Wingtip Vortices
A very well-explained description of the theory of lift and of how the energy-sapping wingtip vortices are created in aircraft flight. This talk was the runner-up in the 2016 Kroto Prize for Innovative Use of Technology in Science Learning.
More details | Watch nowMinimizing a Bacterial Genome by Global Design and Synthesis
In 2010, we chemically synthesized the 1078 Kb Mycoplasma mycoides genome and transplanted it into a recipient cell cytoplasm to create a 'synthetic cell', JCVI-syn1.0 (Science, 329, 52-56, 2010). We identified several hundred non-essential genes by ....
More details | Watch nowRole of Nitric Oxide and Cyclic GMP in Cell Signaling and Drug Development
Nitric oxide research has grown rapidly with about 150,000 research publications describing its biological effects. It is an important messenger molecule that affects most tissues and biological processes. Many effects of nitric oxide are mediated by....
More details | Watch nowThe Adventure of Cold Atoms. From Optical Pumping to Quantum Gases
Conservation laws are very important in quantum physics. Two examples of applications will be given. First, optical pumping which uses transfer of angular momentum from polarized photons to atoms to produce highly polarized atomic gases. Then, laser ....
More details | Watch nowWhat About Redefining Time Using a Stable Laser?
Several laser-based Atomic Clocks now have an accuracy potential of ~2 x10-18, a hundred-fold better than the best achieved after more than 60 years' experience with rf resonances in Cs atoms. Still, this long attention span documents that the Cs Fou....
More details | Watch nowWhere am I From? Where Are You Going?
Scientific research is a never-ending 'journey of knowledge'. There is more meaning in experiencing various encounters and making a good journey itself than reaching the destination. Basic science has eternal cultural value; it has served to heighten....
More details | Watch nowThe Science of Chillies
What goes up must come down
A fascinating discussion between two humanoids about the mystery force of gravity.
More details | Watch nowSoil Recovery by Re-use
Aki decribes her experiments in improving soils using various buffering materials.
More details | Watch nowSolar Energy
Genetic Engineering
Bacterial cell walls, antibiotics and the origins of life
The cell wall is a crucial structure found in almost all bacteria. It is the target for our best antibiotics and fragments of the wall trigger powerful innate immune responses against infection. Surprisingly, many bacteria can switch almost effortl....
More details | Watch nowTackling the great challenges of the 21st century
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society and Lord Stern, President of the British Academy, discussed the new opportunities – and need – for collaboration between the traditional academic disciplines to respond to the big issues of our time,....
More details | Watch nowEbola: inside an epidemic
Find out what we have learnt from the outbreak so far (March 2015) and what is being done to ensure continued resilience to epidemic scenarios.
More details | Watch nowWomen writing science
Join us as we celebrate International Women’s Day by exploring the history of women writing about science. How did early women scientists use writing in order to further their careers? In which ways were they limited by their gender? What influen....
More details | Watch nowCan nanocrystals stop the climate change?
Fossil resources are limited and their CO2 emission strongly contributes to the global warming which is mainly responsible for the increasing appearance of natural catastrophes. Renewable biomass which can be converted into various forms of usable en....
More details | Watch nowThe biology of Striga
One of the major parasites is striga, a weed that sucks the juice and nutrients from cereal crops such as millet, sorghum and maize and causes great yield losses. A single striga plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds. The seeds are so tiny....
More details | Watch now‘Witch Weed’ – breaking the spell
Striga (witchweed) is a parasitic weed that seriously constrains the productivity of staples such as maize, sorghum, millet and upland rice on some farms in Uganda. Kilimo Trust supported this initiative to try and control its spread.
More details | Watch nowWriting wrongs – Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
What role do literature, science and policy play in protecting the planet? Fifty years since the death of conservationist Rachel Carson, we look at her masterpiece Silent Spring, and ask: "What have we learnt? Listen to our panel of experts: author ....
More details | Watch nowOn the Genetic Basis of Morphological Evolution
Darwin's theory of evolution states that variation of the shape and pattern of the adults rather than the embryos are the basis for natural selection. In order to understand how morphological variation arises, it is important to identify the genes th....
