Does having a big brain make you smarter? - Alain Goriely Gresham College 2024-09-20 | Watch the Q&A session here: youtube.com/watch?v=fFCDvsq6N5gFor centuries scientists have tried to identify what is special about the human brain. How do we approach this problem from a mathematical standpoint? The first hypothesis is that bigger is better, in some sense. In this introductory lecture, scaling laws and simple ideas from statistics will be used to study this problem, both in humans and animals, as well as uncover some basic principles that govern brain size and test hypotheses connecting intelligence to size in humans and animals..This lecture was recorded by Alain Goriely on 17th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonAlain is Gresham Professor of Geometry.He is currently the Director of the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2022.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/big-brainGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
How do Supernovae impact Star Formation? Gresham College 2024-10-17 | Taken from a Gresham lecture by Chris Lintott at Conway Hall, Londonyoutu.be/S4GPeNd4slcThe first lecture in the series considers the most famous telescope of all, the Hubble space telescope. A project more than forty years in the making, Hubble overcame an initial disaster with a misshapen mirror to drive a revolution in every part of astronomy, providing iconic views of everything from a comet crashing into Jupiter to a surprisingly vibrant, distant Universe. This lecture focuses in particular on what Hubble has revealed about the life - and death - of stars.
How Women Equal Men in IQ Tests Gresham College 2024-10-16 | This lecture was recorded by Alain Goriely on 17th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, Londonyoutu.be/7VlhYHHbrdMFor centuries scientists have tried to identify what is special about the human brain. How do we approach this problem from a mathematical standpoint? The first hypothesis is that bigger is better, in some sense. In this introductory lecture, scaling laws and simple ideas from statistics will be used to study this problem, both in humans and animals, as well as uncover some basic principles that govern brain size and test hypotheses connecting intelligence to size in humans and animals..
Morals & Markets - Episode 2 - Martin Daunton & Avner Offer Gresham College 2024-10-16 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2234212/open_sms) This episode is part of a series called 'Morals & Markets'.Visiting Prof. of Economic History, Martin Daunton has conversations with three authors whose books have interrogated the underlying assumptions on economics.Episode 2 sees Martin sit down with Avner Offer, author of 'The Nobel Factor: The Prize in Economics, Social Democracy, and the Market Turn'.Support the show (gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/one-donation)Support the show (gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/one-donation)
Exploring 8 Billion Years of the Galaxy! Gresham College 2024-10-15 | Taken from a Gresham lecture by Chris Lintott at Conway Hall, Londonyoutu.be/S4GPeNd4slcThe first lecture in the series considers the most famous telescope of all, the Hubble space telescope. A project more than forty years in the making, Hubble overcame an initial disaster with a misshapen mirror to drive a revolution in every part of astronomy, providing iconic views of everything from a comet crashing into Jupiter to a surprisingly vibrant, distant Universe. This lecture focuses in particular on what Hubble has revealed about the life - and death - of stars.
