Royal Institution Christmas Lectures(1966–2025)
Overview
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are a series of lectures on a single topic, which have been held at the Royal Institution in London each year since 1825. The lectures present scientific subjects to a general audience, including young people, in an informative and entertaining manner. Michael Faraday initiated the first Christmas Lecture series in 1825. This came at a time when organised education for young people was scarce. Faraday presented a total of nineteen series in all.
- Status
- Returning Series
- Seasons
- 60
- Episodes
- 125
- First aired
- Jan 4, 1966
- Last aired
- Dec 30, 2025
Specials
1998
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973: The Languages of Animals
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978: Mathematics into Pictures
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985: Communicating
1986
1987: Crystals and Lasers
1988
1989
1990
1991: Growing Up in the Universe
1991
1992
1993: The Cosmic Onion
1993
1994
1995: Planet Earth, An Explorer's Guide
1996: The History in our Bones
1996
1997: The Magical Maze
1998: Staying Alive: The Body in Balance
1999: Arrow of Time
2000: Rise of the Robots
2001: The Secrets of Life
2002: Smart Stuff
2003: Voyage in Space and Time
2003
2004: To the Ends of the Earth: Surviving Antarctic Extremes
2004
2005: The Truth About Food
2005
2006: The Num8er My5teries
2006
2007: Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival
2007
2008: Hi-tech Trek
2008
2009: The 300-Million-Year War
2009
2010: Size Matters
2010
2011: Meet Your Brain
2011
2012: The Modern Alchemist
2012
2013: Life Fantastic
2013
2014: Sparks Will Fly - How to Hack your Home
2014
2015: How to Survive in Space
2015
2016: Supercharged - Fuelling the Future
2016
2017: The Language of Life
2017
2018: Who Am I?
2018
2019: Secrets & Lies - The Hidden Power of Maths
2019
2020: Planet Earth: A User’s Guide
2020
2021: Going Viral: How Covid Changed Science Forever
2021
2022: Secrets of Forensic Science
2022
2023: The Truth about AI
2023
2024: The Truth About Food
2024
2025: Is There Life Beyond Earth?
2025