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History of science

Royal Society lates: science fiction

Catch up on an evening celebrating science fiction and the Royal Society. Discover the remarkable scientific artefacts and stories housed in our extensive, world-class archives. 

Science has long inspired writers to imagine what's possible and craft stories about the future, from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to George Orwell's 1984. Explore the Royal Society's rich history, uncovering what scientists of the past thought about how we would be living now, and how accurate their predictions were. 

  • 10 February 2020, 18:30 - 22:00
  • Free
Add to Calendar 02/10/20 06:30 PM 02/10/20 10:00 PM United Kingdom (GMT) Royal Society lates: science fiction <p>An exclusive late-night opening of the Royal Society's historical home in central London to explore how science has shaped fiction.</p> The Royal Society, London, SW1Y 5AG
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An exclusive late-night openning of the Royal Society's historical home in central London to explore how science has shaped fiction.

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Overview

Catch up on an evening celebrating science fiction and the Royal Society. Discover the remarkable scientific artefacts and stories housed in our extensive, world-class archives. 

Science has long inspired writers to imagine what's possible and craft stories about the future, from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to George Orwell's 1984. Explore the Royal Society's rich history, uncovering what scientists of the past thought about how we would be living now, and how accurate their predictions were. 

In case you missed it

You can listen to audio recordings of the following talks by clicking the links below.

Beyond Discworld.mp3
Elois vs Morlocks: Darwinism and Victorian Sci-Fi.mp3
The science of Frankenstein.mp3
Waves, particles and pronouns.mp3 

Events and activities

Beyond Discworld

19:30

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series has inspired authors, screen writers, and individuals to create their own stories and their own fictional worlds. But how can a flat planet balanced on the backs of elephants, who stand on the back of a giant turtle drifting through space link to science?

Join BBC CrowdScience's Marnie Chesterton as she quizzes the man behind the Science of Discworld, mathematician and Honorary Wizard of the Unseen University, Professor Ian Stewart FRS, and hear about where he thinks science fits in with fiction.

Listen to an audio recording of this talk (Beyond Discworld.mp3).

17th century treasury chest belonging to the Royal Society
Wooden chest given to the Royal Society by our first Treasurer, William Ball FRS, in 1663.