Women at the Piano: A History through Images Gresham College 2024-10-14 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/cCyFhCkhmVsC9Qpna9dA4oA lecture by Marina Frolova-Walker This lecture explores the emergence of the "femme au piano" genre in 19th-century French painting, depicted by artists like Renoir, Van Gogh, and Matisse. What suddenly made this topic so popular, and what does it tell us about the role of women in music-making at the time? Tracing the genre's roots from the Italian Renaissance clavichord depictions to Vermeer’s Dutch domestic scenes, and 18th-century harpsichord portraits. Discover how the piano became a middle-class status symbol and how modernists of the 1910s-20s reinterpreted it. Presented from the perspective of a music historian, this lecture will delve into the roots of the “Women at the Piano” genre and reveal how these paintings offer a window onto women’s music-making.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The Presidential Election of 1968 - and Implications for 2024 Gresham College 2024-10-14 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/747L8DzQZz5RthfBSCMnFeA lecture by Professor Luke A. Nichter The 1968 Presidential Election remains the most divisive in modern U.S. history, with Democrat Hubert Humphrey, Republican Richard Nixon, and independent George Wallace at the forefront, and outgoing President Lyndon Johnson working behind the scenes. This lecture explores the striking parallels between 1968 and the 2024 Election, drawing on previously unexplored archives and numerous interviews. It challenges conventional views, revealing how the 1968 campaign set a new standard and tone for electoral battles, offering a compelling preview of the current political landscape.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Do Microbes have Immune Systems? - Robin May Gresham College 2024-10-11 | Watch the Q&A session here: youtube.com/watch?v=KDRNuI4VwmkWe often think of immunity as being a human, or at least mammalian, phenomenon. But in fact almost all living organisms have some form of immune system. In this lecture we’ll lift the lid on the astonishingly diverse immune mechanisms used by bacteria, amoebae, nematodes and many other microbial forms of life in their constant battle against viruses and each other.This lecture was recorded by Robin May on 2nd October 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonRobin is Gresham Professor of Physic.He is also Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Professor of Infectious Disease at the University of Birmingham.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/evolution-futureGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support
Q&A: Do Microbes have Immune Systems? - Robin May Gresham College 2024-10-11 | This lecture was recorded by Robin May on 2nd October 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonRobin is Gresham Professor of Physic.He is also Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Professor of Infectious Disease at the University of Birmingham.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/evolution-futureGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support
How to raise the Net Zero conversation - Myles Allen Gresham College 2024-10-08 | Watch the Q&A session here: youtube.com/watch?v=EKaTcobzidkIn a year of elections, climate change is emerging as a divisive political issue, and in many countries for the first time. This may be partly a consequence of past efforts to keep it apolitical through over-reliance on stealth policies and technocratic institutions. This lecture will discuss the need political debate about climate and the calls for an emphasis on “third way” climate solutions, designed to appeal to the broadest possible electoral coalition.This lecture was recorded by Myles Allen on 1st October 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Myles is the Frank Jackson Foundation Professor of the Environment.Myles is also is currently Director of the Oxford Net Zero initiative. He was awarded the Appleton Medal and Prize by the Institute of Physics in 2010, and in 2022 a CBE for services to climate change attribution, prediction and net zero. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/net-zero-conversationGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Were Laws created by Greek Legends? - Melissa Lane Gresham College 2024-10-04 | Watch the Q&A session here: youtube.com/watch?v=Yg92_Eqxsg8While Lycurgus of Sparta and Solon of Athens are now the best-known lawgivers of Greek antiquity, there were many others, from king Minos in Crete to Zaleucus and Charondas in southern Italy. This lecture explores the specific roles attributed to Greek lawgivers in fact and legend, revealing how and why they captured later political imaginations – with mention of how some even set laws to music.This lecture was recorded by Melissa Lane on 26th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Melissa is also the Class of 1943 Professor of Politics, Princeton University and is also Associated Faculty in the Department of Classics and Department of Philosophy. Previously she was Senior University Lecturer at Cambridge University in the Faculty of History and Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge.Having previously held visiting appointments at Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford, she will be Isaiah Berlin Visiting Professor in the History of Ideas in the Faculties of Philosophy and History at Oxford University, and a Visiting Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in Michaelmas Term 2024.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/singing-lawsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Who are the Vilified Minority? - Clive Stafford Smith Gresham College 2024-10-01 | This first lecture looks at the power that is given to advocates in a country that has a constitutional structure like the US. I have brought The American Constitution powers an American lawyer in ways unavailable to the British. I will illustrate this difference from my own experience of bringing 88 cases against the President of the US. I have thus far lost just one.This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 19th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Clive is the Gresham Professor of LawHe is the founder and director of the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates. He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths as well as running a summer programme for 35 students in Dorset, his home. He has received all kinds of awards in recognition of his work, including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity” in 2000. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1984.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/human-rights-law-0Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
