Royal Institution of Great Britain

20/06/2026

How can AI improve statistics and take the pulse of our nation in new ways?

Statistician Arthur Turrell will illuminate how AI can be used in a considerate manner, for better data.

Statistician Arthur Turrell explores how we can separate bad data from good, how it impacts decisions, and w

18/06/2026

PhD students, this one is for you 📣

We have 12 (twelve!) internship opportunities at the Ri for 2026/2027, including hands-on roles in the world-famous Christmas Lectures!

Breadcrumb Home Explore science Read our blog PhD internships at the Royal Institution - 2026/2027 PhD internships at the Royal Institution - 2026/2027 We're delighted to announce that applications for our 2026/2027 internship placements are now open! These three-month placements for PhD students pr...

17/06/2026

Most reactions happen once, but this one keeps changing its mind. 🧪

Check out this oscillating reaction in action: as molecules collide and react, waves of colour ripple through the solution.

16/06/2026

From gamma rays to black holes, how do astronomers know about the phenomena in our universe that exist beyond our senses? 🔭

Join Alfredo Carpineti to explore the phenomenal objects and events beyond the visible.

Astronomer and science journalist Alfredo Carpineti explains the science beyond the visible light spectrum.

15/06/2026

Calorie information is on the vast majority of food packaging, but it paints an inaccurate picture. 🍿

Geneticist Giles Yeo illuminates how caloric availability affects calorie counting.

Watch the full talk: youtu.be/pOJYTMe_bp4

13/06/2026

Can you 'see' like a Grandmaster? ♟️

Cognitive scientist Fernand Gobet puts our perception to the test.

Watch the full talk on the psychology of chess: youtube.com/watch?v=2pd6xtEAaJE

12/06/2026

This is gallium: a metal that melts in your hand. 💧

When you place a drop of it on aluminium, it becomes so brittle that it crumbles between your fingers.

The culprit is a phenomenon known as liquid metal embrittlement.

11/06/2026

Gravity isn’t pulling us in...at least, not in the way we often imagine it. 🏋️

With a simple yet brilliant visualisation, astrophysicist Katy Clough explains why Einstein’s picture of curved spacetime offers a deeper understanding of how the Universe works.

Watch the full talk: youtube.com/watch?v=n4RbkTCp16k

10/06/2026

in 1859, John Tyndall delivered a Discourse in the Ri Theatre, announcing a discovery that underpins our modern understanding of climate change. 🌡️

Using his highly sensitive radiant heat apparatus, Tyndall proved exactly how specific gases absorb and radiate heat. This provided the vital empirical proof of how the Earth's atmosphere traps heat—the mechanism behind the greenhouse effect.

In this clip from the 2020 Christmas Lectures, Chris Jackson and Tamsin Edwards recreate that very experiment.

Watch the full lecture here: rigb.org/explore-science/explore/video/christmas-lectures-2020-engine-earth-chris-jackson

10/06/2026

in 1859, John Tyndall sent us an important message about climate change.

On 10 June 1859, he delivered a Friday Evening Discourse in the Ri theatre, announcing his discovery of how gases absorb heat by developing and experimenting with extremely sensitive equipment called the 'radiant heat apparatus'. This helped scientists later understand how heat is trapped by the Earth's atmosphere—the basis of what we now call the greenhouse effect.

In this clip from the 2020 Christmas Lectures, Chris Jackson and Tamsin Edwards recreate that very experiment with today's technology. Watch the full lecture here: rigb.org/explore-science/explore/video/christmas-lectures-2020-engine-earth-chris-jackson