Recipients of the Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society, for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science". It alternates between the physical sciences or mathematics and the biological sciences.
12 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryScienceFellows of the Royal SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyAphoristsWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentBurials at Westminster AbbeyForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesEnglish AnglicansEnglish people of Scottish descentFrench Roman CatholicsGerman LutheransHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican male non-fiction writersMembers of the French Academy of SciencesAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAmerican people of English descentEnglish agnosticsEnglish travel writersMembers of the Académie FrançaisePhilosophers of technologyRoyal Medal winnersSimple living advocates19th-century English writersCharles DarwinEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesMembers of the Order of MeritMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPeople associated with electricityRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsUniversity of Göttingen alumni18th-century classical composers19th-century British physicists19th-century German male musiciansAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of the University of EdinburghAmerican political philosophersBritish Nobel laureatesEnglish abolitionistsEnglish inventorsEnglish physicistsIndependent scientistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesUtilitariansVictorian writersÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century German composers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century Anglicans20th-century British biologists20th-century English mathematiciansActivists for African-American civil rightsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersBurials at Highgate CemeteryCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesDeaths from coronary thrombosisDiscoverers of chemical elementsEnglish activistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesExperimental physicistsFellows of Somerville College, OxfordFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeForeign members of the Royal SocietyGeorgistsGerman classical composersGerman travel writersGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourHonorary members of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Recipients of the Matteucci MedalHuman evolutionHumor researchersInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsKnights BachelorMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsMental calculatorsNobel laureates in ChemistryNobel laureates in PhysicsOptical physicistsRecipients of Franklin Medal18th-century American politicians, Signers of the United States Constitution, American Freemasons18th-century English people18th-century German LGBTQ people18th-century German astronomers18th-century keyboardists19th-century British chemists19th-century British writers19th-century English scientists19th-century French chemists20th-century British scientists20th-century English non-fiction writersAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeBritish biochemistsBritish botanical illustratorsBritish crystallographers, British biophysicists, 20th-century British chemistsBritish deistsBritish scientific instrument makersBritish scientists with disabilitiesCavendish Professors of PhysicsCircumnavigators of the globeClassical-period composersCorresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1917–1925)Creators of writing systemsEnglish ProtestantsEnglish scepticsFellows of the Royal Geographical Society, 19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London, Fellows of the Linnean Society of LondonForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesFrench scientists with disabilitiesGay scientistsGerman male classical composersHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghHuman geographersIndependent scholarsLinear algebraistsMagneticiansMaritime writersMasonic grand mastersMathematical physicists, British theoretical physicistsMembers of the Lincean AcademyMembers of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 20th-century British physicistsPeople from MonmouthshirePersons of National Historic Significance (Canada)Philosophers from MassachusettsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaRadio pioneersRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRecipients of the Dalton MedalTheoretical biologistsUniversity of Jena alumniWinners of the Max Planck MedalWomen Nobel laureatesWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston
Alfred Russel Wallace
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Victorian pioneer of evolutionary theory Alfred Russel Wallace.
21 March 2013
Featuring: Steve Jones, George Beccaloni, Ted Benton
HistoryFellows of the Royal SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalEnglish people of Scottish descentRoyal Medal winnersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish socialistsCharles DarwinVictorian writers20th-century British biologistsEnglish activistsGeorgists20th-century English non-fiction writersBritish botanical illustratorsBritish deists19th-century English scientists19th-century British writersPeople from MonmouthshireFellows of the Royal Geographical Society, 19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London, Fellows of the Linnean Society of LondonBenjamin Franklin
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of the scientist, writer, printer, diplomat and American founding father Benjamin Franklin.
1 March 2012
Featuring: Simon Middleton, Simon Newman, Patricia Fara
CultureFellows of the Royal SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about religion and scienceRecipients of the Copley MedalAphoristsAge of EnlightenmentHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican male non-fiction writersAmerican people of English descentSimple living advocatesPhilosophers of technologyPeople associated with electricityRhetoric theoristsAmerican political philosophersIndependent scientistsAmerican male journalistsHumor researchers18th-century pseudonymous writersActivists for African-American civil rightsAmerican slave ownersAmerican autobiographersAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of religionIndependent scholarsMasonic grand mastersPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaCreators of writing systemsPhilosophers from Massachusetts18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston18th-century American politicians, Signers of the United States Constitution, American FreemasonsCarl Friedrich Gauss
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas of Gauss, 'prince of mathematicians', including those on number theory, geometry, probability theory, astronomy and electromagnetism.
30 November 2017
Featuring: Marcus du Sautoy, Colva Roney-Dougal, Nick Evans
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesRecipients of the Copley MedalMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesGerman LutheransUniversity of Göttingen alumniMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Academic staff of the University of GöttingenMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesMental calculatorsCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesOptical physicists18th-century German astronomersLinear algebraistsDarwin: On the Origins of Charles Darwin
Melvyn Bragg presents a series about the life and work of Charles Darwin. Darwin's early life and time at Cambridge, where his interests shifted from religion to natural science.