What is Modern Paganism? - Ronald Hutton Gresham College 2024-09-23 | Watch the Q&A session here: youtube.com/watch?v=3RlJUe6tXtgWhat is modern Paganism, and how does it relate to witchcraft, Druidry and other phenomena? This lecture is designed to answer that question, and in doing so to provide an overview of the different traditions that make up Paganism today. It will show what they have in common, and what makes each one unique. It will suggest the ways in which Paganism differs from other religious traditions and what it has especially to offer the modern world. It will also address the question of its relationship with ancient paganism.This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on 18th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonRonald is the Gresham Professor of Divinity.He is also Professor of History at the University of Bristol and a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/modern-paganismGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
A Mirror in the Sky - Chris Lintott Gresham College 2024-09-17 | The first lecture in the series considers the most famous telescope of all, the Hubble space telescope. A project more than forty years in the making, Hubble overcame an initial disaster with a misshapen mirror to drive a revolution in every part of astronomy, providing iconic views of everything from a comet crashing into Jupiter to a surprisingly vibrant, distant Universe. This lecture focuses in particular on what Hubble has revealed about the life - and death - of stars.Chapters00:00 Introduction – a new star discovered in 160404:22 What is a supernova?05:47 1987 discovery of new supernova in Chile10:27 How supernovae cause new stars12:17 Why we need space telescopes18:11 How Hubble was launched in 199022:48 The star Betelgeuse24:38 What is a planetary nebula?27:27 Hubble was almost a failure33:50 Hubble’s beautiful images35:37 What Hubble has taught us about star formation39:42 ‘Pillars of Creation’40:37 New telescopes like JWST, HWO, Roman42:28 Conclusion – The legacy of HubbleThis lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on 11th September 2024 at Conway Hall, LondonChris is Gresham Professor of Astronomy.He is also a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, and a Research Fellow at New College.Watch the Q&A session here: youtu.be/UqvTDzrs2ScThe transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/mirror-skyGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Who gets half a camel? Gresham College 2024-09-17 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/maths-puzzlesMany puzzles have a long history, such as water pouring puzzles, where you need to measure (for example) one pint of water equipped only with an eight-pint and a five-pint jug. The mathematics behind the solution has many useful applications.Meanwhile, paradoxes such as: “some men shave themselves; those that do not shave themselves are shaved by the barber: who shaves the barber?” lead us to deep questions about set theory.An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Sarah Hart called 'Mathematical Puzzles and Paradoxes'
We live in fear all the time Gresham College 2024-09-16 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/immigration-detentionGovernments increasingly use detention as a central component of immigration and asylum policy. The lecture addresses several important questions.What does immigration detention look like? How is it a reflection of those societies that tolerate its use and the policies that support and endorse its expansion? What place does it have in the journeys of those migrating across borders today?An excerpt taken from a lecture by Dr Greg Constantine called 'The Human Cost of Immigration Detention'
Which ticket option would you like? Gresham College 2024-09-15 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/option-pricingWe often change our minds after we decide to do something. In finance and business though, if you think you might like to change your mind you will have to pay your counterparty so that your right to change your mind is agreed in advance.But how much is the right to change your mind worth? Option pricing is the art of determining the value of this right.An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Raghavendra Rau called 'Option Pricing Theory Explained'
Do boat people get a choice of their destination? Gresham College 2024-09-14 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/refugees-lawHow are refugees protected in English law?This lecture traces the history of refugee protection, the limits of the Refugee Convention, and changes to the law in recent decades that have made refugees’ lives increasingly difficult. The Government’s latest tranche of policies: the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Rwanda offshoring scheme, are particularly brutal.Is it time to reverse anti-refugee policies and create safe and legal routes for refugees to reach the UK, without a number cap?An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Leslie Thomas KC called 'Refugees: English Law's Protection or Persecution?'
