Episodes

  • The US Constitution: A Catalogue of Complaints about Britain - Clive Stafford Smith
    Jan 3 2025

    Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/wpF0oB9Mz-0

    The US Constitution, both in its structural element and the Bill of Rights, reflect a catalogue of colonial complaints about the British system as well as centuries of evolution in the law. In general terms, contrary to the slightly complacent attitude of the British legal authorities. This lecture will demonstrate, most of the original complaints still hold true.

    This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 7th November 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

    Clive is the Gresham Professor of Law

    He is the founder and director of the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates. He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths as well as running a summer programme for 35 students in Dorset, his home. He has received all kinds of awards in recognition of his work, including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for “services to humanity” in 2000. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1984.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/us-constitution

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

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    50 mins
  • How Does Our Immune System Protect Us? - Robin May
    Dec 31 2024

    Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/JCTgxcPu78I

    The human immune system rivals the brain in its complexity. Billions of cells coordinate their activity with amazing precision to protect us from infection. Immune cells can respond to millions of different pathogens within seconds and yet rarely respond to a false alarm. This lecture explores how cells achieve this, what happens when they go wrong and how you can keep your own immune system in top condition.

    This lecture was recorded by Robin May on 27th November 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

    Robin is Gresham Professor of Physic.

    He is also Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Professor of Infectious Disease at the University of Birmingham.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/immune-protection

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

    Website: https://gresham.ac.uk
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    40 mins
  • Who's Minding the Store? Corporate Rules to Align Interests - Raghavendra Rau
    Dec 27 2024

    This lecture will explore corporate governance mechanisms designed to address agency problems, including executive compensation, boards of directors, and shareholder activism. Additionally, it will examine how solutions addressing one agency problem might create another.

    This lecture was recorded by Raghavendra Rau on 5th November 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London

    Raghu is the Mercers School Memorial Professor of Business

    He is also the Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Professor of Finance at Cambridge Judge Business School.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:
    https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/corporate-rules

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

    Website: https://gresham.ac.uk
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/greshamcollege
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Unwrapping Irving Berlin’s "White Christmas" - Dominic Broomfield-McHugh
    Dec 24 2024

    Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/LW0DLhTxfCE

    This festive lecture explores the unusual roots of the song ‘White Christmas’ and its role in establishing the concept of the commercial Christmas song. It will explain how the song’s release during the summer months hints at how its potential as an enduring seasonal classic was not anticipated, and then examine how the music and lyrics helped it to resonate in a time of war. The lecture will also consider Berlin’s patriotism and his active role in the Second World War.

    This lecture was recorded by Dominic Broomfield-McHugh on 12th December 2024 at Conway Hall, London.

    Dominic is Gresham Visiting Professor of Film and Theatre Music.

    Dominic is also Professor of Music at the University of Sheffield and is Associate Producer of the PBS documentary Meredith Willson: America's Music Man and has appeared on all the main BBC television and radio stations as well as NPR in America. He has given talks and lectures at the Sydney Opera House, New York City Center, the Library of Congress, New York Public Library, Sadler's Wells, and Lincoln Center, among many others

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/unwrapping-irving-berlins-white-christmas

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

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    54 mins
  • Magical Mystery Tour: The Invention of The Beatles - Milton Mermikides
    Dec 20 2024

    Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/VeJxEXZfT2Y

    This lecture analyses the ‘psychedelic era’ of the Beatles, from Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band to Let it Be, a period of staggering musical invention and experimentalism. We explore the mechanics behind the magic, untangling the layers of harmony, melody, lyrics, structure and technology, and how these all combine in ways both accessible and ground-breaking. This ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ pulls back the curtain on these timeless tracks, illuminating the craft of their transporting effects.

    This lecture was recorded by Milton Mermikides on 12th September 2024 at LSO St Luke's, London.

    Milton Mermikides is Gresham Professor of Music.

    He is Associate Professor in Music at the University of Surrey, Professor of Guitar at the Royal College of Music and Deputy Director of the International Guitar Research Centre.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/magical-mystery-tour

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

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    59 mins
  • Much Ado About Numbers: Shakespeare’s Mathematical Life and Times - Rob Eastaway
    Dec 17 2024

    Shakespeare lived in a period of exciting mathematical innovations, from arithmetic to astronomy, and from probability to music. Remarkably, many of those innovations are mentioned, or at least hinted at, in his plays. Rob Eastaway will explore the surprising ways in which mathematical ideas connect with Shakespeare and reveals that the playwright could be as creative with numbers as he was with words. Along the way you will discover surprising new mathematical insights on the Elizabethan world.

    This lecture was recorded by Rob Eastaway on 9th October 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

    Rob Eastaway is best known as the author of several bestselling popular maths books, including Why Do Buses Come in Threes? and Maths On the Back of an Envelope. With Mike Askew, he wrote Maths for Mums & Dads, a book that helps parents to understand the new methods being used to teach maths. The American edition was published in 2010 entitled Old Dogs, New Math.

    Rob has given hundreds of maths talks across the world to audiences of all ages, including several family lectures at the Royal Institution, and he is Director of Maths Inspiration, a programme of interactive lecture shows for teenagers, held in theatres across the UK. From 2019 to 2023 he was the puzzle adviser for New Scientist magazine.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/bshm-25

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

    Website: https://gresham.ac.uk
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/greshamcollege
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    Support Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

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    43 mins
  • Messaging and Signals - Victoria Baines
    Dec 13 2024

    Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/pP3FzqYcMOA

    We communicate when we have information to share. The development of signals from signs visible over short distances to wireless transfer of billions of data-heavy messages worldwide is full of surprising characters, none more so than the Hollywood starlet who made Wi-Fi and GPS possible and received public recognition only in the final few years of her life. This lecture traces the development of technologies for messaging and signals, from wireless to wired and back again.

    This lecture was recorded by Victoria Baines on 29th October 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

    Victoria is IT Livery Company Professor of Information Technology.

    Victoria is a Senior Research Associate of the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge, a Senior Research Fellow of the British Foreign Policy Group, and a Fellow of the British Computer Society. She is also Visiting Fellow at Bournemouth University’s School of Computing, a former Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford University, and was a guest lecturer at Stanford University in 2019 and 2020. She is a graduate of Trinity College, Oxford and holds a doctorate from the University of Nottingham. She serves on the Safety Advisory Board of Snapchat, the Advisory Board of cybersecurity provider Reliance Cyber, and is a trustee of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/messaging-and-signals

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

    Website: https://gresham.ac.uk
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/greshamcollege
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    50 mins
  • Houston, we have a problem: how the fossil fuel industry is risking our future - Myles Allen
    Dec 10 2024

    Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/6hEOINeTYTU

    As the leaders of the oil and gas industry flew into Houston for CERAWeek, 2024, oil was over $80 per barrel and demand higher than ever. There was little discussion of “transitioning away from fossil fuels” as agreed at COP28 in Dubai. In the run-up to COP29, this lecture will set out the critical need to change the narrative, so those with the ability and resources to solve the climate problem have less incentive to shuffle responsibility onto those (like you) who do not.

    This lecture was recorded by Myles Allen on 26th November 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

    Myles is the Frank Jackson Foundation Professor of the Environment.

    Myles is also is currently Director of the Oxford Net Zero initiative. He was awarded the Appleton Medal and Prize by the Institute of Physics in 2010, and in 2022 a CBE for services to climate change attribution, prediction and net zero. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

    The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/fossil-fuel-industry

    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today

    Website: https://gresham.ac.uk
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/greshamcollege
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    51 mins