5 January 2009
Featuring: Jim Moore, Steve Jones, David Norman, Colin Higgins
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalBurials at Westminster AbbeyMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesEnglish AnglicansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesEnglish agnosticsRoyal Medal winnersEnglish travel writers19th-century English writersRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Charles DarwinAlumni of the University of EdinburghUtilitariansEnglish abolitionistsIndependent scientists19th-century AnglicansDeaths from coronary thrombosisHuman evolutionTheoretical biologistsMembers of the Lincean AcademyCircumnavigators of the globeEnglish scepticsAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeFellows of the Royal Geographical Society, 19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London, Fellows of the Linnean Society of LondonDorothy Hodgkin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work, ideas and life of the woman who won the 1964 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work on the structures of vitamin B12 and penicillin.
3 October 2019
Featuring: Georgina Ferry, Judith Howard, Patricia Fara
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesRecipients of the Copley MedalForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesRoyal Medal winnersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish Nobel laureatesAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeBritish Nobel laureatesAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordFellows of Somerville College, Oxford20th-century British biologistsNobel laureates in ChemistryForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesBritish biochemistsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtWomen Nobel laureatesRecipients of the Dalton MedalBritish scientists with disabilitiesBritish crystallographers, British biophysicists, 20th-century British chemistsHumboldt
Melvyn Bragg discusses the Prussian naturalist and explorer, Alexander Von Humboldt. A hero in South America; Charles Darwin described him as ‘the greatest scientific traveller who ever lived’.
28 September 2006
Featuring: Jason Wilson, Patricia Fara, Jim Secord
ScienceFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGerman LutheransMembers of the French Academy of SciencesMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesUniversity of Göttingen alumniMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Members of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesIndependent scientistsForeign members of the Royal SocietyGerman travel writersHuman geographersGay scientists18th-century German LGBTQ peopleUniversity of Jena alumniLouis Pasteur
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of Louis Pasteur, microbiologist, developer of vaccines, saviour of the French beer and wine industries and preserver of milk.
18 May 2017
Featuring: Andrew Mendelsohn, Anne Hardy, Michael Worboys
ScienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesFrench Roman CatholicsMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesMembers of the French Academy of SciencesMembers of the Académie FrançaiseÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsForeign members of the Royal SocietyGrand Cross of the Legion of Honour19th-century French chemistsFrench scientists with disabilitiesMichael Faraday
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Michael Faraday, the most famous British scientist of the 19th century.
25 December 2015
Featuring: Geoffrey Cantor, Laura Herz, Frank James
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesWriters about religion and scienceRecipients of the Copley MedalMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesMembers of the French Academy of SciencesRoyal Medal winnersPeople associated with electricityRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)English inventors19th-century British physicistsEnglish physicistsOptical physicistsExperimental physicistsBurials at Highgate CemeteryEnglish Protestants19th-century British chemists19th-century English scientistsMagneticiansPaul Dirac
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Bristolian theoretical physicist, ranked alongside Einstein by his peers, who won a Nobel for his work on quantum mechanics.
5 March 2020
Featuring: Graham Farmelo, Valerie Gibson, David Berman
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeEnglish agnosticsRoyal Medal winnersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish Nobel laureatesAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenBritish Nobel laureatesNobel laureates in PhysicsInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholars20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish emigrants to the United StatesWinners of the Max Planck MedalForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesMembers of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 20th-century British physicistsMathematical physicists, British theoretical physicistsRutherford
Melvyn Bragg discusses Ernest Rutherford. He is seen as the father of nuclear science, a great charismatic figure who mapped the landscape of the sub-atomic world.
19 February 2004
Featuring: Simon Schaffer, Jim Al-Khalili, Patricia Fara
ScienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalBurials at Westminster AbbeyForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesEnglish Nobel laureatesBritish Nobel laureates19th-century British physicistsRecipients of Franklin MedalNobel laureates in ChemistryExperimental physicistsKnights BachelorDiscoverers of chemical elementsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeRadio pioneersAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterRecipients of the Dalton MedalPersons of National Historic Significance (Canada)Corresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1917–1925)20th-century British scientistsHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghCavendish Professors of PhysicsHonorary members of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Recipients of the Matteucci MedalMembers of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 20th-century British physicistsVoyages of James Cook
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the science behind Capt James Cook's three voyages of discovery, from 1768 to 1779, one of over a thousand ideas suggested by listeners.
3 December 2015
Featuring: Simon Schaffer, Rebekah Higgitt, Sophie Forgan
William and Caroline Herschel
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the pioneering brother and sister who, between them, discovered Uranus, comets, double stars and infrared light at the end of the 18th century.
11 November 2021
Featuring: Monica Grady, Carolin Crawford, Jim Bennett
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesRecipients of the Copley MedalMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGerman Lutherans18th-century classical composers19th-century German male musicians18th-century German composersGerman classical composers18th-century German astronomersClassical-period composersBritish scientific instrument makers18th-century keyboardistsGerman male classical composers