This talk looks at the embroidered boxes made by wealthy girls in 17th century England, showing how they were used for learning, storing and keeping things private.
Leading historians, experts and policymakers take part in talks on why sexual violence occurs in war, how justice is sought, and how survivors rebuild.
A 45‑minute talk shares the story of Ruby Hall, a Jamaican nurse who came to Britain after the war, showing how the Windrush generation helped build the new NHS.
Matt Bothwell shares what scientists know about aliens, planets beyond our Solar System and possible ways to travel across the Universe. He also talks about moons with frozen seas, lava-covered planets and the big question: are we alone?
Matt Bothwell shares how strange ‘Dark Matter’ has shaped the Universe, revealing galaxy movements, cosmic clues and the latest efforts to uncover what it’s really made of.
A speaker shares how young men from 1200 to 1600 studied, lived, and behaved at Europe’s universities, with books, food, fights and fun all part of the story.
A group of performers aged 60 and over bring to life hidden queer feelings from their youth through a surreal dance on a mattress blending fantasy and reality.
Professor Sam Behjati shares how new DNA reading methods help trace childhood cancer back to before birth, opening hopes for early detection and prevention.
Scientists chat about imaging the body without surgery, kids use microscopes, families join hands-on tasks, and visitors hear short talks from prize winners.
Carina Kern explains how the new Blueprint Theory shows why our cells age, discusses research into why we get older, and looks at new ways science might boost health and resilience.
Hear how nuclear waste gets a new purpose, with its chemical parts turned into medicines and power sources for space missions, changing how we see its role.
Dr Suzie Edge shares quirky stories about how people have kept or displayed famous body parts, from Van Gogh’s ear to Napoleon’s penis, with lots of gory details.
Listen to the story of Dr Magnus Hirschfeld, who over a century ago challenged old ideas about gender and sexuality, set up a clinic for gender surgery, and worked for queer rights, even when it brought him into conflict with the Nazis.
You’ll hear about how wars leave behind toxic chemicals and damage that can harm people’s health long after fighting ends, urging more research and action.
The talk looks at how the idea of being Chinese is shaped by different governments in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and what this means for identity today.
Jade Lindo looks at how breadfruit became part of Caribbean meals, highlighting the ways Black enslaved women shaped food traditions and resisted colonial rules.
Ekta Kaul explains how embroidered maps have been used to teach, persuade and question power, while showing how she uses stitch to map memory and belonging.
Professor Abubakar Sani Sule talks about Nigerian and British museum collections, looking at northern Nigeria’s history of trade and medieval kingdoms.
Learn about the changes in Athens after a revolt in 508 BCE, when Cleisthenes led the people to form new political groups and rethink how they governed.
Christopher Frayling looks at how Hollywood has shown famous painters, from Rembrandt to Frida Kahlo, and what these films reveal about art in popular culture.
Experts talk about John Thorpe’s ‘Book of Architecture’ and rare drawings by Robert and John Smythson, sharing how they reflect work in early modern England.
A lively talk covers DNA tests that can wrongly accuse people, how AI might help or harm, odd habits like tongue poking when thinking, why ducks can be traffic offenders, why you can’t tickle yourself, and how much energy children’s brains use compared to adults.
Okazaki shares how growing up in Hiroshima shaped his flowing, symmetrical clothes that blend art and peace, with a Q&A and his ‘JOMONJOMON’ series shown.
Baljit Thatti reveals how chemistry gives clues from things like fingerprints, fibres and lipstick using methods like chromatography to help solve crimes.
Speakers will talk about whether the rules used to judge war crimes help prevent future wars, using examples from recent conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza.
Professor Clare Burrage explains how her research tackles the mystery of dark matter and dark energy and shares her project inspiring girls in physics.
Award-winning garden designer Sarah Price shares how her painterly planting style and Benton End’s artistic past shape her creative approach to gardens.
Dr Freya Gowrley explains how Jacqueline Bishop uses collage to mix different images and show what you can’t usually see, helping to tell powerful stories.
Professor James Clark and Emma Slocombe share how church textiles moved, were kept, or reused after Tudor reforms and why later historians valued them.
Lynda Nead discusses how post-war ideas about class and desire shaped images of women by looking at Diana Dors, Ruth Ellis, Barbara Windsor and Pauline Boty.
Jeroen van den Hoven explains how sticking to moral values when making new technology, like AI, can actually lead to better solutions for big world problems.
Hear about recent studies on a distant planet called K2-18 b, where signs of carbon-based molecules hint that it might have an ocean and could support life.
Around 50 pieces by Picasso, from paintings to sculptures and collages, are shown with The Three Dancers at the centre, marking 100 years since its creation.
Bethan Laura Wood joins Rio Kobayashi, Ron Arad and Johanna Agerman Ross in a conversation chaired by Libby Sellers, with guests seated on bold patterned carpets.
An evening talk shares the story of Little Sparta, Ian Hamilton Finlay’s radical garden, told through images, ideas, and memories from those who knew it.
Curator Dr Xiaoxin Li shares the story of a four-year project on Chinese studio crafts, from travels to artists’ studios to unseen stories of their work.
The talk looks at Britain’s hidden role in helping the Sultan of Oman during the Dhofar Insurgency, showing how officers, support and strategy shaped the fight.
Stephen Jones chats with Charles Jeffrey about his bold hat designs, past work with icons like Princess Diana and Boy George, and his many famous clients today.
The speaker will look at whether having limits on personal wealth can fit with capitalism, explaining that it depends on the type of capitalism involved.
Author Peter Gallivan talks about big mysteries like how the universe might end, why we dream and odd things like why there are so many beetles. He shares how scientists work, using his new book as a guide, with help from demos that make tricky ideas easier to understand.
Andrew Rhodes will talk about Alexander Macomb Mason, whose journeys in the 19th century took him from battles and mapping in Africa to global politics.
This event looks at how plants form shapes like spirals and repeated patterns in their leaves and roots, showing how simple maths explains these clever designs.
Michael Rayner explains how new research is changing what we know about English battlefields, from Bosworth to Winwick, and why they still matter today.
Physicist Rachel Edwards shares how engineers use sound to spot hidden problems in things like rollercoasters, and how new technology could let us see sound moving through structures.
The talk looks at practical ways to plan ahead for later life, covering wills, powers of attorney, staying independent and involving family in choices.
Professor Iryna Gurevych explains how false claims spread online, showing how modern AI can help reveal tricks behind misleading posts, images and charts.
Mahmoud Khattab and Linda Bournane Engelberth will talk about their award recognised books, with Charlotte Flint, before joining a panel chat together.
Vlatko Vedral talks about clever ideas that challenge our ideas of space, time and gravity by looking at how quantum physics and general relativity link up.
This talk looks at how Hecate grew from a local goddess into a powerful figure tied to magic, the moon, and even helping people connect with the divine.
