RI Christmas Lectures

This was excellent, although I agree there was too much clapping. Looking forward to the next two lectures.

Here is last night's on iplayer - www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b018l6vy/Royal_Institution_Christmas_Lectures_2011_Whats_in_Your_Head/

And here are some relevant clips -
richannel.org/christmas-lectures/2011/meet-your-brain

Yes, effblinder all three about the brain. Maybe you can get the missed one somewhere? They usually put them on the net. I shall have a look and see if I can find where. Watch this space.

oo thanks elegran.

Are all three episodes about the brain?

effblinder There are still two more episodes, tonight and tomorrow. I think you will catch up with the plot.

oh i did want to catch this - I can't believe I missed it - isn't xmas TV hard to organise your schedule with.

I was catching up with Downton last night - much less brainy

Some of the lecturers are wonderful and right on the ball with talking to children without sounding patronising. Others are not so good.

We used to watch it every year with our kids and always enjoyed it, though some more than others.

My other regular spot of science was the Faraday lectures, done by a different large company each year, on different subjects. That was a bit more grown-up, though still aimed at non-scientists (well, mostly undergraduates or graduates and their children) I remember one on coal, where they had a complete ginormous coal-boring machine on the stage of (I think.... ) the Assembly Hall in George Street - or may be it was the Usher Hall. Was anyone else there who could confirm this? Can't imagine how they got it in.

I used to attend these lectures when I was a child and always watch them on television, but they do move around from one channel to another each year.

I watched it and thought it fascinating, but his style of delivery was a bit too "let's all give a big hand for.......". These are bright kids in the audience and don't need to be talked down to. (Will watch the next one!)