Innovation is often "messy": research shows that most scientific papers contain discoveries that were not foreseen in their grant proposals. Martin Reeves will illuminate this nuanced view of innovation, introducing a mathematical signature of serendipity. Book now 👇

Another fabulous day at @ri_science for the #DemoTeam and friends extravaganza! I absolutely LOVE sharing science fun and facts in the incredible Faraday lecture theatre, steeped in so much history! I was very excited to meet Sergei @thedadlab and catch up with other friends #ScienceIsEverywhere

Discover how Leonardo saw humanity as integral to nature's design, viewing the human body as a "lesser world" mirroring the cosmos. Historian Martin Kemp will illuminate Leonardo's observations spanning anatomy, geology, optics, and engineering. Book now 👇

The Northern Lights, also known as an aurora, are not only beautiful but also serve as a fingerprint of atmospheric constituents. Planetary scientist Marina Galand uses this knowledge to create an aurora in our lecture theatre. 🧪 Full lecture: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGcY...

Can the Northern Lights help us find liquid water on Jupiter's Moons? Marina Galand @rigb.org www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGcY...

Science and art often crossed paths throughout history. ✒️ 🧪 Find out how great natural philosophers like Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday exchanged ideas with the most prominent poets and painters of their time. www.rigb.org/explore-scie...

Nuclear waste has a bad name. But we can give it a second life through chemical recycling. Nuclear chemist Tim Gregory will shed light on how exotic isotopes can be concocted into nuclear medicines, and even fashioned into long-lasting power sources for spacecraft.

For #InternationalMicroorganismDay, I would like to highlight my favourite microbes – the main characters of my blog about evolution of multicellularity 🦠 They have something in common: all of them tell us something about the nature of multicellularity itself 🧪 Read the thread! 🧵⬇️ #MicroSky

Understanding the biology behind how we age could transform our health span ⌛ Join Carina Kern as she introduces us to the Blueprint Theory of ageing, and how triggered molecular pathways have revealed the origins of ageing and age-related disease for the first time.

Most of us have burnt a cake...but not quite like this 🍰🔥 Paying homage to one of his scientific heroes, Josh Smalley joins us for the last cake-themed celebration of our #Discover200 year, marking the 200th anniversary of the Christmas Lectures. 🧪 Learn more: rigb.org/discover200-ri

Fascinating talk by Yang-Hui He @rigb.org tonight on how AI is supporting and challenging the world’s best mathematicians (and, maybe very soon, leading them?) #LIMS #AI #Mathematics

It wouldn't be a science festival without a few big bangs! 🔥💥 We had great fun with the @rigb.org team and our packed out audience at the Tung Auditorium @liverpooluni.bsky.social last night, celebrating 200 years of Ri public engagement with the greatest science demos ever! #BSF25

I’ll be back at the Ri on October 4th, talking about all things dark matter-y. Come along!

What happens when you dunk a burning sparkler into liquid nitrogen? 🔥❄️ Maya explores the fire triangle with this simple but impressive demo. 🧪

Asthma is one of the most common causes of childhood admissions to hospital. Leading paediatric specialist Sejal Saglani will shed light on the importance of studying asthma and its causes to effectively tackle this debilitating disease in children. Book now 👇

Autumn is coming 🍂 Wrap up in a cosy science-inspired sweatshirt or hoodie from our fundraising shop. Everything is designed in-house at the Ri and funds our charitable work, like bringing free science shows to disadvantaged schools. Browse now at rigb.shop

Come and find out what our world-famous Demo Team has been up to! Join us for an evening of science demonstrations showcasing their latest creations, contraptions and concoctions. Book now 👇

We often wonder whether the chicken or the egg came first—but did you ever ask yourself HOW chicken eggs came about? 🥚 This question was too easy for zoologist @juleshoward.bsky.social, so we added an extra challenge because we're mean like that.

To celebrate 200 years of Royal Institution Discourses, our friends at @rigb.org have released a newly-digitised version of a 1970 Discourse given by Kathleen Lonsdale FRS on 'Women in Science'. Listen to this fascinating lecture now: #WomenInSTEM www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzlA...

Dark Matter appears to have shaped the cosmos from its earliest moments. Yet despite its profound influence, Dark Matter has never been directly detected. Join astronomer @mattbothwell.com as he explores the evidence leading scientists to this astonishing conclusion.

You can find colloidal systems in our museum....but also, in your kitchen! 🧁 Chemist and Great British Bake-off finalist @joshpsmalley.bsky.social unveils the science in his Ri-themed cake. 🧪

This was one of the first commercially available mobile phones—it was eye-wateringly expensive and had a battery life of 30 minutes talk time. In his 1985 Christmas Lectures, David Pye demonstrated this brand-new technology of the time. Watch the full series here: www.rigb.org/explore-scie...

Fusing human intuition with computational power, AI is reshaping research and redefining the creative boundaries of mathematics. Join Yang-Hui He of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences as he draws on his own work to explore how this field is changing.

Please join us for an exciting public talk at the Ray Dolby Centre! "The Final Frontier: Black Holes in the Infant Universe" www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-final-...