More details | Watch nowFrom the Structure of the Ribosome to the Design of New Antibiotics
Structural studies of the ribosome exemplify the evolution of structural studies in cell biology from the early negatively stained images of macromolecular assemblies in whole cells, to a detailed atomic understanding of the mechanism of action of a ....
More details | Watch nowProtein Cross Talk in Cell Signaling
The main focus of the talk will be on signaling by tyrosine phosphorylation, which has been directly implicated in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation and transformation. External signals coming in the form of mitogenic hormones and growt....
More details | Watch nowTelomeres and Telomerase in Human Health and Disease
Telomeres are the protective tips that stabilize the ends of chromosomes. The function of telomeres is to allow cells to divide while holding the genetic material intact. Telomeres contain specialized, simple repetitive DNA sequences that, together....
More details | Watch nowWhich Way For Physics?
This talk describes a new approach to the problem of characterising physical reality, one with the potential to fill in gaps in the conventional understanding of nature. It is based on a different view from the usual one of structure at the finest l....
More details | Watch nowGenerating the Fuel of Life
The lecture will be devoted to the topic of how the biological world supplies itself with energy to make biology work, and what medical consequences ensue when the energy supply chain in our bodies is damaged or defective. We derive our energy from ....
More details | Watch nowShort-term Synaptic Plasticity
Our brain is a network of about 10^11 neurons, which are connected via synapses. A neuron typically receives input from about 10000 other neurons, which can be either excitatory or inhibitory. The neuron integrates these inputs and generates an actio....
More details | Watch nowFrom the Structure of the Ribosome to New Antibiotics
Structural studies of the ribosome exemplify the evolution of structural studies in cell biology from the early negatively stained images of macromolecular assemblies in whole cells, to a detailed atomic understanding of the mechanisms of action of a....
More details | Watch nowForging a Genetic Paradigm for Cancer
It is now axiomatic that, no matter what its causes, cancer ultimately arises from the malfunction of genes. A number of clues prefigured this paradigm: the persistence of the malignant phenotype through countless cell divisions; the mutagenicity of....
More details | Watch nowGenes and Proteins that Control Secretion and Autophagy
The broad outlines of the secretory pathway were established by pioneering EM and cell fractionation experiments conducted by George Palade in the 1960s. Beginning in the mid 1970s and early 80s, my laboratory isolated a series of conditionally leth....
More details | Watch nowDynamics of Chemical Reactions
Every macroscopic chemical transformation, whether it is atmospheric ozone depletion or the burning of a candle, consists of millions of microscopic chemical events, which involve collisions between molecules. It has been the dream of scientists fo....
More details | Watch nowAdventures in Nontranslational Research
Professor Martin Chalfie regrets the disproportionately high funding of translational research, defined as applied research for the treatment of human diseases. With examples from the research in his lab he wants to show how important nontranslatio....
More details | Watch nowChemistry of Bioluminescence
There are numerous kinds of luminous organism on earth. Mysterious emission of light from them inspired the curiosity of mankind ever since the ancient times. In history, Raphael Dubois discovered luciferin and luciferase from one of them, a click ....
More details | Watch nowGlimpses of Chemical Wizardry
In an evangelical spirit, three vignettes will be presented that have the character of molecular parables: stories with lessons that transcend the specific details.(1) How knowledge of the orientation of a methyl group with respect to a neighboring d....
More details | Watch nowThe Fuel of Life
The lecture will be devoted to the topic of how the biological world supplies itself with energy to make biology work, and what medical consequences ensue when the energy supply chain in our bodies is damaged or defective. We derive our energy from....
More details | Watch nowCatalysis at Surfaces: From Atoms to Complexity
Catalysis by solid surfaces is, among others, of importance for the chemical industry (e.g. the Haber-Bosch process) as well as for environmental chemistry (car exhaust catalyst). Surface physical techniques enable investigation of the underlying e....
