Help us create more opportunities for everyone to discover, discuss and critically examine science and the way it shapes our lives. The Ri has been connecting people with science for over 200 years.

Frank James is a professor of the history of science at University College London and previously worked at the Ri, where he was Professor of the History of Science and Head of Collections. Frank James ...

From the first electrical transformer to the tube that told us why the sky is blue, view the actual objects scientists of the Royal Institution built in some of the world's most famous experiments.

Faraday created the first transformer in August 1831. A few months later he designed and made this simple piece of apparatus based on his ring, developing the first-ever electric generator. This is ...

The 2024 CHRISTMAS LECTURES, supported by CGI, will explore all things food-related. From what happens in our bodies when we eat to how food has shaped human evolution. Dr Chris van Tulleken will ...

This vessel consists of glass flasks fitted one inside the other and sealed at the neck with a partial vacuum between them. The central flask is therefore insulated, keeping the contents cold and ...

The Royal Institution was founded to 'introduce new technologies and teach science to the general public through lectures and demonstrations'. We've been connecting people to science for over 200 ...

Why join the Royal Institution as a member? The Ri is a charity that brings the public and scientists together to share their interest and passion for science. We empower people to explore and get ...

Humphry Davy was a chemist and inventor who invented the Davy lamp and a very early form of arc lamp. He was director of the Ri from 1801–1825. Born in Penzance, Sir Humphry Davy attended Truro ...

The first surviving Faraday apparatus, dating from 1822, demonstrates his work in magnetic rotation. Faraday used this mercury bath to transform electrical energy into mechanical energy, creating the ...

The first ever prototype of Davy’s miner’s safety lamp. Created in 1815, it prevented the methane gas present in the depths of the mines from reacting with the flame and exploding. Following a number ...

In the 2023 CHRISTMAS LECTURES, Mike Wooldridge tackles the most important and rapidly evolving field of science today – Artificial Intelligence (AI). Watch the lectures on iPlayer here (if you're in ...