What music is the fastest? Gresham College 2024-09-13 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/music-grooveMusic is a temporal art, unfolding like a ribbon and transforming our experience of time itself. This lecture demonstrates how music harnesses our unique and intricate listening faculties creating a complex interplay between sounding events and our internal predictions. This forms a predictive tapestry whereby the listener - usually unconsciously - ‘explains’ temporal events in reference to multi-layered streams of expectational waves. How musicians exploit such expressive opportunities is explored in a wide range of musical styles.An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Milton Mermikides called 'The Poetry of Prediction: Musical Time, Rhythm and Groove'
Is Space more busy at lunchtime? Gresham College 2024-09-12 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/radio-skyThere have been two major revolutions in how we look at the sky - the shift beyond the optical to other wavelengths, particularly the radio, and the increasing attention paid to how objects change over time.We start with the discovery of pulsars by Jocelyn Bell Burnell, explore how a microwave oven bamboozled astronomers, and discuss the latest research on Fast Radio Bursts, mysterious events detected in galaxies billions of light-years away.An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Chris Lintott called 'Pulsars, Microwave Ovens and the Radio Sky'
Are Dragons the true Alpha Predator? Gresham College 2024-09-11 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/dragonsWhy have people believed in dragons, and what were they actually? Is there a difference between Western and Eastern dragons, in a global perspective, and if so, why?Has the Western attitude to dragons changed in the modern era? Did Christianity give rise to a different idea of what a dragon should be?An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Ronald Hutton called 'Dragons: A History'
I steal the souls of politicians Gresham College 2024-09-10 | Watch the full lecture here:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/satirical-cartoons-historyExamining the work of Swift, Hogarth, Gillray, David Low and Ronald Searle, this lecture by celebrated cartoonist Martin Rowson will also examine the role cartoons play in giving offence. Covering the Danish Cartoons scandal and the Charlie Hebdo massacre, this talk will also look at Martin Rowson's own cartoon output over the past 40 years.An excerpt taken from a lecture by Martin Rowson called 'Satirical Cartoons: A History'
Are you masking your Autism? Gresham College 2024-09-09 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/new-autismOur understanding of autism has changed over the last forty years. Historically, autism was diagnosed based on narrow criteria. Today, while still defined by social and communication difficulties, rigid interests and repetitive behaviours, the autism spectrum is far wider, and the historical under-diagnosis of women and girls is being addressed.‘Autisms’ are more often discussed as neurodivergence rather than a single ‘disorder’ to be treated. An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Francesca Happé CBE called 'Changes in the Concept of Autism'
Are you a milk mutant? Gresham College 2024-09-06 | Watch the full lecture here: gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/human-evolutionThe species we recognise as our own - anatomically modern humans - has existed for only 300,000 years, a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms. And yet during that time our species has been shaped by strong evolutionary forces, often unwittingly as an indirect result of human activities.An excerpt taken from a lecture by Professor Robin May called 'A 300,000-Year History of Human Evolution'
The Stories We Make Up & The Stories That Make Us - Bernardine Evaristo OBE Gresham College 2024-09-06 | Many decades ago, as a young graduate from drama school, I was presented with a stark choice – either to shape my story myself, through writing, or to feel aggrieved at the detrimental narratives circulating about people like me in Britain at that time. I chose the latter, and in this talk I will talk about how story-making is a conscious act of speaking ourselves into being - drawing on literature, theatre and the visual arts.This lecture was recorded by Bernardine Evaristo OBE on 25th June 2024 at LSO St Luke's Church, LondonBernardine Evaristo won the Booker Prize 2019 with her eighth book, Girl, Woman, Other, the first black woman and black British person to win it. It was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller for five weeks, spending 44 weeks in the Top 10. It has sold over a million copies in the English language is a bestseller in many other languages. The author of essays, journalism, literary criticism, poetry and drama, her other novels include Blonde Roots, Soul Tourists, Lara and The Emperor’s Babe.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/thomas-gresham-24Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The 2025 Annual Sir Thomas Gresham Lecture Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/6BkH46JVm27cPp1ir8uyGVThis is an annual lecture given by Gresham College Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The 2025 Annual Provosts Lecture Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/a6KEoP33vediitspks3hovA lecture by Professor Martin Elliott, Provost of Gresham College. This is an annual lecture given by the Provost of Gresham College.