planet
  2. S1977 E02 · The Planets: The Outer Solar System And Life
  3. S1977 E03 · The Planets: The History Of Mars
  4. S1977 E04 · The Planets: Mars Before Viking
  5. S1977 E05 · The Planets: Mars After Viking
  6. S1977 E06 · The Planets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Sun
Season 1978 · 6 episodes
  1. S1978 E01 · Mathematics into Pictures: Linking and Knotting
  2. S1978 E02 · Mathematics into Pictures: Numbers and Geometry
  3. S1978 E03 · Mathematics into Pictures: Infinity and Perspective
  4. S1978 E04 · Mathematics into Pictures: Games and Evolution
  5. S1978 E05 · Mathematics into Pictures: Waves and Music
  6. S1978 E06 · Mathematics into Pictures: Catastrophe and Psychology
Season 1979 · 6 episodes
  1. S1979 E01 · Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Getting to Know Atoms
  2. S1979 E02 · Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Molecules in Motion
  3. S1979 E03 · Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Electrified Atoms
  4. S1979 E04 · Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Atoms that Explode
  5. S1979 E05 · Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Atoms and Energy
  6. S1979 E06 · Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Seeing Atoms at last
Season 1980 · 6 episodes
  1. S1980 E01 · The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: What Are Chickens Made Of?
  2. S1980 E02 · The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Machine Tools of Life
  3. S1980 E03 · The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Muscle Power
  4. S1980 E04 · The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Eggs, Genes and Proteins
  5. S1980 E05 · The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Haeomoglobin - The Breathing Molecule
  6. S1980 E06 · The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Molecules At Work
Season 1981 · 6 episodes
  1. S1981 E01 · From Magna Carta to Microchip: Principles, Standards and Methods
  2. S1981 E02 · From Magna Carta to Microchip: The Measurement of Time
  3. S1981 E03 · From Magna Carta to Microchip: More and More About Less and Less
  4. S1981 E04 · From Magna Carta to Microchip: Onwards to the Stars
  5. S1981 E05 · From Magna Carta to Microchip: Measurement and Navigation in War
  6. S1981 E06 · From Magna Carta to Microchip: Some Impacts of Measurement on Life - And Can We Take it too Far?
Season 1982 · 6 episodes
  1. S1982 E01 · Making sense
  2. S1982 E02 · The sound of silence
  3. S1982 E03 · The sixth sense - and the rest
  4. S1982 E04 · Show me the way to go home
  5. S1982 E05 · Vive la différence
  6. S1982 E06 · Enchanted loom
Season 1983 · 6 episodes
  1. S1983 E01 · Machines In Motion: Driving Forces
  2. S1983 E02 · Machines In Motion: Gathering Momentum
  3. S1983 E03 · Machines In Motion: Vibration
  4. S1983 E04 · Machines In Motion: Under Control
  5. S1983 E05 · Machines In Motion: Fluids and Flight
  6. S1983 E06 · Machines In Motion: Living Machines
Season 1984 · 6 episodes
  1. S1984 E01 · The Message of the Genes: We Are All Different
  2. S1984 E02 · The Message of the Genes: The Spice of Life
  3. S1984 E03 · The Message of the Genes: Genetic Engineering
  4. S1984 E04 · The Message of the Genes: Bodies and Antibodies
  5. S1984 E05 · The Message of the Genes: Normal Cells and Cancer Cells
  6. S1984 E06 · The Message of the Genes: When Will Pigs have Wings?
Season 1985 · 6 episodes
  1. S1985 E01 · Communicating: No Man is an Island
