51³Ô¹ÏÍø

51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s popular post-work events are back, exploring three thrilling new themes from next month!

Registration has opened today for the first 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates of the 2025/26 season, taking place at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s South Kensington campus this October. These free, after-hours events invite the public to discover cutting-edge science in a relaxed, social setting with music, drinks, and a chance to talk with the teams behind the research.  

From October to January, the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community will come together to explore three themes – Light, Time and Wellbeing – sharing their research through creative workshops, interactive exhibits, and inspiring talks. 

James Romero, Public Engagement Programme Manager, said: “We can’t wait to welcome audiences back to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates, where they can enjoy a truly interactive night out – exploring new ideas and contributing to ongoing research. These evenings offer a unique opportunity to engage directly with the people behind research; to ask questions, share perspectives, and experience science in unexpected and creative ways.” 

Celebrating Light 

Welcome the autumn and celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, through science, art, and entertainment on Thursday 23 October. Explore the fascinating ways that light impacts us, our world and the wider universe – from sunlight’s effect on our skin to research analysing light produced by distant galaxies and stars, helping us understand them.  

This illuminating evening will feature pop-up dance performances, photography and art installations, talks on topics from solar power to the health benefits (and dangers) of UV radiation, and more.  

Step onto the dance floor for a vibrant Bollywood dance experience, before joining our light disco to explore the physics of light through movement. Then enjoy a comedy show from Roma Agrawal on the history of light science through the lens of South Asian historical figures and test your knowledge in a quiz on the brightest objects in the universe (with prizes for the brightest minds)!  

Explore the Nature of Time 

On Thursday 20 November, deep dive into the very first second of the universe, catch up with some of the fastest objects ever built, and step inside a quantum clock. 

Don’t miss this night examining time’s mysteries with world-renowned scientists, from a panel discussion on what happened immediately after the big bang (with Professors Carlo Contaldi and Claudia de Rahm), to a talk from Professor Mike Tarbutt on why time flows forwards and not backwards, and advice on how to get to sleep quicker from Dr Nik Grossman.  

Interactive experiences include an immersive digital art piece, exploring the strangeness of the quantum world, which we can harness to measure how time flows, as well as ‘Timeless moves’, a dance class exploring how science and the arts can change our understanding of time.   

Hack your Health and Wellbeing 

New year, new you! Start 2026 afresh by attending an 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates on Thursday January 29, where visitors will learn the scientific secrets to hacking  health and wellbeing from 51³Ô¹ÏÍø researchers. 

Take part in a mental health doodle-along before stepping into the Wellness Tech Pitch Pod, where attendees can hear about (and offer feedback on!) the latest wellbeing themed innovations, inventions and start-ups from 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.  

The Underground Cèilidh will bring people together to experience the joy of communal dancing, while exploring secret worlds vibrating beneath our feet – the networks of fungi stretching like underground highways and hidden connections shaping the world above. 

Visit our webpage for details about upcoming 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates and sign up to our events newsletter  to be notified when registration opens for future 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates, as well as information on other public activities taking place at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.  

Getting involved  

51³Ô¹ÏÍø researchers are still invited to submit ideas for the November and January events, looking at Time and Wellbeing. Fully formed and developed activities are great, but the team are happy to explore and help expand initial ideas!  

Find our more and submit ideas via the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates Open Call >  
 
If you are an 51³Ô¹ÏÍø staff member or student who wants to volunteer on the night, you can to be the first notified when shifts open. If you are an artist or facilitator interested in working with the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Lates team, please get in touch via email (lates@imperial.ac.uk).