More details | Watch nowCross-Coupling Reactions of Organoboranes: An Easy Way for Carbon-Carbon Bonding
The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between different types of organoboron compounds and various organic halides in the presence of base provides a powerful and general methodology for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. The (sp3)C-B ....
More details | Watch nowModel Synthesis for Ceramics: Superconductors, Magnets and Others
The discovery of superconductivity in hole doped La2CuO4 was motivated by the interest to find this phenomenon in an oxide. After the discovery near 35 K, copper oxides with transition temperatures of up to 131 K at normal pressure were found, i.e.....
More details | Watch now(Re)Inventing science publishing: the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
Philosophical TransactionsÊis the worldÕs first and oldest scientific journal. Still published by the Royal Society, it is about to mark its 350th anniversary, and was instrumental in establishing many forms and facets of modern scholarly publishin....
More details | Watch nowSimulation of cell seeding and cell mechanical forces in tissue engineering
A brief description of the factors which are involved in simulating various effects in tissue engineering research.
More details | Watch nowThe Carbon Revolution 1 – many forms
The differences in the structures and properties of the various allotropes of carbon are clearly explained.
More details | Watch nowConcert Hall Acoustics
Physics' students Rosie & Carine explain the physics behind concert hall acoustics.
More details | Watch nowOlber’s Paradox
Students explain why the sky is dark at night, despite there being many billions of bright stars.
More details | Watch nowEngineering the structural aspects of carbon nanotubes moving towards a perfect system
During his PhD thesis defence, Ankur looks at the ways in which various techniques are used for the creation of the desired structural characteristics of carbon nanotubes
More details | Watch nowNobel Prize Inspiration Initiative
A series of videos of Nobel Laureates speaking on everything from their childhoods and careers advice to communicating research
More details | Watch nowCurious maths: finding the solution
Unsolved problems in mathematics have intrigued us for centuries. It took over 350 years for anyone to provide a proof for Fermat's Last Theorem, considered by many as the most notorious problem in the history of mathematics, and no one has yet offer....
More details | Watch nowCurious maths: finding the solution
Unsolved problems in mathematics have intrigued us for centuries. It took over 350 years for anyone to provide a proof for FermatÕs Last Theorem, considered by many as the most notorious problem in the history of mathematics, and no one has yet offe....
More details | Watch nowStorms, floods and droughts: predicting and reporting adverse weather
2012 was one of the Òtop five wettest years on recordÓ, however the beginning of the year saw a widespread drought across much of the UK.Ê Join David Shukman, Science Editor for BBC News, and Professor Tim Palmer FRS as they discuss extreme and ad....
More details | Watch nowThe Nuclear Debate
New carbon targets requires reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by 50% for 2030. This house believes that it will be impossible to meet the emissions reductions required to fulfil these obligations without the use of nuclear power. Taking the pr....
More details | Watch nowMaking Sense of Scents
A panel of experts discussed the powerful effects that fragrances have on enhancing lives, rehabilitation and triggering reactions and memories.
More details | Watch nowCloning
Why is cloning such hot science? What are the potential benefits? And are there other ways of achieving them? What are stem cells, and why do many scientists say that embryonic cells are required for this work?
More details | Watch nowDive into the thrilling and extraordinary world of science
Take one step away from the shore with the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books. Set yourself apart from the crowd on an expedition into unfamiliar scientific territory with the shortlisted authors and judges of the Royal Society Winton Prize....
More details | Watch nowAbout Time
'If you knew Time as well as I do,’ the Mad Hatter says to Alice, ‘you wouldn’t talk about wasting it. It’s him.’ In this event, three writers well-acquainted with time discuss how it (or he) both controls and captivates us. Dame Gillian ....
More details | Watch nowIs biodiversity going the way of the Dodo?
Panel discussion with Professor Jonathan Baillie, Dr William Cheung, Professor Adrian Lister and chaired by Dr Susan Lieberman, as part of the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2011. Right now one-fifth of the world’s vertebrates are classi....
