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Is Royal Institution Christmas Lectures coming back?

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (1966–present) on BBC Four

The answer: Between seasons — last episode December 30, 2025, no return date announced yet.
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Royal Institution Christmas Lectures poster
Network / streamer
BBC Four
Premiered
December 27, 1966
Runtime
~60 min per episode
60seasons
286episodes

About Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures is currently running on BBC Four; the most recent episode aired in December 2025. As of now, no new season or episode schedule has been announced, and the show is between seasons.

Since 1966, the series has featured renowned experts leading televised lectures on various scientific topics. Each year, the lectures aim to educate and inspire viewers with engaging presentations on a chosen theme, often tailored for a general audience. The format has remained consistent over decades, making it a staple of British educational television during the holiday season.

The show was a science documentary series that first premiered in 1966. It has hosted a variety of prominent scientists and educators, including Kevin Fong, Maggie Aderin-Pocock, and Alice Roberts, among others. The series is known for its 60-minute episodes, which present complex scientific ideas in an accessible manner. The series has a long-standing tradition of annual broadcasts around Christmas time, continuing to be a significant part of the UK's educational programming.

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures episode schedule

286 aired

Aired · 286

DateEp.Title
December 30, 2025 S2025·E3 To the Stars and Beyond
December 29, 2025 S2025·E2 Searching the Solar System
December 28, 2025 S2025·E1 Destination Moon
December 31, 2024 S2024·E3 The Big Food Hack
December 30, 2024 S2024·E2 How Food Makes Us
December 29, 2024 S2024·E1 From Taste Buds to Toilet
December 28, 2023 S2023·E3 The Future of AI: Dream or a Nightmare?
December 27, 2023 S2023·E2 My AI Life
December 26, 2023 S2023·E1 How to Build an Intelligent Machine
December 28, 2022 S2022·E3 Living Body
December 27, 2022 S2022·E2 Missing Body
December 26, 2022 S2022·E1 Dead Body
December 30, 2021 S2021·E3 Winning the War
December 29, 2021 S2021·E2 The Perfect Storm
December 28, 2021 S2021·E1 The Invisible Enemy
December 30, 2020 S2020·E3 Up in the Air
December 29, 2020 S2020·E2 Water World
December 28, 2020 S2020·E1 Engine Earth
December 28, 2019 S2019·E3 How Can We All Win?
December 27, 2019 S2019·E2 How to Bend the Rules
December 26, 2019 S2019·E1 How to Get Lucky
December 28, 2018 S2018·E3 What Makes Me, Me?
December 27, 2018 S2018·E2 What Makes Me Human?
December 26, 2018 S2018·E1 Where Do I Come From?
December 28, 2017 S2017·E3 The Word
December 27, 2017 S2017·E2 Silent Messages
December 26, 2017 S2017·E1 The Language of Life: Say It With Sound
December 28, 2016 S2016·E3 Fully Charged
December 27, 2016 S2016·E2 People Power
December 26, 2016 S2016·E1 Let There Be Light!
Show next 200 of 256 earlier episodes
December 30, 2015 S2015·E3 The Next Frontier
December 29, 2015 S2015·E2 Life in Orbit
December 28, 2015 S2015·E1 Lift Off!
December 31, 2014 S2014·E3 A New Revolution
December 30, 2014 S2014·E2 Making Contact
December 29, 2014 S2014·E1 The Light Bulb Moment
December 30, 2013 S2013·E3 Could I Live Forever?
December 29, 2013 S2013·E2 Am I a Mutant?
December 28, 2013 S2013·E1 Where Do I Come From?
December 28, 2012 S2012·E3 Earth: The Philosopher's Stone
December 27, 2012 S2012·E2 Water: The Fountain of Youth
December 26, 2012 S2012·E1 Air: The Elixir of Life
December 29, 2011 S2011·E3 Meet Your Brain: Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
December 28, 2011 S2011·E2 Meet Your Brain: Who's in Charge Here?
December 27, 2011 S2011·E1 Meet Your Brain: What's in Your Head?
December 30, 2010 S2010·E3 Why Mountains Are So Small
December 29, 2010 S2010·E2 Why Chocolate Melts and Jet Engines Don't
December 28, 2010 S2010·E1 Why Elephants Can't Dance
December 25, 2009 S2009·E5 The 300-Million-Year War: Weapons of the Future
December 24, 2009 S2009·E4 The 300-Million-Year War: Dangerous to Delicious
