Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
George Porter: The Natural History of a Sunbeam
British scientist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry Sir George Porter explains the power of light, from the role it plays in stimulating life to supplying energy to our homes, in this selection of engaging and entertaining CHRISTMAS LECTURES from 1976. In this series of six videos filmed at the Ri, Sir George Porter, former Director of the Ri and Baron Porter of Luddenham, takes the audience through a plethora of demonstrations and explanations on the importance of sunbeams.
Where to Watch George Porter: The Natural History of a Sunbeam
6 Episodes
- First LightE1
First LightSir George Porter explores light's structure in this 1976 CHRISTMAS LECTURE packed with live demos. Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue or why sunsets are red? Porter explains how colour is created through light 'scattering' which John Tyndall discovered. Porter also demonstrates how light is made up of frequency, waves and molecules. He presents Thomas Young’s light source experiment on a grand scale using light and cameras. - Light and LifeE2
Light and LifeThe relationship between light and life is explored in this 1976 CHRISTMAS LECTURE from chemist Sir George Porter. George explains the theory of life spontaneously generating. He shows the audience how these theories were rejected with various demos including the design of Louis Pasteur’s swing neck flask. Using fossils and the visual aid of a clock George explains how old the earth is, and how molecules from sunshine helped form the very basis of life during this period. - A Leaf from NatureE3
A Leaf from NatureSir George Porter delves into the link between food and energy in relation to sunlight. A cake is used to demonstrate how we get energy from our food with an explanation of how this happens. George also looks at how various catalysts aid this, by describing what they are and how they work. There is also a selection of plant-based experiments which explain how light helps fuel energy and photosynthesis, and a demo illustrating 'cold light' that female fireflies produce. - Candles from the SunE4
Candles from the SunNobel prize-winning scientist Sir George Porter explores the science behind man-made light and heat in this 1976 CHRISTMAS LECTURE. He recounts the history of artificial light sources such as lamps and the formation of natural fuel sources such as coal and oil. The Humphry Davy Lamp's role in saving the mining industry from explosions is explained. While the work of Count Rumford founder of the Ri’s work on convection and James Dewar’s Flask are also illustrated. - Making Light WorkE5
Making Light WorkThermodynamics and its role in helping to power our lives are explored in this 1976 CHRISTMAS LECTURE presented by chemist Sir George Porter. Porter takes the audience through the laws of thermodynamics with a series of demos that explain how they work in real-life settings, such as a heat pump for a refrigerator and how to warm a swimming pool using sunlight and black screens. George uses models to introduce different types of renewable energy sources like wind and wave power. - Survival Under the SunE6
Survival Under the SunMethods in which sunshine can create electricity and fuel are investigated in this 1976 CHRISTMAS LECTURE from chemist George Porter. Harnessing the sun's energy for power using the chemical element silicon is explored. Porter demos how silicon can be used to create solar panels for satellites which run off energy from sunlight. Using a timeline as a visual aid, Porter talks about the eradication of fossil fuels and how the sun can continue to supply us with power in the future.