Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (1966)
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are a series of lectures on a single topic, which have been held at the Royal Institution in London each year since 1825. The lectures present scientific subjects to a general audience, including young people, in an informative and entertaining manner. Michael Faraday initiated the first Christmas Lecture series in 1825. This came at a time when organised education for young people was scarce. Faraday presented a total of nineteen series in all.
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Episode 1 - Plant wars
Release Date:Since animals emerged on land more than 300 million years ago, they've turned to plants as a source of food. But animals only manage to eat around a fifth of the vegetation that’s available to them. So why don't they eat more?
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Episode 2 - The animals strike back
Release Date:Vegetation doesn't provide all the nutrients plans need to live and grow. Plant material is mostly cellulose, water and carbohydrate, and they have developed all sorts of ways to make it hard for animals to feast on them.
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Episode 3 - Talking trees
Release Date:Just like humans and other animals, plants need to communicate, particularly when they are under threat. But although these chemical defense mechanisms might save them from being eaten, it uses up vital energy that could otherwise be used for growth.
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Episode 4 - Dangerous to delicious
Release Date:How we can transform plants - including our crops - from dangerous to delicious. Advances in scientific research mean the crops on our plates now look, and taste, very different to their wild relatives.
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Episode 5 - Weapons of the future
Release Date:The changes in our climate make it hard to predict whether it will be plants or animals who will win the war. A change in conditions could favor either the plants or the herbivores If one side of the war gets an advantage.