A quick post to alert subscribers that booking is now open for 18th November
Before I give you that link, huge thanks to Sheila Poole for her fascinating talk on Darwin’s research at Down House, into orchids, cross-fertilisation, mimicry, and insectivorous plants in Beauty, Sex and Death — Darwin’s botanical obsessions, in which she explored Charles Darwin’s fascination with botanical deception and carnivory.
Now, to business:
November’s PubSci with Professor Marcus du Sautoy
If you’ve checked out our current events programme or follow our Google calendar, you’ll have noticed that November’s talk is a bit special.
Our speaker is Oxford Professor of mathematics and holder of the Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science, Marcus du Sautoy. Marcus is a regular guest on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time, and anybody listening to the Today Programme on Radio 4 on Monday 19th October will have heard him give his response to the huge AI backlash from some leading mathematicians.
He’s the author of nine popular science books, and his latest book, Blueprints: How Mathematics Shapes Creativity, was published by Fourth Estate in 2025.
On Wednesday 18th November 2026, Marcus will be exploring the amazing maths that subtly underpins much of art and creativity.
After the talk, Marcus will be signing copies of Blueprints – now out in paperback.
The event is already booking fast. You can head to our NEXT EVENT page for more information, or go straight to Eventbrite to reserve a spot.
Marcus is also my interview guest for next episode of The Science Show (see below), to be broadcast on Monday 2nd November. We’ll be looking at some of the nine popular science & maths books he’s published, discussing AI in maths, and exploring the amazing maths that subtly underpins much of art and creativity. If you miss the live broadcast, you can catch up on all episodes on Mixcloud.
The venue is PubSci’s regular home, The Old King’s Head near Borough Market, which offers a great range of drinks, has a happy hour before 7pm, and opens the kitchen serving classic pub grub especially for us. Doors open at 6.30 for a 7pm start. Talks generally run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. Full address on the booking page.
As most of you know by now, PubSci talks are pay-what-you-can: You can make a contribution when booking on Eventbrite. We have no other source of funding. There are two ticket options:
Book for one + Support PubSci (max 1 ticket) if you prefer to contribute when booking – this option also reserves you one spot at the event. You may need to scroll down to see this option on Eventbrite.
Book without donating (max 4 tickets) if you prefer to put cash in the pot on the night.
The Number 1 Science Podcast – again!
The Science Show is a magazine-style miscellany packed with news, interviews, chat and discussions, plus great music and cultural crossovers. Episode 11 was broadcast on Monday 5th October and is available to stream or download on Mixcloud.
Deborah Rowe joined me to discuss the science news while Danielle Green and I took a Random Walk though the miasma, mosquitos, gin and tonic, and a Soho water pump. Historian of mathematics (and former PubSci speaker) Snezana Lawrence discussed how future historians might look back on the AI explosion in the maths world.
Episode 11 of The Science Show hit the top spot in Mixcloud’s science chart within a day of release, and broke into the Top 10 of the overall Podcast and Talk charts for the first time. I’m delighted by this unexpected success but what matters more is what you think of it. Please give it a listen and follow the show. If you like it, do please tell your friends!
If you follow us there, you’ll be notified when Episode 12 with my interview with Marcus du Sautoy is available to stream or download from Mixcloud.
Well that’s it for this post. Hope to see you at the Old King’s Head on 21st October, and don’t forget to put Wednesday 18th November in your diary.
Richard (Science communicator and PubSci organiser/host)
19th October 2026
I hope you reserved your place early, because the event is fully booked and there’s a long waiting list. For those lucky enough to be attending, Chris will have copies of his new book for sale: The Science of Weird Shit – Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal.
Chris French is Emeritus Professor and Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths,University of London. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a Patron of UK Humanists.
Welcome to PubSci’s year-end blog post.
We kick off the new year with somebody who will be familiar to attendees: our very own Mike Lucibella. Mike spent five seasons in Antarctica as editor and photographer of The Antarctic Sun, official paper of the US Antarctic Program.
