London events for people with curious minds.
Monday 9 April
SCI-FI: The Science Fiction Book Club meets to discuss Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks. That might well be too short notice for any readers not in possession of a time machine, so here are the upcoming novels for you to plan ahead:
- 9 April Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
- 23 April Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
- 30 April The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
- 14 May Natural History by Justina Robson
- 23 May Natural History by Justina Robson
- 11 June The Mount by Carol Emshwiller
- 23 June The Mount by Carol Emshwiller
- 9 July Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
- 23 July Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Full details of events are only revealed to members, but it's free to join.
Tuesday 10 April
MORALITY: Jonathan Haidt is at the Royal Institution to discuss morality, how it's hard wired into every human, and why we're the only species that will kill for an ideal. The London Science and Geek Chic social group will be tagging along for any single science fans who fancy hooking up with a fun crowd. £10/£7, 7pm
GEEKY PUBNESS: Meet the Thinking Bob meetup group in The Tipperary (Fleet Street) for its popular 'Conversation game', in which contestants have to slip mystery phrases into a conversation. And then just talk about geeky stuff. £4, 7.30pm
Wednesday 11 April
FUTURE HUMANS: Steve Fuller gives a talk upstairs at The Lamb on Lamb's Conduit Street about the past, present and future of the human species. Sounds like there's a bit more to this Science London event, but we confess that we can't get our primitive human brains around the blurb. FREE, 7.30pm
DEBATE: Rejoin the Thinking Bob meetup group in the Prince of Wales (Drury Lane) for a beer-fuelled debate on a surprise intellectual topic. Cost not given, 7.30pm
Thursday 12 April
SPACE: Tonight is Yuri's Night, the anniversary of the first manned spaceflight. Celebrate that momentous achievement at the British Interplanetary Society, with a special screening of First Orbit and a talk by its director Chris Riley. FREE, 7pm
BRAINS: Wellcome Collection's excellent Brains exhibition is accompanied by a busy programme of events. If you've got the afternoon off, head over to the Euston Road attraction for a talk on the history of our knowledge of the thinking organ. An evening talk about the division of the brain is fully booked but, you never know, there might be some return tickets. FREE, 3pm
Friday 13 April
BOOZE: What happened when brewers first got into bed with chemists? A drunken reaction? Head to the Royal Society for a lunchtime talk about the 18th Century booze industry and attempts to improve ales with chemistry. FREE, 1pm
Saturday 14 April
MORE BRAINS: Wellcome Collection once again exercises its over-active grey matter with an all-afternoon adult event devoted to brains. Try your hand at brain surgery (sort of), watch puppets trepanning each other, learn to dance like a zombie and much more. FREE, 2-6pm
Sunday 15 April
WALK: Rob Smith guides walkers around the Clerkenwell area, pointing out great achievements of Victorian engineering and invention that allowed London to grow into the largest city on the planet. £10/£7.50, 3pm
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments, or tip us off about future geeky events by emailing matt@londonist.com