  2. S1985 E02 · Communicating: Animal Talk
  3. S1985 E03 · Communicating: The Bionic Bat
  4. S1985 E04 · Communicating: The Pace of Technology
  5. S1985 E05 · Communicating: The Integrated Body
  6. S1985 E06 · Communicating: Computers
Season 1986 · 6 episodes
  1. S1986 E01 · First take an egg...
  2. S1986 E02 · The medium and the message
  3. S1986 E03 · The right stuff
  4. S1986 E04 · Genes and flies
  5. S1986 E05 · Chain of command
  6. S1986 E06 · Growing up and growing old
Season 1987 · 6 episodes
  1. S1987 E01 · Crystals and Lasers: The Micro-world
  2. S1987 E02 · Crystals and Lasers: The Architecture of Crystals
  3. S1987 E03 · Crystals and Lasers: Crystal Miracles
  4. S1987 E04 · Crystals and Lasers: Constructing a LASER
  5. S1987 E05 · Crystals and Lasers: The Light Fantastic
  6. S1987 E06 · Crystals and Lasers: Crystals, LASERs and the Human Body
Season 1988 · 5 episodes
  1. S1988 E01 · Appliance science
  2. S1988 E02 · Home, safe home
  3. S1988 E03 · Electronics for pleasure
  4. S1988 E04 · Home, smart home
  5. S1988 E05 · Mixers, meters and molecules
Season 1989 · 5 episodes
  1. S1989 E01 · Exploring music: What is music?
  2. S1989 E02 · Exploring music: The essence of an instrument
  3. S1989 E03 · Exploring music: Science, strings and symphonies
  4. S1989 E04 · Exploring music: Technology, trumpets and tunes
  5. S1989 E05 · Exploring music: Scales, synthesizers and samplers
Season 1990 · 5 episodes
  1. S1990 E01 · The Grand Design
  2. S1990 E02 · The Birth of the Stars
  3. S1990 E03 · The Origin of Quasars
  4. S1990 E04 · The Origin of Galaxies
  5. S1990 E05 · The Origin of the Universe
Season 1991 · 5 episodes
  1. S1991 E01 · Growing Up in the Universe: Waking Up in the Universe
  2. S1991 E02 · Growing Up in the Universe: Designed and Designoid Objects
  3. S1991 E03 · Growing Up in the Universe: Climbing Mount Improbable
  4. S1991 E04 · Growing Up in the Universe: The Ultraviolet Garden
  5. S1991 E05 · Growing Up in the Universe: The Genesis of Purpose
Season 1992 · 5 episodes
  1. S1992 E01 · Our World Through the Looking Glass: Man in the Mirror
  2. S1992 E02 · Our World Through the Looking Glass: Narwhals, Palindromes and Chesterfield Station
  3. S1992 E03 · Our World Through the Looking Glass: The Handed Molecule
  4. S1992 E04 · Our World Through the Looking Glass: Symmetry, Sensation and Sex
  5. S1992 E05 · Our World Through the Looking Glass: In the Hands of the Giants
Season 1993 · 5 episodes
  1. S1993 E01 · The Cosmic Onion: A is for Atoms
  2. S1993 E02 · The Cosmic Onion: To the Centre of the Sun
  3. S1993 E03 · The Cosmic Onion: Invaders from Outer Space
  4. S1993 E04 · The Cosmic Onion: Antimatter Matters
  5. S1993 E05 · The Cosmic Onion: An Hour to Make the Universe
Season 1994 · 5 episodes
  1. S1994 E01 · The Electric Ape
  2. S1994 E02 · Through a Glass Darkly
  3. S1994 E03 · Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble
  4. S1994 E04 · The Seven Ages of the Brain
  5. S1994 E05 · The Mind's I
Season 1995 · 5 episodes
  1. S1995 E01 · Planet Earth, On the Edge of the World
  2. S1995 E02 · Planet Earth, Secrets of the Deep
  3. S1995 E03 · Planet Earth, Volcanoes-Melting the Earth
  4. S1995 E04 · Planet Earth, The Puzzle of the Continents
  5. S1995 E05 · Planet Earth, Waterworld
Season 1996 · 5 episodes
  1. S1996 E01 · The History in our Bones - Staring Into The Abyss
  2. S1996 E02 · The History in our Bones - The Fossils Come Alive