Like batteries, solar cells are also 'sandwiches' 🥪 Chemist Saiful Islam explains the recipe for converting solar energy into electrical energy. Watch the full Discourse lecture here: youtube.com/watch?v=AjJMYDL9wKE

#TFW you’re walking through central #London…and bump into a giant photo of yourself on a banner hanging outside the @rigb.org! 😂 #ChristmasLectures

Sometimes the treatment for poisoning...is another poison ☠️ Chemist and author @rotwangsrobot.bsky.social answered this interesting question in the Q&A portion of her talk about the chemistry of Agatha Christie's stories. You can watch the full lecture here: youtube.com/watch?v=miVg3eiW_Rc

Telling the history of science...with cake 🎂 Chemist and Great British Bake-off finalist @joshpsmalley.bsky.social shares how the world's first synthetic dye was a "happy accident", a chain of events kick-started by Michael Faraday exactly 200 years ago.

Looking forward to being part of this fun, demo-filled extravaganza! #ScienceIsEveryehere #Becurious #DrJoScience

Research shows most scientific papers include discoveries not anticipated in their grant proposals. Martin Reeves from the London Institute of Mathematical Sciences will explore his 'messier' view on innovation, discussing a mathematical signature of serendipity.

How to see Sunday's 'Blood Moon' total lunar eclipse. 🔭 🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Royal Institution Demonstration Team is awarded the Royal Society Hauksbee Award 2025 for being global leaders in spectacular science demonstrations, which are vital for effective education and communication of scientific concepts. https://royalsociety.org/medals-and-prizes/hauksbee-award/

Leonardo da Vinci's revolutionary thinking remains startlingly relevant. Join historian Martin Kemp as he uncovers Leonardo's "lateral seeing" and integration of art with science, showing how refusing to separate disciplines might unlock our interconnected challenges.

How are smoke rings formed? ⭕💨 We fired up the old DIY smoke cannons to marvel at the science of toroidal vortex rings. 🧪

We are so proud of our amazing Demo Team for being recognised as "global leaders in spectacular science demonstrations" with the 2025 @royalsociety.org Hauksbee Award. 👏 We can't wait to show you what they have in store for the 200th anniversary of the Christmas Lectures!

Follow us behind the scenes at the Ri as our fantastic Demo Team (and special guests) present their latest creations, contraptions and concoctions. There's sure to be fun, lots of incredible science, and almost certainly some fire. 🔥

"Is data failing us?" — a massively tough question, but Grace Huckins came out on top of 600 writers attempting to answer it in the Nine Dots Prize essay competition. We spoke to Grace about their academic journey, AI, big data and the book deal. 🎧 Listen now: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

The @earthshotprize.bsky.social is OPEN! Imperial is an Official Nominator & we're on the lookout for solutions you think we should nominate for 2026. Nominees gain international recognition, mentorship & access to Earthshot's network; winners take home £1m. ➡️ www.imperial.ac.uk/enterprise/b...

What will the future of maths look like now that AI is beginning to reveal new and unexpected patterns? Join Yang-Hui He as he explores how machine learning is transforming both the practice and philosophy of mathematical research.

"You shouldn't give up on your crazy ideas about how to do things differently, until you understand why they're crazy" — advice for young scientists from Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel laureate known as 'the Godfather of AI'. Watch our full interview: youtube.com/watch?v=Y7nrAOmUtRs

Why do Jubilee line trains on the London Underground make that distinctive sound? 🚇 We couldn't resist looking into the science of our local Tube line. 🧪

Good news! 🐍 The world’s smallest snake, the Barbados threadsnake, has been spotted again! It had been missing from scientific observation for 20 years.🌏🧪 Read more in @mongabay.com 

There's still time to apply for our 2025–2026 PhD internships, including: 🧑‍🔬 Science Engagement 🖥️ Marketing and Communications 📹 Digital Media 🧑‍🏫 Masterclass STEM Engagement Apply before 31 August to join us for several months of hands-on science communication! www.rigb.org/about-us/wor...

If you can peel an orange in one piece like this, then you can make an Euler spiral 🍊 Alison from our Masterclasses team explains the maths of turning spheres into flat surfaces. 🧪

Every chemical element emits a unique colour. 🎨 Analysing these wavelengths of light can help identify elements present in other planets. 🧪

Was the Big Bang really the start of it all? 💥 Phil Halper explains how, in modern cosmology, the rapid expansion of the Universe (cosmic inflation) triggers endless Big Bangs. Watch the full talk with Niayesh Afshordi and Phil Halper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx0n...

@naomioreskes.bsky.social gave this *excellent* interview at @rigb.org back in May. A great primer on a lot of big problems in science - trust, disinformation, freedom - and why the onus is on scientists 🧪

The structure of the chemical compound benzene puzzled scientists, until Kathleen Lonsdale used X-ray diffraction to solve this century-old mystery. 🩻 Physicist Jess Wade sheds light on Lonsdale's remarkable life and work. Watch the full talk: youtube.com/watch?v=iUjVnV5FsYo

Has a butterfly ever landed on you? You might be surprised to find out why… Find out why butterflies sometimes land on humans, how long their tongues are and just where they keep their tastebuds in this week’s #SurprisingScience 👅🦋

If you didn't know how phosphorus was discovered, urine for a surprise! ⚗️ This video is from Peter Wothers' 2012 Christmas Lectures, "The Modern Alchemist". You can watch it on our online archive, for free and without creating an account: rigb.org/.../modern-a...