Medea, Antigone, Oedipus and Lysistrata - these are just some of the characters from ancient Greek drama who still walk our contemporary stages and haunt our imagination. One of the classical Athenians' most important inventions was the medium of theatre. From the mid-sixth century BCE they gathered to watch tragedies, and later comedies in their sanctuary of the wine-god Dionysus on the south slope of the Acropolis. This lecture outlines the origins of Greek drama in this historic setting, its ...
Nov 29, 2018•53 min
Where did we come from? This question has always intrigued human thought. Professor Silk will describe the modern scientist's view of the origin of the cosmos. Here is the sequence: from an uncertain beginning, due to limitations in our knowledge that arise from our ongoing search for a theory that unites quantum theory with gravity, to a primordial ball of fire. Glowing embers condensed from the expanding and cooling fireball to form the billions of galaxies and stars that glitter in the night ...
Nov 28, 2018•43 min
Alexa, Siri and Cortana are among a number of voice-enabled digital assistants that can not only speak to us but understand us. Sci-fi films had talking computers many years ago. Why has it taken so long to crack the speech processing puzzle? Why do we find speech processing so effortless and machines find it so daunting? And what progress can we expect in the next few years? A lecture by Richard Harvey, IT Livery Company Professor of IT 27 November 2018 The transcript and downloadable versions ...
Nov 27, 2018•59 min
With over 80% of organic carbon being present in the form of cellulose, lignin and starch, it is unsurprising many groups have attempted to use these as feedstock chemicals and materials. Extensive hydrogen bonding makes the plasticisation of starch and the dissolution of cellulose difficult. This talk shows that the incorporation of a simple salt can lead to a flexible plastic with mechanical properties similar to oil derived plastics. Most importantly these plastics are recyclable and ultimate...
Nov 26, 2018•51 min
The brain is well protected against most infections, but once they get into or around the brain they can cause fatal or serious long-term consequences. Some bacterial, viral and parasitic infections are particularly well adapted to the brain, ranging from meningococcal meningitis and encephalitis to cerebral malaria and sleeping sickness. Transmission is by several routes including airborne and via mosquitoes and ticks. Control measures including vaccination have reduced the risk of some, but no...
Nov 21, 2018•53 min
The Romantics invented the modern idea of childhood. In the third of his lectures on the rhetoric of Romanticism, Jonathan Bate will explore how they did so, with particular emphasis on the role of children in the poetry of Blake and Wordsworth. He will also show how Wordsworth's memory of his own childhood allowed him to invent something else as well: the art of poetic autobiography. A lecture by Sir Jonathan Bate, Gresham Professor of Rhetoric 20 November 2018 The transcript and downloadable v...
Nov 20, 2018•49 min
The rousing finale of Mikhail Glinka's patriotic A Life for the Tsar (1836) guaranteed it a place as the traditional season opener in Russian opera houses. A Life was a powerful and attractive presentation of the Romanov dynasty's foundation myth, but it is also considered the first true Russian opera, since its predecessors relied heavily on foreign models. A century later, with a modified libretto and a new title, it was given a new lease on life as an equally patriotic Soviet opera, Ivan Susa...
Nov 20, 2018•50 min
Shh! You're in a classical concert - quiet! What has become, in the 20th and 21st centuries, a musical tradition of as-quiet-as-possible, cough-free contemplation and passive disengagement in concert halls was not always that way. In fact, it wasn't ever that way: the way that audiences listen is inscribed in the fabric of music of the last millennium in Western classical music, a spectrum that encompasses everything from silent meditation to explosive applause. In this lecture, we will introduc...
Nov 19, 2018•1 hr
Many claims have been made, both positive and negative, for the transformative nature of internet news in the age of social media. An historical perspective is brought to that debate, by looking at the effects that earlier changes to news production have had for politics, society and commerce. It focuses on two major revolutions - the creation of the mass media in the 19th century, and the broadcasting revolution of the 20th century. What can we learn from history about how deeply the internet c...
Nov 15, 2018•53 min
Huge volcanic eruptions are the only natural hazard apart from the impact of an asteroid that can cause a global catastrophe. In the short history of civilisation, there have been few volcanic events with global effects. Much larger magnitude eruptions happened regularly in the millions of years previous. Such extreme eruptions perturb global climate for years and can have severe environmental consequences. The modern world is vulnerable to large volcanic events, making the study of their return...