More details | Watch nowNeuroscience of emotion
Panel discussion involving Professor David Freedberg, Dr Daniela Schiller, Ian McEwan and chaired by Professor Ray Dolan FRS, as 2011. Does emotion serve a particular function? How important is emotion in artistic expression? How do we study emotio....
More details | Watch nowEyes on the stars – Space as inspiration
Piers Sellers in conversation with Rona Munro and John Zarnecki. Little Eagles, written by playwright Rona Munro, tells the extraordinary story of Sergei Korolyov, chief designer and unsung hero of the Soviet space programme. Under the leadership o....
More details | Watch nowWhat if…? Coping with uncertainty in health science
Panel discussion involving Tracey Brown, Professor Angela McLean FRS, Professor Andrew Stirling and chaired by Professor David Spiegelhalter OBE FRS. How can we make decisions that affect our health when scientific advice is never 100% sure? Wha....
More details | Watch nowSir Andrew Huxley Memorial Lecture
Sir Andrew Huxley, President of the Royal Society from 1980 – 1985, died on 30 May 2012. A memorial event in his honour will be held on 17 October 2012 at 6pm at the Royal Society. It will include presentations on various aspects of his scientific ....
More details | Watch nowUnique skyscraper design impresses at national competition
The team from the University of Sheffield´s Department of Architecture beat off stiff competition from 90 other teams to be shortlisted in the ISOVER Multi-Comfort Skyscraper Design Competition, thanks to their design of a 60-floor, environmentally-....
More details | Watch nowArt Therapy- Women and aging project
The art work shown in this film emerged from a closed interactive-style experiential art group. The women were active in the production of collective knowledge, as well as active in interrogating their own, very particular, feelings about the process....
More details | Watch nowPhoto therapy – women and ageing
A group of older women met in a series of six day long workshops, led by Rosy Martin. They were invited to make, then talk about, their own alternative photographic diaries on age and ageing. Images which challenge stereotypes of ageing were created,....
More details | Watch nowMicroscopes: what can we really see?
What do brain signals look like?
The Dept of Psychology at the University of Sheffield demonstrates how volunteers are used to record brain signals and how this is used in their research.
More details | Watch nowWater – managing a fragile resource
Our research is focused the major challenges we face in the sustainable management of water, It draws together multidisciplinary teams - from scientists and engineers to town planners and architects - to work on all aspects of the water cycle, from c....
More details | Watch nowThe Ursula Project
Wobbly bridges, inkjets and microbubbles
A panel of 3 academics answer questions from school-children about their lives and research
More details | Watch nowEngineered by US (University of Sheffield)
A short film including some of the exhibits and interviews with academics involved in the event that took place Summer 2011
More details | Watch nowWomen in Science and Engineering
A panel of female academics is interviewed by young learners about their careers. The panel was Dr Alma Hodzic, Ms Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, Professor Catherine Biggs and Ms Sue Armstrong
More details | Watch nowAfrica’s future: do water issues matter?
What will happen in Africa as water demand increases? Robert Dewar is the recently retired UK High Commissioner to Nigeria and former Ambassador to Ethiopia. Robert drew on his considerable experience of working and living in ....
More details | Watch nowReducing bone cell loss
The Neuroscience of Music
Geoengineering: a brave new world?
This is a very new and rapidly developing area of science and technology and the proposals range from placing giant mirrors in space to reflect sunlight to fertilising the oceans with nutrients in order to produce more phytoplankton to soak up atmosp....
More details | Watch nowWe are what we remember.
n this lecture, Eric R Kandel considers the neural systems and molecular mechanisms that contribute to learning and long-term memory and discusses how our insights into memory storage are allowing us to understand various forms of age related memory ....
More details | Watch nowThe Science of Green Living
Victoria outlines the various ways in which we can all help to reduce our footprint on the planet.
More details | Watch nowA nano-sized gas sensor 1
A short Introduction to the Nano2Hybrid European Research Project. A video profiling a nanotechnology research project supported by a European Materials Research grant aims to produce a tiny gas sensor using nanotubes that have been developed to be s....
