Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973: The Languages of Animals

· 6 episodes

• 1 1. Beware!
• 2 2. Be mine
• 3 3. Parents and Children
• 4 4. Simple Signs and Complicated Communications Dec 4, 1973 1h
• 5 5. Foreign Languages
• 6 6. Human Language

1974

1975

1976

1977

· 6 episodes

• 1 1. The Earth as a Planet
• 2 2. The Outer Solar System and Life
• 3 3. The History of Mars
• 4 4. Mars before Viking
• 5 5. Mars after Viking
• 6 6. Planetary Systems beyond our Sun

1978: Mathematics into Pictures

· 6 episodes

• 1 1. Linking and Knotting
• 2 2. Numbers and Geometry
• 3 3. Infinity and Perspective
• 4 4. Games and Evolution
• 5 5. Waves and Music
• 6 6. Catastrophe and Psychology

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985: Communicating

1986

1987: Crystals and Lasers

1988

1989

1990

1991: Growing Up in the Universe

1991 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. Waking Up in the Universe Dec 27, 1991
• 2 2. Designed and Designoid Objects Dec 28, 1991
• 3 3. Climbing Mount Improbable Dec 29, 1991
• 4 4. The Ultraviolet Garden Dec 30, 1991
• 5 5. The Genesis of Purpose Dec 31, 1991

1992

1993: The Cosmic Onion

1993 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. The Cosmic Onion Lecture 1 Dec 27, 1993
• 2 2. The Cosmic Onion Lecture 2 Dec 28, 1993
• 3 3. The Cosmic Onion Lecture 3 Dec 29, 1993
• 4 4. The Cosmic Onion Lecture 4 Dec 30, 1993
• 5 5. The Cosmic Onion Lecture 5 Dec 31, 1993

1994

1995: Planet Earth, An Explorer's Guide

· 5 episodes

• 1 1. Planet Earth, An Explorers Guide
• 2 2. Planet Earth, An Explorers Guide
• 3 3. Planet Earth, An Explorers Guide
• 4 4. Planet Earth, An Explorers Guide
• 5 5. Planet Earth, An Explorers Guide

1996: The History in our Bones

1996 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. The History in our Bones Dec 27, 1996
• 2 2. The History in our Bones Dec 28, 1996
• 3 3. The History in our Bones Dec 29, 1996
• 4 4. The History in our Bones - Innovations And Novelty Dec 30, 1996
• 5 5. The History in our Bones - Feet On The Ground, Head In The Stars - The History Of Man Dec 31, 1996

1997: The Magical Maze

1998: Staying Alive: The Body in Balance

· 5 episodes

• 1 1. Sense and Sensitivity 59 min
• 2 2. Fats and Figures 58 min
• 3 3. Chilling Out 59 min
• 4 4. Times of Our Lives 59 min
• 5 5. Pushing the Limits 56 min

1999: Arrow of Time

2000: Rise of the Robots

2001: The Secrets of Life

2002: Smart Stuff

2003: Voyage in Space and Time

2003 · 6 episodes

• 1 1. Blast Off Dec 26, 2003
• 2 2. Mission to Mars Dec 27, 2003
• 3 3. Planet Patrol Dec 28, 2003
• 4 4. Collision Course Dec 29, 2003
• 5 5. Anybody Out There? Dec 30, 2003
• 6 6. Live from Mars

2004: To the Ends of the Earth: Surviving Antarctic Extremes

2004 · 3 episodes

• 1 1. Ice People Dec 16, 2004
• 2 2. Ice Life Dec 18, 2004
• 3 3. Ice World Dec 20, 2004

2005: The Truth About Food

2005 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. The Ape That Cooks Dec 26, 2005
• 2 2. Yuck or Yummy? Dec 27, 2005
• 3 3. You Are What You Eat Dec 28, 2005
• 4 4. When Food Goes Wrong Dec 29, 2005
• 5 5. Food for the Future Dec 30, 2005

2006: The Num8er My5teries

2006 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. The Curious Incident of the Never-ending Numbers Dec 25, 2006 39 min
• 2 2. The Story of the Elusive Shapes Dec 26, 2006 39 min
• 3 3. The Secret of the Winning Streak Dec 27, 2006 39 min
• 4 4. The Case of the Uncrackable Code Dec 28, 2006 39 min
• 5 5. The Quest to Predict the Future Dec 29, 2006 39 min

2007: Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival

2007 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. Peak Performance Dec 24, 2007 36 min
• 2 2. Completely Stuffed Dec 25, 2007 36 min
• 3 3. Grilled and Chilled Dec 26, 2007 36 min
• 4 4. Fight, Flight and Fright Dec 27, 2007 36 min
• 5 5. Luck, Genes and Stupidity Dec 28, 2007 36 min

