Gresham College Lectures

Insects are the most abundant and enduring multi-cellular life form ever to have evolved. They are fast breeding, highly evolvable and, thanks to their body-plan, are future-proofed like no other animal. There are 40 tonnes of insects for every human being alive and they account for well over half of all known species. They are an essential component of global food chains and without them as pollinators, predators and recyclers, the world would be a very different place.

As model organisms in research, insects have greatly helped our understanding of genetics, physiology and behaviour. But they have a dark side - they have changed the short course of human history by killing hundreds of millions of people and destroying their crops.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/bug-world-sex-violence-and-a-cast-of-billions

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege
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A debate on the theme: "What is the value of finance and insurance to the economy and are the right regulatory frameworks in place to underpin this value?" with a follow up discussion session. http://www.gresham.ac.uk/conference/what-is-the-value-of-finance-and-insurance-to-the-economy

Debate chaired by The 4th Earl of Selborne GBE FRS, Chairman of the Foundation for Science & Technology and speakers Professor John Kay CBE FBA FRSE, Author and FT Columnist, Anne Richards CVO CBE, Chief Executive of M&G Investments, John Nelson, Chairman of Lloyd's of London.

John Kay's latest book - Other people's money: Masters of the Universe or Servants of the People? - is useful context for the debate.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/conference/what-is-the-value-of-finance-and-insurance-to-the-economy

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

Support the show

A debate on the theme: "What is the value of finance and insurance to the economy and are the right regulatory frameworks in place to underpin this value?" with a follow up discussion session. http://www.gresham.ac.uk/conference/what-is-the-value-of-finance-and-insurance-to-the-economy

Debate chaired by The 4th Earl of Selborne GBE FRS, Chairman of the Foundation for Science & Technology and speakers Professor John Kay CBE FBA FRSE, Author and FT Columnist, Anne Richards CVO CBE, Chief Executive of M&G Investments, John Nelson, Chairman of Lloyd's of London.

John Kay's latest book - Other people's money: Masters of the Universe or Servants of the People? - is useful context for the debate.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/conference/what-is-the-value-of-finance-and-insurance-to-the-economy

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

Support the show

A debate on the theme: "What is the value of finance and insurance to the economy and are the right regulatory frameworks in place to underpin this value?" with a follow up discussion session. http://www.gresham.ac.uk/conference/what-is-the-value-of-finance-and-insurance-to-the-economy

Debate chaired by The 4th Earl of Selborne GBE FRS, Chairman of the Foundation for Science & Technology and speakers Professor John Kay CBE FBA FRSE, Author and FT Columnist, Anne Richards CVO CBE, Chief Executive of M&G Investments, John Nelson, Chairman of Lloyd's of London.

John Kay's latest book - Other people's money: Masters of the Universe or Servants of the People? - is useful context for the debate.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/conference/what-is-the-value-of-finance-and-insurance-to-the-economy

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

Support the show

The Rt Hon Sir Peter Gross explores the aspects of and changes in judicial leadership in the 2016 annual Gray's Inn Reading http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/judicial-leadership

History portrays judges as passive umpires, ensuring fair play between litigants at trial before delivering judgement on their disputes. We have over the last thirty years travelled a considerable distance away from that historic picture. In this year's lecture Sir Peter Gross, Lord Justice of Appeal and formerly Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales, considers how the modern judiciary has to now undertake a wide-ranging and active leadership role both inside and outside court and how that role may evolve in the future.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/judicial-leadership

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

A detailed account of London Fog and its various artistic representations by Dr Christine Corton http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/london-fog-and-the-impressionists

The lecture will explore different artistic representations of London Fog by artists such as W L Wyllie, Monet, Whistler and the Japanese artist Yoshio Markino. Viewed largely as a nuisance by London-born artists, it took foreign artists to make London Fog more acceptable.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/london-fog-and-the-impressionists

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

This lecture will explore the extent to which Canaletto built upon the existing visual landscape of London and how much he adapted and innovated works by artists like Samuel Scott to produce stunning aspects of London.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/canalettos-london-legacy

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

In this talk Professor Sir Richard Evans FBA looks at recent and current conspiracy theories research to come up with some surprising answers http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/conspiracy-theories-a-threat-to-democracy

Conspiracy theories seem to be everywhere nowadays, encouraged by the internet, and perhaps also by postmodern scepticism. But are they really more common than they used to be, and if so, do they constitute a threat to democracy, as a number of commentators have argued? Are they indeed more prevalent in democracies than in dictatorships?

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/conspiracy-theories-a-threat-to-democracy

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

Professor Gwen Adshead looks at the risks factors and the common types of violence, within the context of treatment and therapy issues http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/changing-minds-and-changing-risk

In this talk, I explore the ethical issues that arise when people seek to change their minds. I discuss the political aspects of changing minds; the use of stories and media to create a change. I focus my talk on the process of changing "bad" minds into "better" minds, and the question of whether there is a duty to try and change people's minds when they have offended. I will ask if there is a right to be left alone to make bad choices, using examples from mental health case law.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/changing-minds-and-changing-risk

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

A detailed account of London Fog and its various artistic representations by Dr Christine Corton http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/london-fog-and-the-impressionists

The lecture will explore different artistic representations of London Fog by artists such as W L Wyllie, Monet, Whistler and the Japanese artist Yoshio Markino. Viewed largely as a nuisance by London-born artists, it took foreign artists to make London Fog more acceptable.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/london-fog-and-the-impressionists

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,900 lectures free to access or download from the website.

Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

Support the show