  3. S1996 E03 · The History in our Bones - The Great Dyings - Life After Death
  4. S1996 E04 · The History in our Bones - Innovations And Novelty
  5. S1996 E05 · The History in our Bones - Feet On The Ground, Head In The Stars - The History Of Man
Season 1997 · 5 episodes
  1. S1997 E01 · The Magical Maze: Sunflowers and Snowflakes
  2. S1997 E02 · The Magical Maze: The Pattern of Tiny Feet
  3. S1997 E03 · The Magical Maze: Outrageous Fortune
  4. S1997 E04 · The Magical Maze: Chaos and Cauliflowers
  5. S1997 E05 · The Magical Maze: Fearful Symmetry
Season 1998 · 5 episodes
  1. S1998 E01 · Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Sense and Sensitivity
  2. S1998 E02 · Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Fats and Figures
  3. S1998 E03 · Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Chilling Out
  4. S1998 E04 · Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Times of our lives
  5. S1998 E05 · Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Pushing the Limits
Season 1999 · 5 episodes
  1. S1999 E01 · Arrow of Time: Back to the Future
  2. S1999 E02 · Arrow of Time: Catching the Waves
  3. S1999 E03 · Arrow of Time: Quantum Leap
  4. S1999 E04 · Arrow of Time: The Edge of Chaos
  5. S1999 E05 · Arrow of Time: Shaping the Future
Season 2000 · 5 episodes
  1. S2000 E01 · Rise of the Robots: Anatomy of an Android
  2. S2000 E02 · Rise of the Robots: Things that Think
  3. S2000 E03 · Rise of the Robots: Remote Robots
  4. S2000 E04 · Rise of the Robots: Bionic Bodies
  5. S2000 E05 · Rise of the Robots: I, Robot
Season 2001 · 5 episodes
  1. S2001 E01 · The Secrets of Life: What Is Life?
  2. S2001 E02 · The Secrets of Life: How Do I Grow?
  3. S2001 E03 · The Secrets of Life: Who Am I?
  4. S2001 E04 · The Secrets of Life: Can We Fix It?
  5. S2001 E05 · The Secrets of Life: The Future of Life?
Season 2002 · 5 episodes
  1. S2002 E01 · Smart Stuff: The Spider That Spun a Suspension Bridge
  2. S2002 E02 · Smart Stuff: The Trainer That Ran Over the World
  3. S2002 E03 · Smart Stuff: The Phone That Shrank the Planet
  4. S2002 E04 · Smart Stuff: The Plaster That Streches Life
  5. S2002 E05 · Smart Stuff: The Ice Cream That Will Freeze Granny
Season 2003 · 5 episodes
  1. S2003 E01 · Voyage in Space and Time: Blast Off
  2. S2003 E02 · Voyage in Space and Time: Mission to Mars
  3. S2003 E03 · Voyage in Space and Time: Planet Patrol
  4. S2003 E04 · Voyage in Space and Time: Collision Course
  5. S2003 E05 · Voyage in Space and Time: Anybody Out There?
Season 2004 · 3 episodes
  1. S2004 E01 · Antarctica: Ice People
  2. S2004 E02 · Antarctica: Ice Life
  3. S2004 E03 · Antarctica: Ice World
Season 2005 · 5 episodes
  1. S2005 E01 · The Truth About Food: The Ape That Cooks
  2. S2005 E02 · The Truth About Food: Yuck or Yummy?
  3. S2005 E03 · The Truth About Food: You Are What You Eat
  4. S2005 E04 · The Truth About Food: When Food Goes Wrong
  5. S2005 E05 · The Truth About Food: Food for the Future
Season 2006 · 5 episodes
  1. S2006 E01 · The Num8er My5teries: The Curious Incident of the Never-Ending Numbers
  2. S2006 E02 · The Num8er My5teries: The story of the Elusive Shapes
  3. S2006 E03 · The Num8er My5teries: The Secret of the Winning Streak
  4. S2006 E04 · The Num8er My5teries: The Case of the Uncrackable Code
  5. S2006 E05 · The Num8er My5teries: The Quest to Predict the Future
Season 2007 · 5 episodes
  1. S2007 E01 · Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Peak Performance
