80 years of CHRISTMAS LECTURES on television

80 years ago today, the CHRISTMAS LECTURES were first broadcast on television.

80 years ago today, on 22 December 1936, the CHRISTMAS LECTURES was first televised, making it the world's oldest televised science series. 

GI Taylor FRS delivered a 20 minute snippet of his Lectures on 'Ships' at the Alexandra Palace studio, which had only launched a few months earlier itself. This most likely makes the CHRISTMAS LECTURES the first science show seen on television. 80 years on, and they're broadcast in full every year.

Read more about the special anniversary here, or dive into the details of 200 years of shared heritage between the Ri and Lloyd's Register, as the Lloyd's Register Foundation supports this year's special anniversary lectures. And don't forget to watch Saiful Islam's Lectures on BBC Four on 26, 27 and 28 December.

The Royal Institution is closed 19 March

The Ri is closed this week on Tuesday 19 March.