Richard Dawkins - CHRISTMAS LECTURES 1991 - Growing up in the Universe

The world-famous evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins presents the Royal Institution CHRISTMAS LECTURES in 1991.
Original broadcast live on the BBC, the series explored "our own growing knowledge of how life grows up in the universe."
This is the first lecture in the series entitled "Waking up in the Universe".
The Ri is on Twitter: / ri_science
and Facebook: / royalinstitution
and Tumblr: / ri-science
Our editorial policy: www.rigb.org/ho...
Subscribe for the latest science videos: bit.ly/RiNewsle...

[@meetghelani5222]

I'm from India and a graduate student studying physics. I just wanna say that if we had people like Richard Dawkins come and lecture us when we were children then the life ahead of me and other children would've been more better in terms of doing science and instilling the right curiosity in our minds. Thank You @TheRoyalInstitution for providing these lectures to us, means a lot.

[@Hr1s7i]

This dude knows how to keep people interested. Reminds me of my physics professors in uni. The dude would stop at nothing to keep students' attention on point. Once he even went as far as to balance on top of his desk, on a chair that was balancing on one leg, with him balancing on one leg on top of it. The old dude had his game plan worked out.

[@patriciapandore4052]

I was born in 2004 but i didn't met someone more educator than richard dawkins i hope i can meet him face to face someday

[@deepakramkhelabanyadav4712]

I love Richard Dawkins lectures. He always teach me something new.He thinks very different from everybody.

[@quinoline3865]

That baby in the front row is now at least 24 years old. I would like to hear his/her views about this lecture.

[@eerievibes6854]

I'm sure whoever it is would say I WAS A BABY I DONT REMEMBER YOU MORONS!!!lol

[@cursivespeaking]

I got you, fam. “Ma. Ma. Goo. Aghhhh. Eh.”

[@wnderer4365]

anyone saw cosmos possible world.. in the last episode Neil deGrasse Tyson holds a baby and tells it stories of the Cosmos..... i wonder what these two baby thinks about their childhood

[@RateOfChange]

30 years old and counting

[@jamesoverholt878]

Too much clapping, not baby-centric, no puppets, I liked the talky guy's shirt. Personally, I think 0-24 months is too young to really understand a Dawkins lecture.

[@bashkillszombies]

The Royal Institution Please, please, please dig up the rest of this series of lectures if you could! I'm sure I speak for millions of us when I say that I could sit through Richard Dawkins (who you ought to nominate for a knighthood, I might add--for his service to science--for those of us not living in the UK) talking about anything indefinitely.

[@ZER0--]

Go to the Ri Channel and you can watch all of them.....including Faraday's (I lie)

[@ShadowLink108]

Amazing lecture. It's truly wonderful and humble to learn the truth of our origins through science and biology. Much to be learned from this Christmas Lecture of Richard Dawkins

[@robinkhaira1]

just when i thought i had a good knowledge of evolution, Prof. Dawkins you taught me more. this is the beauty of science, you can never know all but you can always know more than you already know.

[@calicosky9863]

God damn, i've never enjoyed a science lecture in my life until this one

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

The full series of Christmas Lectures are available in full and for free on the Ri Channel.

[@jimadamson8563]

NOW you tell me!?

[@CHRISDABAHIA]

@@jimadamson8563No. They told you ten years ago….

[@33Crazydude]

Richard Dawkins was 50 when filming this, I think he looks 10 or 12 years younger

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

The series was called "Growing up in the Universe" and the first Lecture was called "Waking up..."

[@GetZappéd1974]

The music is loud, the voice is silent - why?

[@EvulDali]

I would love to see professor Dawkins do one of these in present day :)

[@sambrewer2306]

@Swipei Kool I was going to say the same. Videos are a way to look at the past in the present

[@KaitainCPS]

Wouldn't happen now, because the theists and postmodern anti-science brigade have hijacked the public sphere of discourse to recast Dawkins as a villain.

[@ronhoek69]

I was just 22 when we got BBC tv in The Netherlands and I remember watching this.

[@benstevinson764]

❤ RICHARD DAWKINS and SCIENCE 🧬🔬⚗️🧪🧫📡

[@kolombijec]

Such a privilege to listen to mr.Dawkins’ presentations...so well spoken, educated, articulate, just smart..

[@mrkeefor]

Always look forward to these lectures at Christmas.

[@unname8486]

This is underrated.

[@blake6636]

Utterly fascinating. :)

[@victora.delima415]

This was amazing. I would've given him a standing ovation had I been there.

