7pm BST | 2pm EDT | 11am PDT

Join renowned eclipse chaser and astronomer Dr John Mason for a captivating 60-minute online talk exploring one of the decade’s most remarkable celestial events: the 2026 total solar eclipse. Combining expert insights with practical advice, this webinar is designed for anyone eager to witness and photograph totality at its most dramatic.

Discover the best places along the eclipse path, from the stark beauty of Greenland and Iceland to the coastlines of northern Spain and the Balearic Islands, as well as the prime location of central Spain. Dr Mason will guide you through the advantages and disadvantages of each location, whether observing from land or sea.

The talk will also cover how to prepare for and capture the eclipse in all its fleeting glory. Learn essential techniques for photographing totality, including equipment choices, timing, composition and how to avoid common pitfalls. For those in the UK, Dr Mason will also highlight how to safely observe and enjoy the partial phase of the eclipse.

Whether you are a seasoned photographer or a first-time eclipse watcher, this engaging session will inspire and equip you to experience the 2026 total solar eclipse to the fullest.

MEET THE EXPERT

Dr John Mason

John is the principal astronomy lecturer at South Downs Planetarium in the UK and a well-known “eclipse chaser” who has gained a reputation for his enthusiastic and inspirational lecturing style.

For more than 30 years, he has been leading overseas expeditions to observe and record natural phenomena such as annular and total solar eclipses, the polar aurora and major meteor showers in destinations all over the world.

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 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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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, Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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 Â鶹´«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