2008: Hi-tech Trek

2008 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. Breaking the Speed Limit Dec 29, 2008 37 min
• 2 2. Chips with Everything Dec 30, 2008 37 min
• 3 3. The Ghost In The Machine Dec 31, 2008 38 min
• 4 4. Untangling the Web Jan 1, 2009 37 min
• 5 5. Digital Intelligence Jan 2, 2009 38 min

2009: The 300-Million-Year War

2009 · 5 episodes

• 1 1. Plant Wars Dec 21, 2009 48 min
• 2 2. The Animals Strike Back Dec 22, 2009 48 min
• 3 3. Talking Trees Dec 23, 2009 48 min
• 4 4. Dangerous to Delicious Dec 24, 2009 48 min
• 5 5. Weapons of the Future Dec 25, 2009 48 min

2010: Size Matters

2010 · 3 episodes

• 1. Why Elephants Can't Dance Dec 28, 2010 59 min
• 2. Why Chocolate Melts and Jet Engines Don't Dec 29, 2010 59 min
• 3. Why Mountains Are So Small Dec 30, 2010 59 min

2011: Meet Your Brain

2011 · 3 episodes

• 1. What's in Your Head? Dec 27, 2011 58 min
• 2. Who's in Charge Here Anyway? Dec 28, 2011 58 min
• 3. Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? Dec 29, 2011 58 min

2012: The Modern Alchemist

2012 · 3 episodes

• 1. Air: The Elixir of Life Dec 26, 2012 59 min
• 2. Water: The Fountain of Youth Dec 27, 2012 59 min
• 3. Earth: The Philosopher's Stone Dec 28, 2012 59 min

2013: Life Fantastic

2013 · 3 episodes

• 1. Where Do I Come From? Dec 28, 2013 59 min
• 2. Am I a Mutant? Dec 29, 2013 59 min
• 3. Could I Live Forever? Dec 30, 2013 59 min

2014: Sparks Will Fly - How to Hack your Home

2014 · 3 episodes

• 1. The Light Bulb Moment Dec 29, 2014 59 min
• 2. Making Contact Dec 30, 2014 59 min
• 3. A New Revolution Dec 31, 2014 59 min

2015: How to Survive in Space

2015 · 3 episodes

• 1. Lift Off! Dec 28, 2015 59 min
• 2. Life in Orbit Dec 29, 2015 59 min
• 3. The Next Frontier Dec 30, 2015 59 min

2016: Supercharged - Fuelling the Future

2016 · 3 episodes

• 1. Let There Be Light! Dec 26, 2016 59 min
• 2. People Power Dec 27, 2016 59 min
• 3. Fully Charged Dec 28, 2016 59 min

2017: The Language of Life

2017 · 3 episodes

• 1. Say It with Sound Dec 26, 2017 59 min
• 2. Silent Messages Dec 27, 2017 59 min
• 3. The Word Dec 28, 2017 59 min

2018: Who Am I?

2018 · 3 episodes

• 1. Where Do I Come From? Dec 26, 2018 59 min
• 2. What Makes Me Human? Dec 27, 2018 59 min
• 3. What Makes Me, Me? Dec 28, 2018 59 min

2019: Secrets & Lies - The Hidden Power of Maths

2019 · 3 episodes

• 1. How to Get Lucky Dec 26, 2019 58 min
• 2. How to Bend the Rules Dec 27, 2019 59 min
• 3. How Can We All Win? Dec 28, 2019 59 min

2020: Planet Earth: A User’s Guide

2020 · 3 episodes

• 1. Engine Earth Dec 28, 2020 59 min
• 2. Water World Dec 29, 2020 59 min
• 3. Up In The Air Dec 30, 2020 59 min

2021: Going Viral: How Covid Changed Science Forever

2021 · 3 episodes

• 1. The Invisible Enemy Dec 28, 2021 59 min
• 2. The Perfect Storm Dec 29, 2021 59 min
• 3. Fighting Back Dec 30, 2021 59 min

2022: Secrets of Forensic Science

2022 · 3 episodes

• 1. Dead Body Dec 26, 2022 59 min
• 2. Missing Body Dec 27, 2022 59 min
• 3. Living Body Dec 28, 2022 59 min

2023: The Truth about AI

2023 · 3 episodes

• 1. How to Build an Intelligent Machine Dec 26, 2023 59 min
• 2. My AI Life Dec 27, 2023 59 min
• 3. The Future of AI: Dream or a Nightmare? Dec 28, 2023 59 min

2024: The Truth About Food

2024 · 3 episodes

• 1. From Taste Buds to Toilet Dec 29, 2024 59 min
• 2. How Food Makes Us Dec 30, 2024 59 min
• 3. The Big Food Hack Dec 31, 2024 1h

2025: Is There Life Beyond Earth?

2025 · 3 episodes

• 1. Destination Moon Dec 28, 2025 59 min
• 2. Searching the Solar System Dec 29, 2025 59 min
• 3. To the Stars and Beyond Dec 30, 2025 59 min