GRAVE ROBBING: The Museum of London's new exhibition about bodysnatching and 19th Century surgery opens today. Splendid, gory stuff. Runs till 14 April 2013. £9, all day
EYE-CATCHING ANIMALS: Wildlife Photographer of the Year returns to the Natural History Museum with a flying gobsmack of impressive images. Runs till 3 March 2013. £10/£5, all day
STREET ART: Shepard Fairey, probably the world's most famous street artist, has a new show at Old Truman Brewery from today until 4 November. Free, just turn up, all day
GIVE BLOOD: Today's opportunity to offload some red stuff comes at a clinic in Brewers Hall in the City of London. 9.45-11.30am and 1-4pm
APPLES: The English Apple Festival hits Portobello and Golborne Markets, with unusual varieties, cooking demos and other pomaceous delights. Free, just turn up, 11am-3pm
CLEAN THE THAMES: Get down Hammersmith way in some old clothes to help clean the river of plastic bags and other detritus with Thames21. Free, just turn up, 11.30am-2.30pm
MOVING PORTRAITS: Tom Oxley's new exhibition of video portraits of musicians opens at Londonewcastle Project Space on Redchurch Street. Free, just turn up, 12-6pm
STAR TREK: On the door tickets are still available for the biggest Star Trek convention this side of Wolf 359 (or, at least, the Atlantic). All five main TV captains will be in attendance, with talks, exhibits and signings. £30, 2-9pm
SHAKESPEARE: Should The Bard be considered our contemporary, or as a difficult, distant historical ‘other’, is the puzzling topic of debate at the British Museum tonight. £10, 6.30pm
DANCE: Russell Square hosts the first event of this weekend's Bloomsbury Festival, in which luminescent fish and fireflies dance among the trees in the performance The Collectors. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm
LONDON ON FILM: London — The Modern Babylon was one of the highlights from a summer of Olympics-prompted documentaries about the capital. Catch a screening at Rough Trade East off Brick Lane tonight. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm
MAGIC: Cunning stunts aplenty at Madame Jojos, where Magic Night takes a special spooky twist. £12 or £25 with meal, 7.45pm
SKATES ON: As ever, the Friday night skate around town starts from Wellington Arch and is open to anyone who's comfortable and competent on blades or boots. Free, just turn up, 8pm
NEW MUSIC: The Shacklewell Arms in Dalston plays host to Nail the Cross, a three-day festival of the coolest new music. £8 per day or £12 for the weekend, 8pm-3am
LATE OPENINGS: As usual on a Friday, the British Museum is open till 8.30pm, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery stay awake until 9pm, while the two Tates, the V&A and Royal Academy are dirty stopouts until 10pm. All free and just turn up
Random London Fact Of The Day
It was recently reported that two giant African snails miraculously survived being cooked in a fire at a school in New Cross Gate. This is interesting only when you consider that 'New Cross Gate' is an anagram of 'Escargot News'.
Weather
Continuing the trend of the last few Fridays, it should remain dry until just before pub time. Thereafter, it will rain like a bitch until just after you get home.
Secretly Hidden False Rumour Of The Day
Plans to close down London's fire stations and consolidate the brigade into a central London location are honing in on the Shard. It's thought that a giant hose on top of the building could extinguish downwind fires up to two miles away. The building would also contain the world's longest fireman's pole.