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The Deceived Brain: Coding and Illusion Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/9NTNRK4963HxuQmZecY6myA lecture by Professor Alain Goriely FRS, Gresham Professor of Geometry. We perceive the world through the processing of information given by our senses. Sometimes, this processing is faulty, leading to illusions: shapes or sounds that we perceive differently from their physical reality. These illusions have delighted children and scientists alike for centuries.This lecture reveals how simple geometric illusions can be modelled mathematically, based on our understanding of how visual signals are coded and decoded by the brain, leading to a better understanding of how we process information.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Outsmart the System: How Psychology Hacks Your Money Decisions Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/ui6rekihXboGcvUJmc6jBaA lecture by Professor Raghavendra Rau, Gresham Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Business. Ever feel like the financial world works against you? This lecture discusses "behavioural finance" – how our brains get tricked by money matters. We explore how to use these insights to your advantage, navigate conflicts of interest with financial "experts," and make smarter decisions for yourself and your investments.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Illuminating the Dark Side of the Moon Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/4MjPJtJ3zpiyBt4MFVZhCNA lecture by Professor Milton Mermikides, Gresham Professor of Music. Now over 50 years old, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon remains the perfect example of a concept album.Blending cyclical forms, jazz and modal harmony, experimental electronics, multi-layered guitars, studio techniques and haunting lyrics, this lecture examines why this album has retained its popularity, critical success, and enduring influence. Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The Future of Immunity Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/3BDXSHocRKD4QbEeHFuQU5A lecture by Professor Robin May, Gresham Professor of Physic. Our understanding of the human immune system today is vastly different from that of 50 years ago. This knowledge has led to immune-based therapies that would have seemed like science fiction to our grandparents: monoclonal antibodies, T-cell therapies, anti-cancer vaccines, precision immune suppression – the list is endless.In this lecture, we look to the future and ask, “What next for immunity?”Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Carbon Takeback: How We Will Stop Fossil Fuels from Causing Global Warming Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/cWxkB3LSGg2CWeLQpyFmUxA lecture by Professor Myles Allen, Gresham Frank Jackson Foundation Professor of the Environment. We have to stop fossil fuels from causing global warming – before the world stops using fossil fuels. There’s only one solution: safe and permanent disposal of one tonne of carbon dioxide for every tonne still generated by burning fossil fuels. But how do we achieve this without overheating the planet or stoking political conflicts?This lecture presents a simple answer: make carbon dioxide disposal a licensing condition of the sale and use of fossil fuels.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The 2025 Grays Inn Reading Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/mRDmE1HBUpreAJ6qN7p5TLThis is an annual lecture given by Gresham College with Gray's Inn on a topical legal interest.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Lawgivers in Modern Revolutions Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/jJ2gV3S9mgDJyHdhj3wpFYA lecture by Professor Melissa Lane, Gresham Professor of Rhetoric. How have lawgivers featured in modern revolutions?This lecture considers key moments in revolutions, including seventeenth-century Britain, eighteenth-century France and (what would become) the United States, and twentieth-century Iran.The appeal to lawgivers (including ancient ones from many cultures) in revolutionary visions and in consolidating new constitutions is a striking feature of modern politics.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Sum Stories: Equations and their Origins Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/s3SB2WjaQnfdJD9y7NP42LA lecture by Professor Robin Wilson, Emeritus Gresham Professor of Geometry. How long is the coastline of Britain? What is a rhombicuboctahedron? Which US president proved Pythagoras’s theorem?These and many other intriguing questions are addressed in this lecture on renowned mathematical equations and their history. The selected equations span various areas of mathematics and cover a timeline of 4000 years, from early geometry to fractal art.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Blind Spots & Bad Decisions: Why We Fall for Financial Traps Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/v7zYFJ1NkbtDJupVkk42BDA lecture by Professor Raghavendra Rau, Gresham Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Business. Why do smart people make dumb financial choices? This lecture explores the surprising link between our psychology and money mistakes. We will see how fear, overconfidence, and even our desire to be liked can cloud our judgment, especially when dealing with financial "experts". Learn how these psychological blind spots worsen conflicts of interest, and how to make smarter financial decisions, free from emotional influence.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
