Wednesday 28 October 2026

7pm GMT | 3pm EDT | 12pm PDT

Join award-winning astronomy writer and experienced aurora chaser Jamie Carter for a captivating 60-minute online talk exploring one of nature’s greatest spectacles: the northern lights. Combining the science behind the aurora with first-hand experience and practical advice, this webinar will show you how, when and where to give yourself the best chance of seeing — and photographing — an unforgettable display.

Discover what causes the northern lights, why they appear most frequently within the auroral oval and how activity on the sun can turn a quiet glow into a spectacular display of arcs, rays and dancing curtains. Jamie will explain what auroras really look like to the naked eye — and why cameras sometimes see more colour — while exploring the different forms they can take.

The talk will also cover the practicalities of planning an aurora trip, including the best times of year to travel, why the weeks around the equinoxes can be particularly favourable and how to interpret space weather forecasts. Rather than waiting for the northern lights to come to you, you’ll learn why traveling to beneath the auroral oval can dramatically improve your chances of seeing them. Jamie will then explain how to capture the northern lights using everything from a smartphone to a mirrorless or DSLR camera.

Whether you’re planning a dedicated northern lights trip, hoping to photograph your first aurora or simply want to understand aurora, this session will give you everything you need to know.

MEET THE EXPERT

Jamie Carter

Jamie Carter is an award-winning astronomy and travel journalist, author and experienced eclipse and aurora chaser. He writes about the northern lights, stargazing, astrotourism and solar eclipses for multiple publications, including New ¾«¶«´«Ã½. His travels in search of dark skies and celestial events have taken him around the world, including repeated trips into the Arctic to observe and photograph the northern lights. He is the co-author of Chasing the Northern Lights, published by DK Travel in 2026.

Free Subscriber Event | Online

18 Nov 2026 | 6 – 7pm GMT | 1 – 2pm EST

We have long thought of autism as a spectrum. But emerging studies suggest the picture is more complex, possibly pointing towards distinct subtypes.

Autism’s incredible diversity is something to celebrate, but it has presented a conundrum to researchers trying to understand it. Some scientists in the field think defined subtypes could help give people better, targeted support. But other research hints that the subtypes don’t stay constant and may change over time. Where does this leave us?

Autism researchers are combining genetics, cognitive science and social and environmental factors to ask two big questions: are there different genetic and other biological signals underlying autism that point to different subtypes? And how much, if at all, could sorting people into categories help autistic people get more support and better understand themselves?

In this online, subscriber-only event, you will hear from scientists at the cutting edge of autism research in a lively discussion led by New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ managing editor Penny Sarchet.

Discover how findings from different scientific fields converge, why this research is still far from settled and why lived experience must remain at the heart of the conversation. Ultimately, we’ll ask what this research reveals about the bigger picture of autism, and whether it helps us better understand it.

The discussion will feature:

• Professor David Skuse, head of behavioural and brain sciences at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, who played a key role in shaping the clinical definition of autism in the World Health Organization’s ICD-11 manual.
• Professor Eva Loth, neuroscientist at King’s College London and Deputy Leader of AIMS-2-TRIALS, Europe’s biggest study of biological markers within autism.
• Dr Damian Milton, sociologist at the University of Kent who studies autism in its social and cultural context and who coined the “double empathy problem”. Dr Milton is autistic and is the father of three autistic children with different support needs.
• Penny Sarchet, New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ managing editor and The world, the universe and us podcast host. Penny holds a degree in biological sciences and a doctorate in developmental genetics, both from the University of Oxford, and has been part of the team at New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ shaping in-depth coverage of autism research.

Attendees will be sent optional reading materials in advance and have the chance to submit questions for the speakers before and during the live video event.

A note on perspective: While this event will take a global perspective wherever possible, it features UK-based scientists, so the discussion may lean towards European terminology around autism.

7pm BST | 2pm EDT | 11am PDT

Two naturalists, thousands of miles apart, arrived at the same revolutionary idea – so why does only one name usually get the credit?

In this free 1-hour webinar, Dr James Costa and Dr George Beccaloni dig into the parallel journeys that led Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace to the theory of natural selection independently – from Darwin’s voyage on the Beagle to Wallace’s expeditions through the Amazon and the Malay Archipelago – and the extraordinary 1858 joint presentation that changed biology for good.

James is a naturalist and leading Darwin and Wallace scholar; George is an evolutionary biologist and entomologist who has spent over 20 years studying Wallace’s life and work. Both bring that expertise to our expeditions too — James leads our evolution and wildlife cruise in Darwin’s Galápagos, while George retraces Wallace’s footsteps on our Alfred Russel Wallace expedition cruise to Indonesia.

Expect first-hand insights, surprising anecdotes and plenty of room for questions as we uncover how two of history’s greatest naturalists reached the same conclusion separately, and almost simultaneously.

The event will be hosted by New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Discovery Tours Director, Kevin Currie

MEET THE EXPERTS

Dr James Costa

Dr James (Jim) Costa is a naturalist, Darwin and Wallace scholar, and professor at Western Carolina University, where he directs the Highlands Biological Station. He teaches Darwin’s Origin of Species and leads field courses from the Andes to the Galápagos, where he’s returned many times over as researcher, lecturer, and educator.

