This week in 2009 – Sue Hartley’s RI Xmas Lectures broadcast
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Last updated: Monday, 19 December 2011

Professor Sue Hartley delivered her Royal Institution Christmas Lectures to an audience of young people at the RI's historic buildings in central London
This week in 2009, Professor Sue Hartley’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures were broadcast on national television.
Her talks on the 300-million-year war between plants and animals received rave reviews.
Here is an extract from the original article in the Bulletin published 18 December 2009:
Christmas lectures get rave reviews
Ecologist Professor Sue Hartley has been getting rave reviews for her Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, which she delivered to an audience of young people at the RI's historic buildings in central London this month.
The five lectures deal with the epic 300-million-year war between plants and animals, and how that conflict has shaped us and the world we live in.
Science writer Ed Yong described the reaction of the junior audience to the first lecture on his blog, 'Not Exactly Rocket Science': "So well-judged is Hartley's talk that they lap up every word with rapt attention. When she asks for volunteers, the kids go mental ...”
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