Upcoming Live Talks
Our live online Garden Talks invite you to learn and engage with world experts on fascinating topics.
Ask questions, upvote others and react in real time, or simply sit back and enjoy.
Many artists have tried to re-shape society, using art as a tool for propaganda and protest, to bring about social change, and to improve people’s lives. But can art really make a difference? And where would we be without it?
What do you picture when you think of education? Schools, teachers, homework, probably tests and exams... But education actually starts much earlier in life. Why are the early years so important, and how can they impact how a child grows up?
Societies are becoming more economically unequal over the last 50 years. The wealthiest 10% of households now hold 43% of all the wealth in Great Britain. Should we tax wealth? And if so, how?
Artists have always been early adopters of new technologies, but in recent years new technologies have appeared more quickly than ever before. Should we be excited about these dramatic changes, or worried? Are they a flash in the pan, or here to stay?
How we eat and the impact it has on our bodies, from weight loss and weight gain to eating disorders, is complex and a key facet of human health. But most of these behaviours and conditions aren't unique to our species. What can the animal world teach us?
From the meaning of carnations in Sex and the City to the use of sunflowers in the cleanup of Chernobyl and Henry VIII’s ban on saffron dye, flowers are deeply woven into our culture and our history. How have they inspired us and what do they mean?
The world of dating, sex and childbirth is a hazardous one, full of complex behaviours and even threats to our health. Well, mating in the animal kingdom is just as complex. What can we learn about "the birds and the bees" by looking at our animal cousins?
It can take decades for the human body to display symptoms of exposure to health hazards in our environment, but in the animal world, strange health trends can become apparent much more quickly. Could this alarm bell help us react faster to toxic threats?
Some of mankind's most enduring questions are about who we are as individuals, how we can live successfully alongside others, and the tension between the two. What can we learn about identity and group dynamics from our furry, feathered and scaly friends?
