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 philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyAge of EnlightenmentAphoristsWriters about religion and scienceBurials at Westminster AbbeyMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesGerman LutheransEnglish AnglicansEnglish people of Scottish descentFrench Roman CatholicsHall 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 technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Royal Medal winnersSimple living advocates19th-century English writers19th-century German male musiciansAlumni of the University of EdinburghCharles DarwinEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsKnights BachelorMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesMembers of the Order of MeritMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPeople associated with electricityRhetoric theoristsUniversity of Göttingen alumniÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century classical composers19th-century British physicistsAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAmerican political philosophersBritish Nobel laureatesDiscoverers of chemical elementsEnglish abolitionistsEnglish inventorsEnglish physicistsForeign members of the Royal SocietyIndependent scientistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesUtilitariansVictorian writers18th-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 mathematicians20th-century English non-fiction writersActivists 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 thrombosisEnglish activistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesExperimental physicistsFellows of Somerville College, OxfordFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsGerman 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 scholarsMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsMental calculatorsNobel laureates in ChemistryNobel laureates in PhysicsOptical physicistsRecipients of Franklin MedalRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtWinners of the Max Planck Medal18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States Constitution18th-century English people18th-century German LGBTQ people18th-century German astronomers18th-century keyboardists19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London19th-century British chemists19th-century British writers19th-century English scientists19th-century French chemists20th-century British chemists, British biophysicists, British crystallographers20th-century British physicists, Members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences20th-century British scientistsAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeBritish biochemistsBritish botanical illustratorsBritish deistsBritish scientific instrument makersBritish scientists with disabilitiesBritish theoretical physicists, Mathematical physicistsCavendish Professors of PhysicsCircumnavigators of the globeClassical-period composersCorresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1917–1925)Creators of writing systemsEnglish ProtestantsEnglish scepticsForeign 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 mastersMembers of the Lincean AcademyPeople from MonmouthshirePersons of National Historic Significance (Canada)Philosophers from MassachusettsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaRadio pioneersRecipients of the Dalton MedalRecipients of the Order of the Medjidie, 1st classRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaTheoretical biologistsUniversity of Jena alumniWomen Nobel laureates
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
History20th-century British biologistsBritish botanical illustratorsMembers of the Order of Merit19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of LondonFellows of the Royal SocietyVictorian writersEnglish activistsBritish deistsPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century British writersEnglish socialists19th-century English scientistsCharles DarwinEnglish people of Scottish descentGeorgists20th-century English non-fiction writersRoyal Medal winnersRecipients of the Copley MedalBenjamin 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
CultureMasonic grand mastersFellows of the Royal SocietyHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesIndependent scholarsAmerican male non-fiction writersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of literatureAmerican deistsAge of EnlightenmentSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of technologyAmerican political philosophersActivists for African-American civil rightsWriters about religion and sciencePolitical activists from PennsylvaniaAphoristsRecipients of the Copley MedalRhetoric theoristsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences18th-century pseudonymous writersAmerican people of English descentAmerican philosophers of cultureHumor researchersAmerican male journalistsRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican philosophers of religion18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States ConstitutionPhilosophers from MassachusettsMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyPeople associated with electricityCreators of writing systemsWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of scienceAmerican slave ownersPhilosophers of historyAmerican autobiographers18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentSimple living advocatesIndependent scientistsAmerican philosophers of educationCarl 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 American Academy of Arts and SciencesLinear algebraistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesUniversity of Göttingen alumniAcademic staff of the University of Göttingen18th-century German astronomersHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMental calculatorsGerman LutheransMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesOptical physicistsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesRecipients of the Copley MedalRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Darwin: 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
ScienceEnglish travel writersTheoretical biologistsFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesEnglish AnglicansUtilitariansEnglish abolitionists19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of LondonBurials at Westminster AbbeyEnglish sceptics19th-century AnglicansRecipients of the Copley MedalAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeEnglish agnosticsCharles DarwinAlumni of the University of Edinburgh19th-century English writersCircumnavigators of the globeRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Members of the American Philosophical SocietyDeaths from coronary thrombosisMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMembers of the Lincean AcademyIndependent scientistsHuman evolutionRoyal Medal winnersDorothy 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
ScienceMembers of the Order of MeritFellows of the Royal SocietyForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesFellows of Somerville College, OxfordAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeBritish biochemistsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtNobel laureates in ChemistryRecipients of the Copley MedalFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesWomen Nobel laureatesAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordBritish Nobel laureatesRecipients of the Dalton Medal20th-century British biologistsForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesEnglish Nobel laureates20th-century British chemists, British biophysicists, British crystallographersBritish scientists with disabilitiesRoyal Medal winnersHumboldt
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
ScienceUniversity of Jena alumniHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences18th-century German LGBTQ peopleGerman LutheransGerman travel writersForeign members of the Royal SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesUniversity of Göttingen alumniHuman geographersGay scientistsMembers of the French Academy of SciencesRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Members of the Prussian Academy of SciencesMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesIndependent scientistsLouis 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
ScienceRecipients of the Order of the Medjidie, 1st classMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsFrench Roman CatholicsMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyMembers of the Académie Française19th-century French chemistsHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesForeign members of the Royal SocietyForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniMembers of the French Academy of SciencesFrench scientists with disabilitiesGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourRecipients of the Copley MedalMichael 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 SocietyMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesMagneticiansOptical physicists19th-century British physicistsEnglish physicists19th-century English scientistsExperimental physicistsWriters about religion and scienceRecipients of the Copley MedalFellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences19th-century British chemistsEnglish ProtestantsMembers of the French Academy of SciencesRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)People associated with electricityEnglish inventorsBurials at Highgate CemeteryMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesRoyal Medal winnersPaul 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
ScienceMembers of the Order of MeritBritish theoretical physicists, Mathematical physicistsFellows of the Royal SocietyAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesEnglish emigrants to the United StatesNobel laureates in PhysicsRecipients of the Copley MedalInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsEnglish agnostics20th-century British physicists, Members of the Pontifical Academy of SciencesBritish Nobel laureatesForeign members of the USSR Academy of Sciences20th-century English mathematiciansAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWinners of the Max Planck MedalEnglish Nobel laureatesRoyal Medal winnersRutherford
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
ScienceHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghPersons of National Historic Significance (Canada)Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences19th-century British physicistsKnights BachelorAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterBurials at Westminster AbbeyExperimental physicistsRecipients of Franklin MedalNobel laureates in ChemistryRecipients of the Copley MedalFellows of Trinity College, Cambridge20th-century British physicists, Members of the Pontifical Academy of SciencesRadio pioneersCorresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1917–1925)Honorary members of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Recipients of the Matteucci MedalBritish Nobel laureatesDiscoverers of chemical elementsRecipients of the Dalton MedalCavendish Professors of PhysicsMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEnglish Nobel laureates20th-century British scientistsVoyages 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 American Academy of Arts and Sciences18th-century German composersFellows of the Royal SocietyBritish scientific instrument makersGerman male classical composersClassical-period composers18th-century German astronomers19th-century German male musiciansHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGerman classical composersGerman LutheransMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences18th-century classical composers18th-century keyboardistsRecipients of the Copley Medal