December 23, 2009 S2009·E3 The 300-Million-Year War: Talking Trees
December 22, 2009 S2009·E2 The 300-Million-Year War: The Animals Strike Back
December 21, 2009 S2009·E1 The 300-Million-Year War: Plant Wars
January 2, 2009 S2008·E5 Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Digital Intelligence
January 1, 2009 S2008·E4 Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Untangling The Web
December 31, 2008 S2008·E3 Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Ghost In The Machine
December 30, 2008 S2008·E2 Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Chips With Everything
December 29, 2008 S2008·E1 Hi-tech Trek - The Quest for the Ultimate Computer: Breaking The Speed Limit
December 28, 2007 S2007·E5 Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Luck, Genes and Stupidity
December 27, 2007 S2007·E4 Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Fight, Flight and Fright
December 26, 2007 S2007·E3 Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Grilled and Chilled
December 25, 2007 S2007·E2 Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Completely Stuffed
December 24, 2007 S2007·E1 Back from the Brink, the Science of Survival: Peak Performance
December 29, 2006 S2006·E5 The Num8er My5teries: The Quest to Predict the Future
December 28, 2006 S2006·E4 The Num8er My5teries: The Case of the Uncrackable Code
December 27, 2006 S2006·E3 The Num8er My5teries: The Secret of the Winning Streak
December 26, 2006 S2006·E2 The Num8er My5teries: The story of the Elusive Shapes
December 25, 2006 S2006·E1 The Num8er My5teries: The Curious Incident of the Never-Ending Numbers
December 30, 2005 S2005·E5 The Truth About Food: Food for the Future
December 29, 2005 S2005·E4 The Truth About Food: When Food Goes Wrong
December 28, 2005 S2005·E3 The Truth About Food: You Are What You Eat
December 27, 2005 S2005·E2 The Truth About Food: Yuck or Yummy?
December 26, 2005 S2005·E1 The Truth About Food: The Ape That Cooks
December 20, 2004 S2004·E3 Antarctica: Ice World
December 18, 2004 S2004·E2 Antarctica: Ice Life
December 16, 2004 S2004·E1 Antarctica: Ice People
December 30, 2003 S2003·E5 Voyage in Space and Time: Anybody Out There?
December 29, 2003 S2003·E4 Voyage in Space and Time: Collision Course
December 28, 2003 S2003·E3 Voyage in Space and Time: Planet Patrol
December 27, 2003 S2003·E2 Voyage in Space and Time: Mission to Mars
December 26, 2003 S2003·E1 Voyage in Space and Time: Blast Off
December 30, 2002 S2002·E5 Smart Stuff: The Ice Cream That Will Freeze Granny
December 29, 2002 S2002·E4 Smart Stuff: The Plaster That Streches Life
December 28, 2002 S2002·E3 Smart Stuff: The Phone That Shrank the Planet
December 27, 2002 S2002·E2 Smart Stuff: The Trainer That Ran Over the World
December 26, 2002 S2002·E1 Smart Stuff: The Spider That Spun a Suspension Bridge
December 30, 2001 S2001·E5 The Secrets of Life: The Future of Life?
December 29, 2001 S2001·E4 The Secrets of Life: Can We Fix It?
December 28, 2001 S2001·E3 The Secrets of Life: Who Am I?
December 27, 2001 S2001·E2 The Secrets of Life: How Do I Grow?
December 26, 2001 S2001·E1 The Secrets of Life: What Is Life?
December 30, 2000 S2000·E5 Rise of the Robots: I, Robot
December 29, 2000 S2000·E4 Rise of the Robots: Bionic Bodies
December 28, 2000 S2000·E3 Rise of the Robots: Remote Robots
December 27, 2000 S2000·E2 Rise of the Robots: Things that Think
December 26, 2000 S2000·E1 Rise of the Robots: Anatomy of an Android
December 30, 1999 S1999·E5 Arrow of Time: Shaping the Future
December 29, 1999 S1999·E4 Arrow of Time: The Edge of Chaos
December 28, 1999 S1999·E3 Arrow of Time: Quantum Leap
December 27, 1999 S1999·E2 Arrow of Time: Catching the Waves
December 26, 1999 S1999·E1 Arrow of Time: Back to the Future
January 1, 1999 S1998·E5 Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Pushing the Limits
December 31, 1998 S1998·E4 Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Times of our lives
December 30, 1998 S1998·E3 Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Chilling Out
December 29, 1998 S1998·E2 Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Fats and Figures
December 28, 1998 S1998·E1 Staying Alive: The Body in Balance: Sense and Sensitivity
January 1, 1998 S1997·E5 The Magical Maze: Fearful Symmetry