Nov 14, 2018•49 min
With over 80% of organic carbon being present in the form of cellulose, lignin and starch, it is unsurprising many groups have attempted to use these as feedstock chemicals and materials. Extensive hydrogen bonding makes the plasticisation of starch and the dissolution of cellulose difficult. This talk shows that the incorporation of a simple salt can lead to a flexible plastic with mechanical properties similar to oil derived plastics. Most importantly these plastics are recyclable and ultimate...
Nov 13, 2018•56 min
Climate change is important, controversial, and the subject of huge debate. Much of our understanding of the future climate comes from the use of complex climate models based on mathematical and physical ideas. In this talk, Professor Budd will describe how these models work and the assumptions that go into them. He will discuss how reliable our predictions of climate change are, and show how mathematicians can give us insights into both past and future. A lecture by Chris Budd OBE, Professor of...
Nov 13, 2018•59 min
Jesus talked more about money than about anything else. Can the teachings of a penniless ancient ascetic be applied to debates about Brexit, protests about global capitalism, and wider investment not only in defence, alcohol or tobacco but also positively in the environment, sustainability and good governance? Professor Burridge considers ethical material across the New Treatment, drawing upon experience as the Deputy Chair of the Church of England's Ethical Investment Advisory Group. A lecture ...
Nov 08, 2018•57 min
This lecture will re-examine how the First World War ended, anticipating the centenary commemorations in 2018. It will discuss both why Germany requested a ceasefire, and why the Allies and America granted one. It will argue that the German army was near collapse, and that Germany was not defeated by a 'stab in the back' at home. None the less, the Allies had good reasons not to press on to Berlin. A lecture by David Stevenson, Professor of International History at LSE 7 November 2018 The transc...
Nov 07, 2018•49 min
Leading actor and Shakespeare scholar Michael Pennington discusses the direct effect on the dramatist's writing of the theatres he wrote for, so different from ours. From cinematic intimacy to heroic spaciousness, his plays reflect his actors' technique and the social range of his audience, allowing him the means to look further and deeper into the human condition, its public and inner life, than any dramatist has achieved before or since. A lecture by Michael Pennington, Actor and Founder of th...
Nov 06, 2018•39 min
Professor Wilks will discuss the notion of an artificial Companion, a long-term software agent that could be present in any device: a screen, handbag or even a furry toy - and which understands the person it 'lives' with and whose memories and knowledge it comes to acquire and manage through conversation. One can think of a core function of Companion as living with an elderly person, lonely and wanting to revisit their memories and memorabilia, but needing assistance with information and agency....
Nov 06, 2018•42 min
The Protestant Reformation confronted Europeans with a clamour of religious alternatives. Catholics and Protestants taught their people to doubt the other side's religion (while still believing their own) and taught them to be incredulous while maintaining that faith is a virtue. This lecture will trace how, as Europe's religious landscape fractured, some people fell between the cracks. In long religious wars of attrition, it was all too easy to conclude that all religions were equally true, or ...
Nov 01, 2018•49 min
Medicine demands factual knowledge, physical skill and the ability to work with patients and colleagues. Most of the time clinicians learn from other clinicians, studying hard within a frame that discourages exploration outside medicine. Focusing on the performance of medicine challenges this frame by connecting with actors, musicians, craftsmen, dancers and other experts. This lecture explores the idea of frames, using illustrations to ask what benefits may result from thinking widely and chall...
Oct 31, 2018•51 min
Crime thrives in a social environment which is conductive to its commission, and it harms the society which spawns it most of all. That is as true of bribery and corruption as it is true of knife-armed postcode gangs. If the common ethical code that prevents the vast majority from offending in a particular way begins to break down, there is a serious problem. A lecture by Nicholas Cooke QC 30 October 2018 The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham Coll...
Oct 30, 2018•46 min
THE 2018 PETER NAILOR MEMORIAL LECTURE ON DEFENCE Today's cry in democratic states, and not just from representatives of populist parties, is government with the people rather than government for the people. This presents a problem for issues of war and strategy. Presidents and Prime Ministers, in presenting their decisions to their electorates, use rhetoric borrowed from the Second World War, although they are not committing their states to wars on that scale. The declared ends do not match the...