[@nkosinathilinda904]

Same. I felt like the kids knew how special the lectures were because you could see how captivated some of them were but were just not part of that culture of giving standing ovations. Amazingly done by Dr Dawkins 🙌🏾 I wasn't born when these lectures were given, but I'm glad I found them too.

[@alexisjuillard4816]

i'll probably give him a standing ovation alone in my room at the end of the series lol the man has that effect on me he is one of the most talented orators i know and when he speaks of things he is passionate about he is mesmerising. the only speaker who is clearly even more gifted is hitchens, the guy could get a standing ovation from me after reading the notice in a box of pills

[@JohnnyMagorish]

looks young for 50!

[@ZER0--]

Now you mention it....yes

[@ActionJackson669]

Very true, his age has caught up with him these days though 😅😅😬😬😬. Although it makes a lot of sense, after all he is really getting old these days. If he was 50 here in 1991,;that would mean he is 80 now, or perhaps , 79 if he hadn't had his birthday yet. But he still kicking and active today, still giving lectures and going on podcasts. He recently went on Neil DeGrasse Tyson's podcast, "Star Talk," which is definitely one of my favorite podcasts, other than Joe Rogan's podcast. I like them for different reasons, I mean I love when Joe brings in scientists

[@daveboyd2271]

Must have good genes!

[@JohnnyMagorish]

Haha, well, of course he has a lot of connections in the industry

[@Terrestrial_Biological_Entity]

​@@daveboyd2271lol

[@PinoyWestLondonBoyEscapes]

Thank you very much Dr Richard Dawkins.

[@davidevans3227]

such a fantastic resource thankyou

[@glutinousmaximus]

Amazing to think that this presentation is now more than a quarter century old!

[@Rico-Suave_]

Watched all of it, great lecture

[@shabana7650]

I love you Dr. Dawkins....❤️

[@GetZappéd1974]

So he failed. He wanted you to get a crush on science.

[@jadeyfamous]

My favourite man. so privileged to have met him a few times! The people coughing REALLY annoys me.

[@herauthon]

it feels like they think they are in Church... and dare not to breath more it might be vanity to do so..

[@migattenogokui1306]

I religiously believe that if we actually had this kind of Christmas tradition worldwide we would be presently at peace ✌

[@dayzgameplayz]

I beg you put this on iTunes so I can watch these more interesting lectures while in my crappy lectures xD Pleaseee!?

[@barrysmale8060]

Excellent.

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

Hi. Let us know what problems you are experiencing (and where you are based). We are keen to bug fix for viewers based away from the UK.

[@MahimaSaxena]

I love the way young Prof. Richard Dawkins gently holds the baby. It moves me.

[@VIpown3d]

I hope when Im his age, I'll still be referred to as a young man

[@akshat9252]

lucky baby lol. Now 33

[@louisehaley5105]

How I envy that baby !

[@miscellaneous.7127]

That was a great lecture. Professor Dawkins is a genius. unlike creationists.

[@typingcat]

If it were a Creationist lecture, it would have taken a few minutes. "The Bible says god created all animals in current forms. The end. What, you don't believe me? You are going to hell. "

[@nkosinathilinda904]

I wonder if any of those kids became scientists 🤔 I wasn't even born then🤣🤣Wow, these lectures are special 🙌🏾

[@feldinho]

I was thinking about ham and eggs! Richard Dawkins is clearly a psychic!!! @ 53:30

[@LetsPlaywithBronies]

Wouldn't be watching these unless it was for Cosmos :D

[@papaversomniferum5247]

Lmao same here! I saw forest background during that episode, and found it the most intriguing to watch first!

[@rav8149]

I found it way before cosmos

[@yoshtg]

for those who think: "why does she bring the baby to the lecture" well, back then there was no internet, not smartphone, not an easy way to rewatch such a lecture. so if you wanted to see it you had to go there yourself

[@osephdotnet]

This was broadcast on television and VCRs existed. Give your head a wobble...

[@annefrank7820]

WHAT A HANDSOME MAN, almost as handsome as hermione granger

[@kosmar]

evolution for christmas. brilliant.

[@yankumar5280]

thanks for sharing The Royal Institution

[@CursedCommentaries]

Time stamp guy your my only hope!

[@JesusSavesBro]

That baby is about a year younger than I was am. I wish Dawkins would have held me when I was a baby.

[@karlbridge6842]

Who takes a baby? A woman who's been asked to do so because the infant is part of the lecture! Perhaps you should watch the lecture before commenting?