He also lectures worldwide on Darwin, Wallace, and the history of evolutionary thought.

George Beccaloni

George is an entomologist, evolutionary biologist, and science historian who spent 20 years as a research entomologist and curator at London’s Natural History Museum, specialising in butterflies and cockroaches.

He has studied the life and work of Alfred Russel Wallace for 20 years, and is founder and director of the Wallace Correspondence Project.

Watch now on-demand

Of the 40 million people living with HIV, nearly a quarter are not receiving life-saving treatment and new transmissions are not falling as fast as many experts hope. So how can the world meet the UN’s target of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030?

Join New ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s panel of experts in a roundtable discussion examining the future of HIV care and the collective efforts required to end the epidemic.

Panellists:

Dr. Joseph Eron is a professor of medicine and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dr. Sally Hodder is professor of medicine, director of the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and associate vice president for clinical and translational research at West Virginia University.

Dr. Kimberly Smith is senior vice president, chief scientific officer, and head of research and development at ViiV Healthcare, where she oversees the clinical development of meaningful advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV

Dr. Babafemi Taiwo is vice president and head of early development at ViiV Healthcare where he spearheads the development of cutting-edge treatments for people impacted by HIV

Justin Mullins (chair) is a consultant editor at New ¾«¶«´«Ã½

This free event is being run and funded by .

Read more about this topic in our Feature Article here: Unfinished business: ending the HIV epidemic  

Join acclaimed science communicator Jamie Gallagher, and the team behind New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Live, to explore how creativity can transform the way we share scientific concepts. This session offers invaluable insights into delivering compelling talks and designing captivating interactive stands for any setting. Learn the skills to connect with your audience, ensuring complex research becomes accessible, memorable and truly exciting.

Who should join?

• Public engagement professionals
• Science communicators
• Researchers involved in outreach
• Science speakers and demonstrators
• Anyone else interested in communicating STEM topics to a public audience

Benefits of joining

• Learn how to give engaging talks about complicated topics
• Find out how to present research in the most interesting and memorable way
• Discover how to have the greatest impact when exhibiting

About our speaker

Dr Jamie Gallagher is an engagement trainer and consultant who works with universities, charities, museums and professional bodies helping them to engage more effectively. Working full-time in public engagement for over a decade he has helped improve the reach, profile and impact in almost every academic discipline. Jamie is also a science communicator and can often be found on TV, radio or stage making research accessible..

2pm – 3pm (UK) Thursday 6 March 2025

Discover how to engage thousands of people through interactive experiences and effective science communication. At this lunchtime webinar, the events team behind New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Live will be joined by Engagement Consultant Dr Jamie Gallagher to share winning tips and strategies to make science sharable.

The team will explore how to break down complex topics into engaging and memorable experiences and showcase opportunities to be involved in New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Live 2025.

Who should attend?

• Public engagement professionals
• Science communicators
• Researchers involved in outreach
• Science speakers and demonstrators
• Anyone else interested in communicating STEM topics to a public audience

Benefits of attending

• Learn how to engage audience with complicated topics
• Find out how to present research in the most interesting and memorable way
• Discover how to have the greatest impact when exhibiting

About our speaker

Dr Jamie Gallagher is an engagement trainer and consultant who works with universities, charities, museums and professional bodies helping them to engage more effectively. Working full-time in public engagement for over a decade he has helped improve the reach, profile and impact in almost every academic discipline. Jamie is also a science communicator and can often be found on TV, radio or stage making research accessible.

We’ll explore how technologies like generative AI, quantum computing, and advanced robotics are driving tangible results in sectors from retail to manufacturing to healthcare. Beyond selection, we’ll dive into operational and financial considerations for seamless integration. From aligning with existing systems to managing change and measuring performance, you’ll gain a comprehensive playbook for leveraging innovation to future-proof your business. 

Whether you’re in finance, logistics, or consumer goods, this webinar will provide actionable insights and real-world examples to guide your next steps in tech investment.

On Demand Online Event

Are you passionate about sharing your work in STEM? Do you want to capture the imagination when explaining your love of science? Join the team behind New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Live to discover the secrets behind the UK’s biggest science show.

In this free virtual event, host Martin Davies (Head of Event Production, New ¾«¶«´«Ã½) will welcome science communicator and engagement consultant Dr Jamie Gallagher, as he reveals how to prepare memorable talks and interactive stands that leave a lasting impression. Martin will also be joined by colleague Jacqui Mccarron, as they explore what they look for when inviting speakers and selecting exhibitors for New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Live.

Jamie Gallagher is an award-winning freelance communicator and engagement professional with ten years’ experience in the delivery and evaluation of quality engagement projects. Working across dozens of institutions and subject areas he has helped improve the reach, profile and impact of research engagement in almost every discipline. Jamie is also a science communicator and can often be found on TV, radio or stage making research accessible.

Who should watch?

• Sci-Comms Professionals
• Public Engagement Officers
• Researchers involved with public engagement
• Science speakers and demonstrators
• STEM ambassadors
• Anyone else interested in communicating STEM topics to a public audience

Benefits of watching

• Learn about how New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Live communicates complicated ideas to a general audience
• Discover how to have the greatest impact when exhibiting
• Find out what makes a great science talk
• Learn how to amplify your message to a wider, underrepresented audience