Join us in the cosy confines of the Nightingale Room, where you can sit back and enjoy the show, relax with a drink, and feel free to take part in an audience Q&A with our speakers afterwards.
Tickets for all our events are available at EVENTBRITE*
(*£8 for Brightalks & £10 for In Conversation, plus booking fees)
Private booths at The Nightingale Room
CRICK: A Mind In Motion - From DNA to the Brain
Francis Crick was a restless, relentless thinker, as fascinated by Beat poetry and psychedelics as the genetic meaning of life and the inner workings of the brain. Join Matthew Cobb as he discusses his new book on the life of the scientist, and the man, Francis Crick.
BEYOND THE ALGORITHM: Understanding AI’s Power to Shape Our Economy, Culture & Future
AI systems are increasingly shaping our everyday lives—from what we see online to how businesses operate and resources are allocated. Headlines promise breakthrough or disruption, yet the reality of AI’s impact is far more complex and deeply influential.
Our panel of AI experts will explore how it’s reshaping our economy, culture, and future, and highlight the most pressing questions it raises today.
IN SEARCH OF NOW: The Science & Mystery of the Present Moment
What is the present moment, if there is no universal “now”? Award winning science journalist and author Jo Marchant explores how science is redefining time and experience.
THE ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Simple Way to Understand the Most Important Ideas in Science
Join bestselling author Marcus Chown as he breaks down complex science into manageable chunks, explaining the one thing you really need to know to make sense of some of the most important ideas shaping our world today.
THE SECRET LIFE OF SHARKS: Uncovering the Science, Beauty and Biology of Sharks
Join marine biologist Sophie Maycock for a deep dive into the secret life of sharks where she will bust the myths and confront the fears of these beautiful, and often misunderstood, creatures.
DEATH IN A SHALLOW POND
Join David Edmonds as he traces the remarkable story of Peter Singer’s controversial thought experiment, Death in a Shallow Pond, and how it radically changed the way we think about poverty, and the establishment of the Effective Altruism movement.
TRUTH IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD: Bellingcat
Join Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, for a fascinating look into how digital investigators are exposing war crimes, corruption, and propaganda using open-source tools.
From satellite images to social media posts, learn how Bellingcat pieces together real-world stories from data hidden in plain sight.
LOST BOYS: A Personal Journey Through The Manosphere
Rarely has there seemed a more confusing time to be a man. This uncertainty has spawned an array of bizarre and harmful underground subcultures, collectively known as the ‘manosphere’.
Join James Bloodworth as he discusses his new book, Lost Boys, an essential guide to the contradictions in contemporary masculinity.
THE GENIUS MYTH: The Dangerous Allure of Rebels, Monsters and Rule-Breakers
You can tell what a society values by who it labels as a genius. And also who it excludes, who it enables, and what it is prepared to tolerate. Join Helen Lewis as she discusses her new book, The Genius Myth, with Rafael Behr.
THE ATOMIC HUMAN: Understanding Ourselves in the Age of AI
Neil D. Lawrence, DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge, reveals the technical origins, capabilities and limitations of AI systems, and how they should be wielded. Either AI is a tool for us, or we become a tool of AI.
A TRICK OF THE MIND: How The Brain Invents Your Reality
How does your brain decide what it’s seeing, from the physical world to other people? Join experimental psychologist Daniel Yon as he attempts to revolutionise the way you think about how you interpret what you see.
HOPE Not HATE: How The Far Right Went Viral and What We Can Do About It
Joe Mulhall joins us to discuss his work at Hope not hate, the UK’s largest anti-facism organisation, and how we can fight the rise of the far right with, Suraj Lakhani
GIRL ON GIRL: How Pop Culture Turned A Generation Of Women Against Themselves
Join Sophie Gilbert as she discusses her new book 'Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned A Generation Of Women Against Themselves’ with Hannah Martin.
DEMOCRATIC DELUSIONS: How the Media Hollows Out Democracy and What We Can Do About It
Join Natalie Fenton as she discusses how, in many parts of the world, the media hollows out democracy, and she explores the potential of our media & tech systems to be more democratic and contribute to a just and transformative democracy.
THE WAR ACCORDING TO RUSSIA: What Do Russians Really Think About Putin, Ukraine & the West
Join Jeremy Morris and Ilya Yablokov as they discuss what Russians really think about Putin, Ukraine and the West
EVE: How The Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution
How did wet nurses drive civilisation? Are women always the weaker sex? Is sexism useful for evolution? And are our bodies at war with our babies? . . .
Join Cat Bohannon as she discusses her bestselling book, Eve, with Sally Howard.