[@papaversomniferum5247]

Karl Bridge he still should suffocate the baby regardless, along with the inconsiderate mother. If u want a baby in the show, put it in a sound proof cage and leave it until ready for the show

[@sultanumer590]

Karl Bridge Why not keep the baby in the back until needed like other prop's.Fcuking ruined it all.

[@sultanumer590]

You must be dad!

[@EleanorPeterson]

@@sultanumer590 - You miss Faraday's point entirely. The Royal Institution Lectures aren't supposed to be super-slick media presentations for smartarse twenty-something dickheads who spend their time playing online computer games. They're pitched at school children who like asking questions. They're also for people who aren't afraid to be left alone with their own thoughts and who aren't put off by distractions and who don't have the attention-span of a gnat; they're about content, not packaging. If they were presented from America there'd probably be teams of experts grooming the presenters on their 'people skills'; there'd be no children in the audience; there'd be flashy graphics and glossy props and all kinds of stage-managed distractions. Oh, and wall-to-wall US flags. I'm delighted that people like you disapprove of the ancient format. It shows that it's still doing things right.

[@Dazzletoad]

I just love it. Professor Dawkins is an inspiration.

[@MsJavaWolf]

That canon ball experiment at the end still requires some guts. It's true, that in an ideal setting the ball will never hit your face, but if there is human error involved, meaning that you give the ball just a little push while releasing it, it will hit you.

[@alejandromartin1414]

Pure Gold!

[@EleanorPeterson]

I'd love to be able to say, "I'm Hannah!" but I can't. I'm not. One thing's for sure: Faraday would have been THRILLED to know that she was in the audience. The Christmas Lectures are intended to be child-friendly, not dour presentations for full-time adult students with looming exams. Distractions and diversions are all a part of the experience; audience participation is encouraged, things can go wrong, but the overall lecture isn't meant to be a slick multi-media sales-and-marketing presentation. Such a 'Disney' approach wouldn't work. Gurgling babies may not be 'professional', but Hannah would certainly have got kids asking questions; and THAT'S what Faraday would have cared about. Yay, Hannah.

[@realjuancho]

I bet the baby bit isn't staged at all, and Dawkins just winged it

[@sbellaharris]

Professor Dawkins is about the same today, 20 years did not leave too much signs on him.

[@alexisjuillard4816]

true... but it pains me to see how he has aged and weakened since you've written that comment... vhis mind is still sharp but his body is failing him, his health decreasing, when he dies i'll probably cry... the only thing that comforts me is the though he could have been born 50 years earlier and we wouldn't have his legacy in such an easily accecible way

[@YashKMusic]

"Put your faith in the scientific method" 🙏

[@jamescarroll5215]

Pure genius.

[@saurabhsingh1255]

what an intelligent man.

[@varnamohan2629]

How handsome he is😍😍😍😍😍

[@alancarlossilveirapinto5143]

Amazing!

[@geraldhills41]

A genius of our time !

[@sundeutsch]

His voice today is the same as 30 years back.

[@Bobsend]

If they ever make a movie about Professor Dawkins the actor Matthew Rhys should play the part, he looks the double of him.

[@Viniter]

This is the first Christmas Lecture given after I was born. :-)

[@HDitzzDH]

People say he's very young here but you gotta remember he's around 50 years old here lol.

[@gsmadmax100]

A worm fuzzy Dawkins ! LOVE IT :)

[@MajorazMasta]

Is there any reason why the other past lectures haven't been uploaded to this channel in full? I understand they're on the Royal institution website but don't you think it's more important that the content is available for viewing where it will reach the largest audience (i.e. here on KZbin)? I simply do not understand why they're not on here, the Christmas lectures are the main thing I was expecting to find when I found this channel.

[@TheMysticshroom]

it plays for a minute then freezes for a while, Pausing does not make it buffer ahead. it doesn't seem to play smoothly through. although i did find the videos on youtube from another user so if anyone wants them they are out there for non uk users.

[@perkeyser2032]

"I felt the wind of it!" That's exactly what I will say, in the future, to anyone who's just flapping he's gums. Brilliant! :)

[@Anicius_]

4:56 him smiling at the baby is cute..

[@NeuroPulse]

I was about the age of that little audience member in the front when this was done. Yes, the one crying there.

[@Ziigey]

Wow, Richard looks so young!

[@sundeutsch]

I just wonder how someone can deny evolution. It has all the evidence.