December 31, 1997 S1997·E4 The Magical Maze: Chaos and Cauliflowers
December 30, 1997 S1997·E3 The Magical Maze: Outrageous Fortune
December 29, 1997 S1997·E2 The Magical Maze: The Pattern of Tiny Feet
December 28, 1997 S1997·E1 The Magical Maze: Sunflowers and Snowflakes
January 1, 1997 S1996·E5 The History in our Bones - Feet On The Ground, Head In The Stars - The History Of Man
December 31, 1996 S1996·E4 The History in our Bones - Innovations And Novelty
December 30, 1996 S1996·E3 The History in our Bones - The Great Dyings - Life After Death
December 29, 1996 S1996·E2 The History in our Bones - The Fossils Come Alive
December 28, 1996 S1996·E1 The History in our Bones - Staring Into The Abyss
December 31, 1995 S1995·E5 Planet Earth, Waterworld
December 30, 1995 S1995·E4 Planet Earth, The Puzzle of the Continents
December 29, 1995 S1995·E3 Planet Earth, Volcanoes-Melting the Earth
December 28, 1995 S1995·E2 Planet Earth, Secrets of the Deep
December 27, 1995 S1995·E1 Planet Earth, On the Edge of the World
January 1, 1995 S1994·E5 The Mind's I
December 31, 1994 S1994·E4 The Seven Ages of the Brain
December 30, 1994 S1994·E3 Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble
December 29, 1994 S1994·E2 Through a Glass Darkly
December 28, 1994 S1994·E1 The Electric Ape
December 31, 1993 S1993·E5 The Cosmic Onion: An Hour to Make the Universe
December 30, 1993 S1993·E4 The Cosmic Onion: Antimatter Matters
December 29, 1993 S1993·E2 The Cosmic Onion: To the Centre of the Sun
December 29, 1993 S1993·E3 The Cosmic Onion: Invaders from Outer Space
December 28, 1993 S1993·E1 The Cosmic Onion: A is for Atoms
January 1, 1993 S1992·E5 Our World Through the Looking Glass: In the Hands of the Giants
December 31, 1992 S1992·E4 Our World Through the Looking Glass: Symmetry, Sensation and Sex
December 30, 1992 S1992·E3 Our World Through the Looking Glass: The Handed Molecule
December 29, 1992 S1992·E2 Our World Through the Looking Glass: Narwhals, Palindromes and Chesterfield Station
December 28, 1992 S1992·E1 Our World Through the Looking Glass: Man in the Mirror
December 31, 1991 S1991·E5 Growing Up in the Universe: The Genesis of Purpose
December 30, 1991 S1991·E4 Growing Up in the Universe: The Ultraviolet Garden
December 29, 1991 S1991·E3 Growing Up in the Universe: Climbing Mount Improbable
December 28, 1991 S1991·E2 Growing Up in the Universe: Designed and Designoid Objects
December 27, 1991 S1991·E1 Growing Up in the Universe: Waking Up in the Universe
January 3, 1991 S1990·E5 The Origin of the Universe
January 2, 1991 S1990·E4 The Origin of Galaxies
December 29, 1990 S1990·E3 The Origin of Quasars
December 28, 1990 S1990·E2 The Birth of the Stars
December 27, 1990 S1990·E1 The Grand Design
January 3, 1990 S1989·E5 Exploring music: Scales, synthesizers and samplers
January 2, 1990 S1989·E4 Exploring music: Technology, trumpets and tunes
December 29, 1989 S1989·E3 Exploring music: Science, strings and symphonies
December 28, 1989 S1989·E2 Exploring music: The essence of an instrument
December 27, 1989 S1989·E1 Exploring music: What is music?
January 3, 1989 S1988·E5 Mixers, meters and molecules
January 2, 1989 S1988·E4 Home, smart home
December 30, 1988 S1988·E3 Electronics for pleasure
December 29, 1988 S1988·E2 Home, safe home
December 28, 1988 S1988·E1 Appliance science
January 9, 1988 S1987·E6 Crystals and Lasers: Crystals, LASERs and the Human Body
January 8, 1988 S1987·E5 Crystals and Lasers: The Light Fantastic
January 7, 1988 S1987·E4 Crystals and Lasers: Constructing a LASER
January 6, 1988 S1987·E3 Crystals and Lasers: Crystal Miracles
January 5, 1988 S1987·E2 Crystals and Lasers: The Architecture of Crystals
January 4, 1988 S1987·E1 Crystals and Lasers: The Micro-world
January 10, 1987 S1986·E6 Growing up and growing old
January 9, 1987 S1986·E5 Chain of command
January 8, 1987 S1986·E4 Genes and flies
January 7, 1987 S1986·E3 The right stuff
January 6, 1987 S1986·E2 The medium and the message
January 5, 1987 S1986·E1 First take an egg...
January 11, 1986 S1985·E6 Communicating: Computers
January 10, 1986 S1985·E5 Communicating: The Integrated Body
January 9, 1986 S1985·E4 Communicating: The Pace of Technology
January 8, 1986 S1985·E3 Communicating: The Bionic Bat
January 7, 1986 S1985·E2 Communicating: Animal Talk