More details | Watch nowA nano-sized gas sensor 2 – Plasma treating nanotubes
The Namur group are heading up the nano2hybrids project. They are the specialists in plasma treatment of the carbon nanotubes to activate their surfaces, followed by putting down metal nanoparticles under vacuum. These are then sent to Spain to be ma....
More details | Watch nowA nano-sized gas sensor 3
The Louvain-la-Neuve group are specialised in theoretical modelling at the atomic scale of the metal nanoparticles on the carbon nanotube surfaces, and in particular how electronic charge passes through the tubes in this case.
More details | Watch nowA nano-sized gas sensor 4
The ULB partner in the project are specialised in plasma surface treatment under air, rather than vacuum - it's the next step up in scaling up the plasma treatment of the nanotubes after the Namur group. In the earlier stages of the project they are ....
More details | Watch nowA nano-sized gas sensor 5
The Tarragona Group at University Rovira i Virgili are the experts in producing new prototype gas sensors. All the new metal particle treated nanotube samples from Belgium and Luxembourg make their way down to this beautiful corner of Spain, where th....
More details | Watch nowPotato Battery
When two different types of conductors are pushed into a potato chemical reactions take place charging them up - we have a simple electrochemical cell. A potato, zinc screw and carbon rod produce about 1V. We experiment joining a few of these cells u....
More details | Watch nowWomen in Nanotechnology
The Women in Nanotechnology project (WomenInNano) was a 3 year EU Research Project with the aim of finding out ways to support and encourage women working in Nanotechnology. In 2008 the Vega Science Trust was asked to make a short film documenting th....
More details | Watch nowAre Genetically Modified Foods Safe?
There have been many arguments for and against GM Foods, but the question still stands - are they potential saviors of mankind or a disaster waiting to happen? This award winning video covers a range of important issues, discussed by scientists with ....
More details | Watch nowNanotechnology
What is nanotechnology? Will it change the world, as some have promised? What is all this about molecular machines in our blood? Let the Next Big Thing video on Nanotechnology explain all!
More details | Watch nowForever Young – How long can we live?
How long can we live, and how long do we want to live? Why do we change as we get old, and is there anything we can do to stop it? In this video the panel discuss ageing and some of the recent remarkable scientific advances that suggest ageing may no....
More details | Watch nowRisk – How good are we at assessing it?
A presentation assessing and explaining risk without causing unjustified panic and a discussion on the role of science in risk assessment, prevention and communication.
More details | Watch nowDefying Death
We can now expect to live longer than ever before, and if we get ill, we expect to be made better! However new threats continue to emerge.This presentation discusses tuberculosis and flu, new dangerous versions of old diseases, smoking and other life....
More details | Watch nowThe Theory of Everything
Are we on the verge of that holy grail of science, a single theory that explains everything from planets to atomic particles, and if we ever get there, will it be the end, or the beginning of physics? Physicists have theories covering everything fr....
More details | Watch nowEndless Energy
How green are you prepared to be? Burning fossil fuel is choking our planet with carbon dioxide, but would you stop using petrol or allow wind farms to be built in your back yard? Is it finally time for renewable energy to stop being the alternative ....
More details | Watch nowIs There Anybody Out There?
Is there life out there? Either on other worlds, deep space, or even deep in our oceans that we haven't encountered yet? Our panel of experts discusses the possibilities, and if there is life, what it may be like.
More details | Watch nowVoyage to the Bottom of the Deep
We are only just developing the technology necessary to probe deep beneath our oceans. Contrary to earlier expectations, we are finding whole new ecosystems of life. Are the ocean depths the next new frontier? Over half the surface of the earth is co....
More details | Watch nowPredicting Personality
To what extent is our personality dictated by our genetic makeup? Groundbreaking new research in the fields of genetics and MRI Scanning are only now making it possible to tackle these questions, and the results are sometimes surprising. What makes u....
More details | Watch nowEyes in the Skies
We are being watched. A bewildering array of sensors are remotely observing everything on earth, from crops in Africa to the car parked outside your house. Will these aerial observations help us to save the Earth, or is science beginning to see too f....
More details | Watch now