[@TheAnonCritique]

I like his work more before year 2000, where there are less idiots wasting his time in "debating" whether evolution is true or not, but doing more presentations of HOW evolution works and the research we can do to find out more. That's why the Selfish Gene is by far his most important book (actually about biology) than The God Delusion, wasting his valuable time on correcting ignorant apologetics.

[@Illstatefishing]

Amazing Lecture!!

[@jwpekin]

Are entries still open for the competition?

[@Tularis]

Where can we see all of the past Christmas Lectures?

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

+Tularis You can watch lots on here, and we're hoping to add more soon: richannel.org/christmas-lectures

[@Tularis]

+The Royal Institution Thanks! I love what you do! And I loved the 2012 Christmas Lectures. There needs to be more Science on the TV especially Chemistry!

[@weldin]

+Tularis Breaking Bad.

[@Tularis]

Breaking Bad isn't very educational (Scientifically) and doesn't explain much in way of chemistry, Scientifically ...

[@sundeutsch]

I feel like visiting Oxford to see him.

[@chefwindquest1048]

This lecture is from 1991 and still today people are thinking “hey lady, take the baby outside already!”

[@ThePixel1983]

No, we're thinking "hey, watch at least the first 20 minutes and you'll know!". Also, you are writing like this was prehistoric times

[@RhysWW1]

Loved these! It's sad how they are so dumbed-down now. They used to be interesting to older children and adults alike... Now they seem to be aimed at 5yr olds. Says a lot about the way society is going I think.

[@polanve]

Love how the girl rolls her eyes at the corporate sponsor!

[@mahmoudabdu4365]

I am very curious to know where is Hananh now (min 17:30).

[@louisehaley5105]

48:00 - I love how even then, the Professor was taking a jab at religion.

[@GetZappéd1974]

I'd rather see it as a car driver who's view through the windshield is obscured by BS or IS (Insect Sh!t) and he has to switch on the wipers.

[@StaticLinuxpro]

I love the computer in the lecture.

[@leonarderasmus6119]

24:26 she is today almost the same age as Dawkins was in this video.

[@atticusjones]

That baby is 30 now. 20 years younger than dawkins was in this video.

[@ModestNeophyte]

Wow I was in the first grade and I remember having the best Christmas that year. I was missing one of my front teeth as well. Heh.

[@Antzehel]

Only the Doctor can speak babies! Dawkins is also a timelord!! i knew it all along.

[@myunghm]

The tape mode makes me appreciate the digital era! KZbin

[@sundeutsch]

Richard Dawkins is one of the most evolved humans ever.

[@milkdoubt8837]

whats the name of the title music

[@lhoussaineelyousfi8691]

Good video

[@Tonjevic]

For me, it doesn't even play. It fails to begin and complains: "Server not found: rtmpt://theri.bc-s.cdn.bitgravity (dot) com:80/cdn"

[@lhoussaineelyousfi8691]

Nice video

[@stonehouseguitars3869]

Imagine day 1 of your televised special and some woman brings in a huge bawling baby and sits right in front

[@PureGonzo]

I was thinking "who would take such a small child to this lectures". :-)

[@Abhijot251209]

Why not?

[@PureGonzo]

@@Abhijot251209 Why not "who"?

[@johnratcliffe6191]

The baby is very fitting, for the subject matter.

[@ThatisnotHair]

Never knew he was this handsome even at 50

[@Stormlordau]

That screaming baby grew up to be Bill O'reilly 😅

[@FelixDaHousecat11]

Unintentional ASMR right here

[@sorryifoldcomment8596]

I love this, but what BBC Exec let an infant that close to the mic? I hope that infant was like, related to one of the people in charge lol. I can't imagine any other conceivable reason they'd compromise their own recording like that...

[@ThePixel1983]

You didn't watch to minute 18, did you?

[@TrewLight]

I just found out that Brits use to call a trillion a billion (million million) because billion = bi-million. I was wondering why these lecturers kept prefacing 1,000 million as the American billion. It’s another example of the British conforming to American ideas. Maybe we should adopt the kilometer to balance things out

[@sakuwagtail8743]

This is also a thing in finnish! The american billion in finnish is miljardi, and trillion is biljoona. It's quite weird haha

[@lokeshgsadhmaya5499]

That baby is me. And that's my belief and faith.😂

[@JohnDlugosz]

but your servers are lacking. I can't watch, as it goes for a minute then freezes for a while, another minute and then wait some more, etc. No download button. Pausing does not make it buffer ahead. Useless.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

back in the 1990s when common sense was still a thing :)

[@akshat9252]

18:30 whoa that baby is one lucky one. Now she is 33 probably