Gresham College Lectures

Financial expert Raghavendra Rau discusses asymmetric information in finance, exploring its implications for stakeholders and market distortions. The lecture covers examples from used car and labor markets, along with solutions like signaling and screening. The discussion also includes insights from influential economists like Milton Friedman and George Akerlof.

An expert in music, Milton Mermikides, explores the limits of music including historical cataloguing efforts, the potential infinity of music, and boundaries of musical perception and imagination. The podcast delves into topics like chord progressions, evolution of rock music, and the intersection of mechanics and soul in music, highlighting the diverse and infinite nature of musical exploration.

Starring in My Fair Lady (1956), The Sound of Music (1965) and Cinderella (1957) gave Dame Julie Andrews unparalleled profile.These were among the most successful Broadway, Hollywood and TV musicals of their time. Yet following this golden decade, she made few films and appeared in no Broadway shows during her forties and fifties, typically an artist’s most productive period.How did she then become one of the most revered female stars of the late twentieth century?This lecture was recorded by Dominic Broomfield-McHugh on 2nd May 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonThe transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/andrewsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Weather and climate-related events can cause significant mortality and disability.Sudden cold, heat, storms and floods all present risks to health, especially to the most vulnerable. Even in countries with temperate climates like the UK, weather-related deaths can be in the thousands, for example cold snaps causing cardiovascular deaths. In countries with more extreme weather this can be much greater. Some can cause major social disruption.This lecture considers how weather events cause harm to health, and our countermeasures.This lecture was recorded by Professor Sir Chris Whitty on 14th May 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonThe transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/storms-floodsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

In this lecture I will show you some mathematical illusions: “proofs” that 1=0, that fractions don’t exist, and more. There are curious and important implications behind what’s going on.These “proofs” reveal some very common logical slips that can go unnoticed when we are trying to prove more plausible statements. And the stakes are high. As I’ll show you, once you have “proved” one false claim, you can prove absolutely any statement at all.This lecture was recorded by Sarah Hart on 14th May 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonThe transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/maths-illusionsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Evolution has led from amoebae to blue whales and from algae to giant redwoods. So what might it do in the future? What species might evolve in the next ten million years? How will evolutionary processes change as a result of human innovation and what are the risks of us getting it disastrously wrong? What might evolution look like if we ever set up home on another planet, or if inhabitants of other planets arrive here?This lecture was recorded by Robin May on 8th May 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonThe transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/evolution-futureGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Dr Victoria Baines, a tech futurist and cybersecurity expert, discusses the next fifty years of tech. Topics include AI, extended reality, quantum computing, convergence of technologies, opportunities and challenges, embracing disruption, and the impact of technology on society and security. She also explores scenario building, historical predictions, immersive experiences, future advancements, cybersecurity education, and online safety measures.

What makes a piece of music challenging, bland, intriguing, beautiful or ugly?This lecture explores the concept of ‘musical flavour’ formed by intervallic, rhythmic and timbral components and how they contribute to a sense of consonance and dissonance.In particular we look at the interval vector, a system by which harmonic objects are analysed as a series of ‘handshakes’ between pitches, providing a measure of harmonic ‘bite’. The ‘Hendrix chord’ is used as a case study of such harmonic flavour.This lecture was recorded by Milton Mermikides on 25th April 2024 at LSO St Luke's Church, LondonThe transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/music-consonanceGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Astronomer Chris Lintott discusses Boyajian's star and the hunt for unusual objects in the Universe. Topics include disintegrating comets, alien megastructures, citizen scientists on Zooniverse, direct planet detection, the 'WTF star' theory, Betelgeuse dimming, James Webb telescope prospects, planetary dynamics, alien technology, space-based telescopes, and debunking black hole theories.

This lecture makes a survey of learned ceremonial magic in Europe throughout history and demonstrates that both of the customary claims made for it by practitioners since the Middle Ages are actually correct: that there is a continuous tradition of it and that it is ultimately derived from ancient Egypt.In doing so, it also shows what is distinctive about Western magic.This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on 24th April 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonThe transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/western-magicGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show