London events for people with curious minds.
Tuesday 7 May
BRAINS: Hear from Christian Amatore about the effects of oxidative stress on the brain, and how scientists use tiny electrical devices to monitor how neurons interact with blood supply. Free, just turn up, 6pm
MORE BRAINS: As part of the launch for his new book at GV Art (Chiltern Street), psychologist Charles Fennyhough discusses how much neuroscience can learn from the uniquely rich insights into the brain offered by works of fiction. £20 (includes dinner and wine), prebook, 7pm
Wednesday 8 May
ADDICTION: A lunchtime talk at Wellcome Collection ponders what's going on in the brains of people who are addicted to alcohol or heroin. Free, just turn up, 1pm
Thursday 9 May
OCCULT: Ross MacFarlane is your genial guide to the history of alchemy, astrology and esoteric societies, at an afternoon talk in the Wellcome Library. Free, just turn up, 3pm
SURVEILLANCE: In a Close and Remote event, a panel discussion at Deptford Lounge considers the rise and rise of CCTV, image recording, data profiling and other forms of surveillance. Free, prebook, 6.30pm
COMEDY: Bright Club returns to the Bloomsbury Theatre. Ten UCL academics team up with comedians for a light-hearted look at research. The event also kicks off UCL's Festival of the Arts, which runs till 17 May, with an excellent programme. £8, prebook, 7.30pm
Friday 10 May
GAMES: Bit-of-alright is a fun-sounding conference onboard the MS Stubnitz, with talks, demos and performances from gaming thought leaders. On the same weekend, look out for the Apocalypse Gameshow and the Wild Rumpus games night on the same boat. £32, prebook, noon-5pm
Saturday 11 May
TEDxNEWHAM: The popular TED format of short, fascinating talks by thought leaders comes to The Crystal in Newham (next to the cable car), where speakers will explore the concept of resilience. Tickets have sold out, but there's a waiting list. £10, prebok, 10am
DATA TABLE: UCL have an awesome table in the shape of Greater London, onto which data can be projected. Take a look at it in the Roberts Building foyer today, with a talk at 1pm. Free, just turn up, 1-5pm
FROM HELL: The greatest book ever written about Jack the Ripper, and possibly about London in general, is being virtually mapped with sound, images and GPS by the CASA unit at UCL. Learn more about the From Hell project in the Roberts Building. Free, just turn up, 3.15pm
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments or tip us off about future events by emailing [email protected]