THE LOST GIRLS OF AUTISM: How Science Failed Autistic Women
Join renowned brain scientist, Gina Rippon, as she delves into the emerging science of female autism, asking why it has been systematically ignored for so long.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF TIME PERCEPTION: Time Expansion Experiences and the Illusion of Linear Time
Join psychologist, Dr Steve Taylor, as he shares his years of research into Time Expansion Experiences (TEEs) and argues that they are real altered states of consciousness, rather than a trick of recollection.
MEMORY LANE: The Perfectly Imperfect Ways We Remember
Join Ciara Greene as she discusses how our continuous reconstruction of the past makes us who we are, helps us to interpret our experiences, and explains why no two trips down memory lane are ever quite the same, with Dr Sam Berens.
SCIENCE Vs RELIGION: Are They Really At War?
Join Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst, Philosopher of Religion and Science, as she uncovers whether they can co-exist or are they doomed to fight it out forever.
FREE AGENTS: Did Evolution Give Us Free Will?
Join us for an intriguing discussion as two of the leading minds in the world of neuroscience, Kevin J. Mitchell and Anil Seth, explore one of the most profound questions in philosophy and science: Is there such a thing as free will?
CTRL HATE DELETE: The New Anti-Feminist Backlash and How We Fight It
Cécile Simmons takes a deep dive into how a collection of misogynists and their allies have turned male supremacist ideology from a niche set of beliefs into a mainstream movement and outlines how to fight this rising tide and make online spaces more equal and inclusive
THE LANGUAGE PUZZLE: How We Talked Our Way Out Of The Stone Age
Drawing on the latest discoveries in archaeology, linguistics, psychology, and genetics, Prof. Steven Mithen reconstructs the steps by which language evolved, and he explains how it transformed the nature of thought and culture.
CHEMICALLY IMBALANCED: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth
For years, we’ve been led to believe that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and antidepressants are the solution. But what if this widely accepted belief has been built on unreliable truths? Join renowned psychiatrist, Joanna Moncrieff, as she takes us on a thought-provoking journey through the history of the serotonin theory of depression.
HOT MESS: What On Earth Can We Do About Climate Change?
Join Comedian and environmental expert, Matt Winning, as he guides us through the main causes of climate change, what changes are needed, and what YOU can (and cannot) do about it - hopefully with a few laughs along the way!
QUANTUM MIND: How Quantum Physics Could Help Decode Human Behaviour
Join Prof. Dorje Brody as he journeys into the uncharted territories, where physics meets psychology, and discover how the quantum mind could unlock new dimensions in our understanding of human nature.
THE VAGINA BUSINESS: Marina Gerner & Sally HOward
Join Marina Gerner as she explores the future of women's health, and shines a light on innovation that matters; from a life-saving bra to non-hormonal contraception and new takes on fertility and menopause, with Sally Howard.
WHY IS THIS LYING BASTARD LYING TO ME?: Searching For The Truth On Political TV
Join Rob Burley as he discusses his book ‘Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying to Me?’ , a deliciously irreverent insider’s account of a career spent trying to get straight answers from politicians, with Salma Shah.
THE NEW NORMAL: Is Autism A Disorder?
Join David Gray-Hammond, autistic author and neurodiversity specialist, as he explores the ideas behind the neurodiversity movement, which drove through huge changes in identification, fighting stigma and redefining autism as an identity rather than a disease.
INSPIRATIONAL INSECTS: Why Flies Might Be The Answer To Everything
Join Erica McAlister as she takes us on a journey to dispel the negative perception we have of these incredible insects and highlights their amazing lives, and why we should be grateful that our planet is dominated by these wondrous creatures.
BLACK HOLES AND OTHER COSMIC SURPRISES: Marcus Chown & Chris Lintott
Join Chris Lintott and Marcus Chown as they discuss black holes, accidental astronomical discoveries and living in a universe stranger than anything we could possibly imagine
MOULDS, MUSHROOMS & MEDICINE: Our Lifelong Relationship With Fungi
Join mycologist, Nicholas Money, as he takes you on a tour of the marvellous unseen realm within us and also sheds light on our complicated relationship with fungi outside the body.
CHANCE, RISK & LUCK: Brian Klaas & David Spiegelhalter
Join the UK’s ‘statistical national treasure', David Spiegelhalter, and myth-shattering social scientist, Brian Klaas, as they deep-dive into the phenomenon of randomness, to better understand risks and assess the chances of what might happen in the future.
AMONG THE TROLLS: My Journey Through Conspiracyland
Join Marianna Spring, one of the most trolled BBC journalists, as she discusses her new book ‘AMONG THE TROLLS: My Journey Through Conspiracyland’ with Prof. Karen Douglas.