University of Cambridge

The Reverend Alasdair Coles, Professor of Neuroimmunology

Once considered separate and independent, it is now clear that the there is an intimate, two-way, connection between the two most complex body systems: the immune system and the brain. So, our behaviour can affect inflammation in the body, and immune cells can alter our behaviour. What are the implications, asks Reverend Professor Alasdair Coles?

Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Professor of Mammalian Development and Stem Cell Biology

Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz is a Professor of Mammalian Development and Stem Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge. Her passion lies in understanding how cells decide their fate for the very first time and how embryos build their architecture. This passion allowed her and her team to reveal the remarkable self-organising properties of human embryos, pioneering the way for future studies of human and mouse embryogenesis. Her talk will describe that work and the ethical issues it raises about embryo research.

Dame Carol Black, Principal of Newnham College, in conversation with journalist Rosie Boycott on addiction, obesity and employment

Carol Black's independent review for government on employment outcomes for those with drug or alcohol addiction or obesity was published in December 2016. These three conditions impose great costs on individuals and society. The review examines the challenges and the data and makes recommendations that could improve the lives of those affected. She will be in conversation with Rosie Boycott.

Dr Elizabeth Drayson, Lorna Close Fellow in Spanish at Murray Edwards College

Dr Elizabeth Drayson on how seven centuries of Muslim rule in Spain came to an end.

Dr Beth Singler, Research Associate on the Human Identity in an age of Nearly-Human Machines project at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion

Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence and robotics demonstrate that we are aiming towards creating something that is 'human-like' in various ways. What sort of experiences should these beings have? And what does the answer to that question tell us about ourselves? Anthropologist Dr Beth Singler will expand on the role of 'Pain in the Machine' in our understanding of the robotic and the human through examples from her research and a short documentary.

David Tong, Professor of Theoretical Physics

According to our best theories of physics, the fundamental building blocks of matter are not particles, but continuous fluid-like substances known as 'quantum fields'. David Tong will explain what we know about these fields, and how they fit into our understanding of the Universe.

Professor Theresa Marteau, Director of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit

Many of us would like to lead healthier lives so what stops us? asks Professor Theresa Marteau.

We know that sport is good for developing teamwork and exercise is good for your cognition, mood and physical health. However, we also hear about the harmful effects of rugby, boxing and other sports with high risk of concussion on the brain. Join Professor Barbara Sahakian, Professor Peter Hutchinson, Dr Michael Hart, Dr George Savulich and Mike Crofts in a discussion of the benefits and risks of sports, including innovative strategies that aim to promote better brain health.

Presented with the NIHR Brain Injury Heathcare Technology Co-operative

Often dismissed as an unpleasant transitional stage or even maligned as a blight on society, are teenagers really as unproductive and worthless as we are usually told? David Bainbridge uses anthropology, physiology, history and psychology to argue that the teenage years should instead be seen as a unique human innovation – the very phenomenon, in fact, which has allowed us to achieve our unique success. He argues that many of the wonderful and stressful things which teenagers experience may only be understood in the light of our species’ bizarre evolutionary history. Zits, sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll – all human life is here.

David Bainbridge is a vet, reproductive biologist and the author of ‘Teenagers: A Natural History’, as well as ‘Middle Age: A Natural History’ and ‘Curvology: The origins and power of female body shape’. He teaches veterinary anatomy at Cambridge University and is Admissions Tutor at St Catharine’s College. After degrees in Zoology and Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge, he researched into pregnancy biology at the Institute of Zoology, Royal Veterinary College and Cornell, Sydney and Oxford Universities.

Chemistry doesn’t have to be done in a lab – in fact, you can do it in your kitchen! Find out with Andy Brunning the chemistry lurking in your kitchen cupboards, and learn some chemical explanations for food oddities along the way.

Andy Brunning is a secondary science teacher, writer, and science communicator based in Cambridge. He also runs the Compound Interest website, which features simple graphics-based explanations of chemical reactions we come across on a day-to-day basis.