Things to Do Today In London: Tuesday 20 November 2018

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Brutalist fans will love the twilight architecture tours at Barbican.

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Things to do

TRACING DESERT SAND: Today's lunch hour lecture at UCL focuses on sand dunes,  specifically, those in Northern Chad's Bodele Depression. They're the fastest moving dunes in the world and — spoiler — they're not made from sand. Find out how scientists have been tracing the movements of the diatom fossils using satellite images. Darwin Lecture Theatre (Euston Square), free, book ahead, 1.10pm-1.55pm

SOCIAL TEA DANCE: At a loose end this afternoon? Get yourself down to Southbank Centre to take part in the monthly social tea dance — no experience and no partner required. This month it's jazz themed, so put forward your best jive/Charleston/jitterbug/lindy hop and meet some new people. Aimed especially at 60+, but everyone welcome. Southbank Centre, free, just turn up, 1.30pm

BARBICAN TOUR: The Brutalist design splits opinion, but if you're a fan of Barbican's concrete, take a twilight architecture tour around the estate's highwalks, led by tour guides who tell all about the construction and design. Following the tour is a three-course meal at Osteria, a restaurant on site. Meet at Ticket and Information Desk, £35, book ahead, 6pm

SUPREME COURT: Real London geeks will get excited about this one (or maybe that's just us?). Go behind the scenes at the Supreme Court on this rare tour, and get an insight into how the highest court in the land functions. See inside three courtrooms and the Justices' Library, and hear about some of the famous cases heard there. At the end of the evening, be grateful you're not leaving in a prison van. The Supreme Court (Westminster), £15, book ahead, 6pm-7pm

Go behind the scenes at the Supreme Court

SELF DRIVING CARS: Still not convinced about the reliability of self-driving cars? They're coming, whether you like it or not, so head to this lecture about the modelling technology used to 'teach' them how to react in certain situations — basically, find out when you should trust them, and when you really, really shouldn't. The Royal Society (The Mall), free, just turn up (early arrival recommended), 6.30pm-7.30pm

NT LIVE: National Theatre's production of Alan Bennett's play The Madness of George III is broadcast direct from the stage to cinemas tonight — including Rich Mix. The show is the story of the unravelling of the mental stability of the world's most powerful man, and stars Mark Gatiss. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £18, book ahead, 7pm

EX-BOYFRIEND YARD SALE: Haley McGee was trying to pay off her Visa bill by having a yard sale, when she realised all the things she could sell were gifts from her exes. That's the inspiration for her theatre show which debuts tonight, in which she has worked with a mathematician to calculate the cost of love, coming up with a formula to turn sentimental value into cold hard cash. Camden People's Theatre, £12/£10, book ahead, 7pm (runs until 8 December)

FRANKENSTEIN 200: To mark 200 years since Mary Shelley penned Frankenstein — the first science fiction novel — Dr Ruth Richardson (Author of Death, Dissection and the Destitute) and Museum Curator Karen Howell give an illustrated lecture about the history of science and dissection. The Old Operating Theatre Museum (London Bridge), £12, book ahead, 7pm

PERFECT LIARS CLUB: Can you tell one someone's lying? Really tell? Test yourself at Perfect Liars Club, where four strangers will get up on stage and tell you an unexpected or unbelievable funny story — can you tell which three are true and which one's a complete lie? The Book Club (Shoreditch), £8, book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm

Good cause of the day

The Feminist Library's new home... hopefully

After a turbulent history, the Feminist Library is on the move again — this time to pastures new in Peckham. It needs funds to help it secure its new home, which will provide space for its 7,000+ books. Donate to the Crowdfunding campaign and you could get an invite to the grand opening, or your name on a shelf.