Peter Wothers of the Department of Chemistry at Cambridge will give this year’s Christmas Lectures.
Peter Wothers of the Department of Chemistry at Cambridge will give this year’s Christmas Lectures.
I first became interested in chemistry at the age of eight with my first chemistry set. The spark that first ignited my interest has never faded, the only difference now is my chemistry set is much bigger.
Peter Wothers of the Department of Chemistry
The renowned Cambridge chemist Peter Wothers will give the Royal Institution’s 2012 Christmas Lectures. The exciting, demonstration packed, three-part series called The Modern Alchemist will be broadcast on the BBC this Christmas.
For the programme, Peter, the modern alchemist, will unpick the chemistry of the world around us – looking at air, water and earth - three of the ancient Greek elements that tantalised alchemists for centuries. He will explore the cocktail of gases that make air our elixir of life, and how water may hold the key to a solution to our energy problems. He delves into the bowels of the Earth to uncover the elements that fascinated our ancestors and how through understanding the properties of materials like silicon, we can enter a new era of chemistry in which we can engineer electrons in new configurations for future technologies.
Commenting on his appointment, Peter said: “It’s such an honour to be selected to give the 2012 Christmas Lectures. I first became interested in chemistry at the age of eight with my first chemistry set. The spark that first ignited my interest has never faded, the only difference now is my chemistry set is much bigger. I look forward to sharing my work and love for chemistry with the audience at home and in the Ri’s famous theatre.”
Gail Cardew, Director of Science and Education at the Royal Institution said: “Peter delighted audiences at the Royal Institution with spectacular experiments, demonstrations and the odd explosion at a Friday Evening Discourse last year. We knew instantly that he would be a fantastic Christmas Lecturer and his passion for chemistry is infectious. We’re looking forward to seeing how the lectures - and the demos - develop over the next few months.”
Filmed in front of a live audience in the iconic theatre at the Royal Institution, the original science events for children were started by Michael Faraday in 1825 and have long been seen as a favourite British Christmas tradition. Since 1825, Lectures have been given by many distinguished scientists including Nobel Prize winners William and Lawrence Bragg, Sir David Attenborough, Carl Sagan, Lord George Porter and Dame Nancy Rothwell.
Kim Shillinglaw, BBC Commissioning Editor Science and Natural History said: “We’re delighted to be broadcasting the Christmas Lectures which this year will be given by Dr Peter Wothers. The Lectures are a British institution - providing intelligent entertainment for people – young and old – who have curious minds and like to think.”
Tickets to the filming of the Christmas Lectures are available by ballot to Royal Institution Members and UK registered schools only. For information on becoming a Member and getting tickets to the once in a lifetime show, visit www.rigb.org.
The Modern Alchemist will air on BBC Four in late December.
For more information on the entire series visit www.rigb.org/christmaslectures2012. You can watch past Christmas Lectures for free on the Ri’s science video channel: www.richannel.org.
Story provided by the Ri.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.