Oct 29, 2018•59 min
In his new book, Haunted by Christ, Richard Harries explores the role of faith in the lives of twenty novelists and poets. Non-believers like Samuel Beckett and Philip Pullman as well as believers like T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden all struggled with faith. At a time when religions language is meaningless or feels stale for many, we can rediscover its freshness and force in the works of novelists and poets. Lord Harries will be in conversation with Alec Ryrie, the new Gresham Professor of Divinity. ...
Oct 25, 2018•59 min
THE 2018 BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS / GRESHAM COLLEGE ANNUAL LECTURE As a commemoration of the end of the First World War, the event will focus on the theme of mathematics in war and peacetime. The main speaker, Professor David Aubin will speak on Science Leaders under Fire: Stories about Mathematicians Killed in World War I (6 pm), preceded by shorter presentations by Professor June Barrow-Green on Euler's Work on Ballistics (4 pm) and by Professor Tony Royle on The Nature o...
Oct 24, 2018•47 min
THE 2018 BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS / GRESHAM COLLEGE ANNUAL LECTURE As a commemoration of the end of the First World War, the event will focus on the theme of mathematics in war and peacetime. The main speaker, Professor David Aubin will speak on Science Leaders under Fire: Stories about Mathematicians Killed in World War I (6 pm), preceded by shorter presentations by Professor June Barrow-Green on Euler's Work on Ballistics (4 pm) and by Professor Tony Royle on The Nature o...
Oct 24, 2018•41 min
THE 2018 BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS / GRESHAM COLLEGE ANNUAL LECTURE As a commemoration of the end of the First World War, the event will focus on the theme of mathematics in war and peacetime. The main speaker, Professor David Aubin will speak on Science Leaders under Fire: Stories about Mathematicians Killed in World War I (6 pm), preceded by shorter presentations by Professor June Barrow-Green on Euler's Work on Ballistics (4 pm) and by Professor Tony Royle on The Nature o...
Oct 24, 2018•40 min
The dark side of the universe is pervasive. Most of the matter in the universe is dark, most of the energy in the universe is dark. Many searches are underway, on mountain peaks, in deep underground mines, and in space, to discover more about dark matters. Many new telescopes are being constructed on high mountain tops and in space to search for tracers of dark energy. A lecture by Professor Joseph Silk, Gresham Professor of Astronomy 24 October 2018 The transcript and downloadable versions of t...
Oct 24, 2018•50 min
Physicist John Wheeler asked the famous 'It from bit?' question: what if at its heart the universe is not a collection of particles, forces and fields but rather a collection of bits? If this is true, it leads us to new insights in compression, machine learning, artificial intelligence and maybe even the universe and life itself. A lecture by Professor Richard Harvey, IT Livery Company Professor of IT 23 October 2018 The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the ...
Oct 23, 2018•54 min
Adam Feinstein will examine the strengths of many people on the autism spectrum which make them an untapped human resource in the workplace. Using case studies, he will analyse potential employment openings across the autism spectrum and demonstrate why employing autistic people makes sound economic sense. He will examine misleading stereotypes and assess the alternative option of self-employment. A lecture by Adam Feinstein, Author and Autism Researcher, 22 October 2018 The transcript and downl...
Oct 22, 2018•50 min
Torture was officially outlawed in France in the 1780s and in Europe during the nineteenth century. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, it has returned as an instrument of state policy. The defence of torture is no longer viewed with abhorrence. How have languages of patriotism, law and order, justice, the 'civilizing mission', and human rights been used to foster attitudes towards and practices of torture in Western societies? What should our responses be? A lecture by Profe...
Oct 18, 2018•48 min
THE 2018 ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLIN MATTHEW MEMORIAL LECTURE We often think of the British countryside as 'natural' but it is anything but. Not only its fields and hedges, but also its woods, heaths, moors, and fens are largely the product of human activities - of complex systems of management, changing over the centuries. Historians thus have a vital role in nature conservation. We need to understand the specific processes that created habitats in order to ensure their survival into the fut...
Oct 17, 2018•44 min
'The sense of a new style and a new spirit in poetry came over me', wrote William Hazlitt, recalling the day in 1798 when he heard William Wordsworth reading aloud from Lyrical Ballads, 'It partakes of, and is carried along with, the revolutionary movement of our age'. Jonathan Bate will explain what Hazlitt meant and why Lyrical Ballads, the product of Wordsworth's intimate friendship with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, is one of the greatest and most influential volumes of poetry ever written. A lec...
Oct 16, 2018•47 min
