Discover200 Memories

The year 2025 marked a bicentenary of visionary ideas. As we launched Discover200 to celebrate two centuries of CHRISTMAS LECTURES and Ri Discourses, we are grateful to all of you who shared with us your heartwarming memories and stories of the Ri. 

This is an ever-growing collection and we would love to hear from more of you. To contribute, share your memories with us here.

Jonathan Sleath

"..I would sit up by the cameras, listening to his instructions to the cameramen on headphones.."

Jonathan Sleath recounts how, at such a young age, he had the chance to experience and be part of the Christmas Lectures — both behind and in front of the scenes:

My father, Alan Sleath, produced the Christmas Lectures for the BBC between 1966 and 1973. I was at primary school at that time and he used to take me along to help with rehearsals. There was a big Outside Broadcast van stationed just outside the Ri in Albemarle Street with huge cables snaking into the building to connect the cameras. He would sit in the van during the recording. Sometimes I would sit up by the cameras, listening to his instructions to the cameramen on headphones, but usually I was near the front of the audience, often primed to participate in a demonstration that we had practiced. I remember especially with David Attenborough having to pretend that I knew semaphore and change my name to 'Alan' as it was shorter, so that I could spell it out with flags if there was no other child who could oblige. 

Andrew Palmer

"I have always known since, that raising eyebrows is an ancient and powerful non-verbal signal used by humans and great apes"

Andrew Palmer remember's Sir David Attenborough's Lecture like it was yesterday:

David Attenborough did a set on non-verbal communication, and asked a girl to signal to her friend across the hall using just her face. She was frozen by fear until the camera panned away, then Mr Attenborough shouted "there - you just did it - do it again!", which caused more freezing in the girl. It might not have worked a demonstration, but I have always known since that raising eyebrows is an ancient and powerful non-verbal signal used by humans and great apes.

Matt Lipson 

"That Christmas Lecture changed everything"

Matt Lipson recalls the impact of Ri's Lecture Theatre and talks on a young mind:

That Christmas lecture changed everything. What had always been dull pages in a science textbook suddenly burst into vibrant life before my eyes. The presenter transformed dry concepts into something magical, full of unexpected explosions of color, sound, and movement that made the impossible seem within reach. I sat there, a small child surrounded by the weight of scientific history, feeling my world expand with each demonstration. The Royal Institution's lecture hall became a cathedral of curiosity, where knowledge was not a chore but a thrilling adventure. Years later, that same sense of wonder still drives me now channeled into tackling real-world challenges, proving that a single moment of inspiration can set a lifetime's course.

Rebecca Caroe

"They kept his pram behind the lift!"

Rebecca Caroe remembers the deeply personal relationship her grandparents had with the Ri:

My grandfather, Alban Caroe, used to buy a ticket to take me to the Christmas lectures. He and his wife Gwendy had lived at the Ri in the early years of their marriage because her father (WH Bragg) was the director. And my father, his eldest son, was born in the directors' flat on the top floor. They kept his pram behind the lift! I always loved the Christmas lectures and we watched them on television trying to see ourselves in the audience afterwards!

Quentin Smith

"I somehow don't think that demo would go ahead in the same format now!"

Quentin Smith shares about the affinity with Eric Laithwaite:

I was at school with Martin Laithwaite, eldest son of Prof. Eric Laithwaite, and naturally watched his series of lectures with even more interest than usual.  I particularly recall the gyroscope demo with his youngest son, Dennis, holding an unguarded flywheel on a shaft while standing on a turntable.  After that demo the Prof. casually thanked Dennis, telling the audience that if he had dropped it the gyro had enough energy to smash through the wall of the auditorium. I somehow don't think that demo would go ahead in the same format now!

Several of us were frequent visitors to the Laithwaite household and the Prof. would often tell us about his work or try out part of a demonstration on us. He had fascinating interests outside physics as well, including playing slide guitar and one of the finest collections of butterflies and moths in the country.

Rousell Graham

"Such an incredible mind and engineer"

From Rousell Graham:

Christmas lecture from the 70s... Prof. Eric Laithwaite demonstrating magnetic levitation (Maglev) and transport. So frustrating though that his work was never adopted by the government and used for development of our railway systems. Such an incredible mind and engineer.

Jan Eldridge

"..the one that changed my life was by Frank Close in 1993."

Jan Eldridge, now a Professor in Astrophysics, narrates how the Ri inspired and re-imagined realities: 

I remember my family watching them every Christmas but the one that changed my life was by Frank Close in 1993. The discussion of how we understand everything from the tiny scale of the quantum world to the scale of the whole Universe really inspired me. Especially when I was learning maths and physics at school and discovered what it meant to be a physicist. It started me (on the path) to being a professor in astrophysics today! 

I also was able to be a runner for the production for the 1998 series by Nancy Rothwell which was wonderful to see how it was all put together from behind the camera.

 Shaun Rainford

"..it did encourage me to follow a career in science" 

Shaun Rainford cherishes the role Ri played in introducing science and doing so much more:

It was a highlight at Christmas for me growing up in the 70's and 80's. I was born in 1966. When this was on the TV, I knew it was Christmas! So good, and I think it did encourage me to follow a career in science as I love a broad range of science - introduced to me, no doubt, in part by the lectures. Fantastic!

John Murphy

"Most chose to study Accounting at University but I chose to study theoretical physics inspired by the Cosmic Onion lectures of Frank Close"

John Murphy was inspired by the Christmas Lectures to become a physics teacher:

I grew up in Ireland. We had access to BBC TV so I was able to watch the Christmas lectures. I was a fan of Star Trek and I was excited by topics like space travel, computers and technology.

I studied Physics, Chemistry, Math, and Accounting at school like many of my friends.

Most chose to study Accounting at University but I chose to study theoretical physics inspired by the Cosmic Onion lectures of Frank Close.

I was lucky enough to meet him after a lecture on the centenary of the discovery of the electron in 1997 when I was able to thank him personally for inspiring me to study Physics at University. 

I have since become a physics teacher and been delighted to share stories of particle physics with students, taking them to CERN and Rutherford Appleton Labs.

Catherine Noakes

"My favourite memory was the young lad, Amir, who helped with the first demo and broke the sneeze machine!"

Catherine Noakes shares some warm (and hilarious) memories about the Lecture (and sneeze machine) in 2021:

I had the privilege of being part of one of the 2021 Covid-19 lectures with Jonathan Van Tam, presenting on transmission and mitigation. Making the lecture was such an amazing experience. I loved the creativity of the process and working with the brilliant demo team, especially Dan who made the fantastic sneeze machine. I learned a huge amount about presenting to a public audience and how TV works. My favourite memory was the young lad, Amir, who helped with the first demo and broke the sneeze machine!