January 6, 1986 S1985·E1 Communicating: No Man is an Island
January 6, 1985 S1984·E6 The Message of the Genes: When Will Pigs have Wings?
January 5, 1985 S1984·E5 The Message of the Genes: Normal Cells and Cancer Cells
January 4, 1985 S1984·E4 The Message of the Genes: Bodies and Antibodies
January 3, 1985 S1984·E3 The Message of the Genes: Genetic Engineering
January 2, 1985 S1984·E2 The Message of the Genes: The Spice of Life
January 1, 1985 S1984·E1 The Message of the Genes: We Are All Different
January 1, 1984 S1983·E6 Machines In Motion: Living Machines
December 31, 1983 S1983·E5 Machines In Motion: Fluids and Flight
December 30, 1983 S1983·E4 Machines In Motion: Under Control
December 29, 1983 S1983·E3 Machines In Motion: Vibration
December 28, 1983 S1983·E2 Machines In Motion: Gathering Momentum
December 27, 1983 S1983·E1 Machines In Motion: Driving Forces
January 3, 1983 S1982·E6 Enchanted loom
January 2, 1983 S1982·E5 Vive la différence
January 1, 1983 S1982·E4 Show me the way to go home
December 31, 1982 S1982·E3 The sixth sense - and the rest
December 30, 1982 S1982·E2 The sound of silence
December 29, 1982 S1982·E1 Making sense
January 2, 1982 S1981·E6 From Magna Carta to Microchip: Some Impacts of Measurement on Life - And Can We Take it too Far?
January 1, 1982 S1981·E5 From Magna Carta to Microchip: Measurement and Navigation in War
December 31, 1981 S1981·E4 From Magna Carta to Microchip: Onwards to the Stars
December 30, 1981 S1981·E3 From Magna Carta to Microchip: More and More About Less and Less
December 29, 1981 S1981·E2 From Magna Carta to Microchip: The Measurement of Time
December 28, 1981 S1981·E1 From Magna Carta to Microchip: Principles, Standards and Methods
January 3, 1981 S1980·E6 The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Molecules At Work
January 2, 1981 S1980·E5 The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Haeomoglobin - The Breathing Molecule
January 1, 1981 S1980·E4 The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Eggs, Genes and Proteins
December 31, 1980 S1980·E3 The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Muscle Power
December 30, 1980 S1980·E2 The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: Machine Tools of Life
December 29, 1980 S1980·E1 The Chicken, The Egg and The Molecules: What Are Chickens Made Of?
January 5, 1980 S1979·E6 Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Seeing Atoms at last
January 4, 1980 S1979·E5 Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Atoms and Energy
January 3, 1980 S1979·E4 Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Atoms that Explode
January 2, 1980 S1979·E3 Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Electrified Atoms
January 1, 1980 S1979·E2 Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Molecules in Motion
December 31, 1979 S1979·E1 Atoms for Enquiring Minds - Getting to Know Atoms
January 6, 1979 S1978·E6 Mathematics into Pictures: Catastrophe and Psychology
January 5, 1979 S1978·E5 Mathematics into Pictures: Waves and Music
January 4, 1979 S1978·E4 Mathematics into Pictures: Games and Evolution
January 3, 1979 S1978·E3 Mathematics into Pictures: Infinity and Perspective
January 2, 1979 S1978·E2 Mathematics into Pictures: Numbers and Geometry
January 1, 1979 S1978·E1 Mathematics into Pictures: Linking and Knotting
December 31, 1977 S1977·E6 The Planets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Sun
December 30, 1977 S1977·E5 The Planets: Mars After Viking
December 29, 1977 S1977·E4 The Planets: Mars Before Viking
December 28, 1977 S1977·E3 The Planets: The History Of Mars
December 27, 1977 S1977·E2 The Planets: The Outer Solar System And Life
December 26, 1977 S1977·E1 The Planets: The Earth As A Planet
December 6, 1976 S1976·E6 Survival under the Sun
December 5, 1976 S1976·E5 Making light work
December 4, 1976 S1976·E4 Candles from the Sun
December 3, 1976 S1976·E3 A leaf from nature
December 2, 1976 S1976·E2 Light and life
December 1, 1976 S1976·E1 First light
December 31, 1975 S1975·E4 Signals From the Interior: Probes, Sondes and Sounds
December 30, 1975 S1975·E3 Signals From the Interior: Spikes and Waves

…and 56 earlier episodes not shown. Long-running show.

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures cast