From Machiavelli to Nietzsche: How Modern Thinkers Saw Ancient Lawgivers Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/4EnaNQbrg6LQS8bC5WS1BPA lecture by Professor Melissa Lane, Gresham Professor of Rhetoric. For many modern thinkers, the lawgiver has been important as a founding figure of civic identity and cultural values. Rousseau analysed the legacies of Solon and Lycurgus, believing in the need for a lawgiver to make a true social contract possible. By contrast, Nietzsche felt it necessary to seek a lawgiver in history who was also a poet and prophet.This lecture uses their perspectives and others to explore how the figure of the lawgiver has encapsulated key debates in modern political philosophy.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
A New Sky Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/8RM99hs7fiUEj46NNRFK4iA lecture by Professor Chris Lintott, Gresham Professor of Astronomy. The JWST is the most expensive and powerful telescope astronomers have ever constructed. Its launch in 2021 started a new phase in our exploration of the cosmos, with the observatory's golden mirrors producing instantly iconic images of the Solar System's giant planets, nearby star-forming regions and galaxies, and our distant universe.The lecture includes the latest news from its studies of the early universe, a place lit up by what appears to have been a much more spectacular burst of activity than anyone expected.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Taking the Constitution into the Classroom Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/1kba1jDcbS5LLikhM3SeqJA lecture by Professor Clive Stafford Smith JD OBE, Gresham Professor of Law. The U.S. Constitution had to be formed through debate before it could be ratified. Mirroring this, a British constitution must emerge through debates held by the next generation.This lecture indicates schools are a good environment to foster this. For students, there are many contentious issues that tap into discussions at the heart of writing a constitution. Students being punished for swearing raises questions of limits to free speech. Students wishing to intervene when an unpopular peer is bullied would be empowered by constitutional duty obliging them to do so.Schools tend to be authoritarian institutions, benevolent or otherwise, and can either provoke students to develop ideas on power structures and recognise the need for their own rights and duties, or condition them to accept the status quo.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The Moral Case for Stealing Data Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/3UuyNZDXgRiUdejSmU4H57A lecture by Professor Victoria Baines, Gresham IT Livery Company Professor of Information Technology. Is it moral to steal data?Throughout history, authorities have struggled to manage individuals’ urges to speak out against injustice and malpractice. IT has given us new means to obtain and publish data that others may wish to protect or even conceal. To some, hackers are heroes. To others, they are criminals.This lecture asks, in an era of mass leaks and high-profile whistleblowing, who decides whether data thieves are to be protected or prosecuted? Are the old rules still fit for purpose in the digital age? Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Modern Pagan Witchcraft Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/mnb6RkEYRb2FjK6STYhiBTA lecture by Professor Ronald Hutton, Gresham Professor of Divinity. Pagan witchcraft, especially in its first publicly apparent form of Wicca, is the most familiar and notorious form of modern Paganism. It is a counter-cultural religion of astonishing boldness, based on feminism, love of nature, personal growth and the redemption of the traditional figure of the witch.This lecture looks at its origins and the roots of its success across the Western world, given it flouts so many conventions. It also discusses what modern Pagan witches actually do, and why they do it.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Do Computers Get Sick? How Humans and Computers Fight Viruses Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/smYj69KSQhuQf3Bbrj2BJjA lecture by Professor Robin May, Gresham Professor of Physic. Whether you are human or computer, viruses can ruin your day, so taking steps to avoid them is important.This lecture asks whether there are similarities between human immunity and computer immunity? Can we use discoveries in one system to help protect against infections in the other? Might we one day take our laptops for regular vaccinations, or run a ‘software update’ on our own immune systems to avoid an emerging pathogen?Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The Troubled Brain: Ageing and Dementia Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/fXsaahmnPfBCpF4iXEs5zMA lecture by Professor Alain Goriely FRS, Gresham Professor of Geometry. Diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s are devastating neurological conditions that typically occur at old age and lead to systematic dementia and debilitating symptoms. The underlying mechanisms of these diseases are poorly understood. Yet, a striking feature of these conditions is the characteristic pattern of invasion throughout the brain, leading to well-codified disease stages associated with various cognitive deficits and pathologies.This lecture shows how mathematical modelling can be used to predict dementia’s progression by unravelling some of its universal features.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
