Bach is often praised by scientists for the intricate structures and symmetries in his music. He wrote more than 200 cantatas, a collection of vocal works which explore questions of faith, time and eternity. Taking inspiration from Douglas Adams’ quote that ‘Bach tells you what it’s like to be the universe’, this unusual series from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and The Institute of Physics at Kings Place swaps metaphysics for physics to celebrate extraordinary universe and the music of Bach with some of Britain’s brightest scientists.

There is a real challenge for materials scientists and engineers to understand how their expertise and professional practices can affect environmental performance and contribute towards more sustainable outcomes. In many cases the apparent solutions to solving one environmental impact can increased impacts in another part of the product life cycle or perhaps in another impact category. So how can we make informed decisions in materials selection and new material developments to ensure that progress and solutions are heading in the right direction.

Join the Royal College of Physicians for a special free lecture, part of the season marking its 500th anniversary, reflecting on the history and future of medicine, society and health. In this event, Sir Muir Gray looks at the future of medicine in the context of an ageing population, and examines the shift from a focus on life expectancy to healthy life expectancy.

In celebration of the Royal College of Physicians’ 500th anniversary, the college’s museum is opening late on the first Thursday of the month during 2018. Discover truly remarkable – but surprisingly little known – collections,  featuring everything from artworks by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir Thomas Lawrence and Johann Zoffany, to scarce anatomical preparations and extraordinary medical instruments, all housed in a grade 1 listed ‘modernist masterpiece’ by Sir Denys Lasdun.