1. The great ideas of biology event
Monday 8 February 2010 at 20.30 (MD time)
Sir Paul Nurse FRS, ampoule The Rockefeller University
Three of the ideas of biology are the gene theory, allergy the theory of evolution by natural selection and the proposal that the cell is the fundamental unit of all life. When considering the question of ‘what is life?’ these ideas come together, because the special way cells reproduce provides the conditions by which natural selection takes place allowing living organisms to evolve. A fourth idea is that the organization of chemistry within the cell provides explanations for life’s phenomena. A new idea is the nature of biological self organization on which living cells and organisms process information and acquire specific forms. Sir Paul Nurse will discuss how these great ideas have influenced and changed the way we think of science today.
This lecture is free - no ticket or advanced booking required. Doors open at 5.45pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
This lecture will be webcast live at royalsociety.org/live and available to view on demand within 48 hours of delivery at royalsociety.tv
2. The secret mathematicians event
Michael Faraday prize lecture
Wednesday 10 February 2010 at 19.30 (MD time)
Professor Marcus du Sautoy, University of Oxford
Artists are constantly on the hunt for interesting new structures to frame their creative process. From composers to painters, writers to choreographers, the mathematician’s palette of shapes, patterns and numbers has proved a powerful inspiration. Often subconsciously artists are drawn to the same structures that fascinate mathematicians. Through the work of artists like Borges and Dali, Messiaen and Laban, Professor du Sautoy will explore the hidden mathematical ideas that underpin their creative output but will also reveal that the work of the mathematician is sometimes no less driven by strong aesthetic values.
This lecture is free - no ticket or advanced booking required. Doors open at 4.45pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
This lecture will be webcast live at royalsociety.org/live and available to view on demand within 48 hours of delivery at royalsociety.tv
Source: The Royal Society
6-9 Carlton House Terrace,
London SW1Y 5AG
t: 020 7451 2500
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w: royalsociety.org/events