  2. S2007 E02 · Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Completely Stuffed
  3. S2007 E03 · Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Grilled and Chilled
  4. S2007 E04 · Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Fight, Flight and Fright
  5. S2007 E05 · Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Luck, Genes and Stupidity
Season 2008 · 5 episodes
  1. S2008 E01 · Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Breaking The Speed Limit
  2. S2008 E02 · Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Chips With Everything
  3. S2008 E03 · Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Ghost In The Machine
  4. S2008 E04 · Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Untangling The Web
  5. S2008 E05 · Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Digital Intelligence
Season 2009 · 5 episodes
  1. S2009 E01 · The 300-Million-Year War: Plant Wars
  2. S2009 E02 · The 300-Million-Year War: The Animals Strike Back
  3. S2009 E03 · The 300-Million-Year War: Talking Trees
  4. S2009 E04 · The 300-Million-Year War: Dangerous to Delicious
  5. S2009 E05 · The 300-Million-Year War: Weapons of the Future
Season 2010 · 3 episodes
  1. S2010 E01 · Why Elephants Can't Dance
  2. S2010 E02 · Why Chocolate Melts and Jet Engines Don't
  3. S2010 E03 · Why Mountains Are So Small
Season 2011 · 3 episodes
  1. S2011 E01 · Meet Your Brain: What's in Your Head?
  2. S2011 E02 · Meet Your Brain: Who's in Charge Here?
  3. S2011 E03 · Meet Your Brain: Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
Season 2012 · 3 episodes
  1. S2012 E01 · Air: The Elixir of Life
  2. S2012 E02 · Water: The Fountain of Youth
  3. S2012 E03 · Earth: The Philosopher's Stone
Season 2013 · 3 episodes
  1. S2013 E01 · Where Do I Come From?
  2. S2013 E02 · Am I a Mutant?
  3. S2013 E03 · Could I Live Forever?
Season 2014 · 3 episodes
  1. S2014 E01 · The Light Bulb Moment
  2. S2014 E02 · Making Contact
  3. S2014 E03 · A New Revolution
Season 2015 · 3 episodes
  1. S2015 E01 · Lift Off!
  2. S2015 E02 · Life in Orbit
  3. S2015 E03 · The Next Frontier
Season 2016 · 3 episodes
  1. S2016 E01 · Let There Be Light!
  2. S2016 E02 · People Power
  3. S2016 E03 · Fully Charged
Season 2017 · 3 episodes
  1. S2017 E01 · The Language of Life: Say It With Sound
  2. S2017 E02 · Silent Messages
  3. S2017 E03 · The Word
Season 2018 · 3 episodes
  1. S2018 E01 · Where Do I Come From?
  2. S2018 E02 · What Makes Me Human?
  3. S2018 E03 · What Makes Me, Me?
Season 2019 · 3 episodes
  1. S2019 E01 · How to Get Lucky
  2. S2019 E02 · How to Bend the Rules
  3. S2019 E03 · How Can We All Win?
Season 2020 · 3 episodes
  1. S2020 E01 · Engine Earth
  2. S2020 E02 · Water World
  3. S2020 E03 · Up in the Air
Season 2021 · 3 episodes
  1. S2021 E01 · The Invisible Enemy
  2. S2021 E02 · The Perfect Storm
  3. S2021 E03 · Winning the War
Season 2022 · 3 episodes
  1. S2022 E01 · Dead Body
  2. S2022 E02 · Missing Body
  3. S2022 E03 · Living Body
Season 2023 · 3 episodes
  1. S2023 E01 · How to Build an Intelligent Machine
  2. S2023 E02 · My AI Life
  3. S2023 E03 · The Future of AI: Dream or a Nightmare?
Season 2024 · 3 episodes
  1. S2024 E01 · From Taste Buds to Toilet
  2. S2024 E02 · How Food Makes Us
  3. S2024 E03 · The Big Food Hack
Season 2025 · 3 episodes
  1. S2025 E01 · Destination Moon
  2. S2025 E02 · Searching the Solar System
  3. S2025 E03 · To the Stars and Beyond

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