From Thin Air: Minimalist and Process Music from Africa to Arvo Pärt Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/f5xvkqPUqAtLyTtzEk7USUA lecture by Professor Milton Mermikides, Gresham Professor of Music. This lecture delves into musical forms which rely on the most economical of materials and concepts. From Steve Reich’s adoption of rhythmic cycles and phasing in Ewe drumming to the expressive power of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s music, we explore how profound effect can emerge from such apparent simplicity.This lecture unpacks the processes behind celebrated minimalist works and reveals the quiet and elegant mechanisms underpinning their musical power. Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Does Net Zero Mean the End of Livestock Agriculture? Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/jYU571yqzxxAa38QUmm9wrA lecture by Professor Myles Allen, Gresham Frank Jackson Foundation Professor of the Environment. Diet and agriculture are borderline untouchable “third rail” issues in the climate debate. But with the global food system contributing up to an extra degree of warming by 2100, they cannot be ignored. Sensible policies are hindered by carbon footprinting conventions that distort the impact of methane – in both directions.This lecture explains how understanding methane’s true impact shows that a sustainable livestock industry could be compatible with a stable climate, although it would still need radical change.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
Asteroid Adventures Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/7mGQhBxj9N6q7AjhxH7H2BA lecture by Professor Chris Lintott, Gresham Professor of Astronomy. Asteroids were for years considered 'celestial vermin' – objects which got in the way of more interesting fodder for astronomers. Now, they are central to our Solar System's story, the building blocks from which planets are made, and capable of telling us the history of the last five billion years.This lecture considers two missions – Lucy, which flies past asteroid DonaldJohanson in April 2025, and OSIRIS-ReX, which recently returned from the threateningly near-Earth asteroid Bennu carrying samples of this unusual world.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The 2025 Annual Lord Mayors Event Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/sRq1R9RrkWHMxoTs1L6zbhA lecture by The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London This is an annual lecture given by the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of LondonGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
What Rights and Duties are Missing from the U.S. Constitution? Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/8rTvgzBzoa4gR354pwbcdEA lecture by Professor Clive Stafford Smith JD OBE, Gresham Professor of Law. Regarding the US Constitution, there is a major split between the Originalists (typically conservatives) and those who believe in an organic document that grows with the times. There have been enormous changes since 1789 – the internet is just one example – and the document must change one way or the other.This lecture explores some of the unenumerated rights that might be added. These are not without their own subjective cultural elements. For example, Europeans are much more focused on ‘privacy’ than Americans, and it is debatable whether free speech is truly consistent with privacy.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
How Surveillance Works Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/vTr6CGwXLoUyW9GFPMg97rA lecture by Professor Victoria Baines, Gresham IT Livery Company Professor of Information Technology. Our alert systems for identifying safety and security threats have evolved over time. As the threat from wild animals diminished, the perceived threat from other humans increased. To defend our territories and our livelihoods, we began to gather intelligence on our enemies, in the hope that being forewarned would give us an advantage.This lecture explores our use of technologies that have allowed us to keep a closer watch, and the ingenious methods that have been used to counter them.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
The LGBT+ Showstopper: ‘I Am What I Am’ Gresham College 2024-08-23 | This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.Have a Question? No Registration Requiredhttps://app.sli.do/event/wPB5L4pb2eN2BxHGX5m8Y6A lecture by Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, Visiting Professor of Film and Theatre Music. Composed by Jerry Herman of Hello, Dolly! fame, ‘I Am What I Am’ first appeared in the Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles (1983).As well as gaining importance as a gay anthem during the AIDS crisis, the song has gone on to become a hit for several Black divas including Gloria Gaynor and Shirley Bassey.Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/supportWebsite: gresham.ac.ukTwitter: twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
