The Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture is a lecture series held annually in honour of English author and screenwriter Douglas Adams. The lecture has been held every year since 2003 in support of environmental charities, such as Save the Rhino International, with topics ranging from science to exploration, conservation and comedy. The event is traditionally held around Adams’ birthday on 11 March and currently takes place at The Royal Geographical Society.
The Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture returned in 2021 after a break of 4 years. It was held online due to the COVID-19 lockdown and included short film Socially Distanced Dirk based on the Netflix series Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency featuring actors Samuel Barnett and Hannah Marks.
Since 2021 the lecture has been hosted by comedian Rachel Wheeley with typically two guest speakers.
Douglas Adams Memorial Lecturer YearNameLecture title2003Richard DawkinsQueerer than we can suppose: the strangeness of science2004Robert SwanMission Antarctica2005Mark CarwardineLast Chance to See... Just a bit more2006Robert WinstonIs the Human an Endangered Species?2007Richard LeakeyWildlife Management in East Africa – Is there a future?2008Steven PinkerThe Stuff of Thought, Language as a Window into Human Nature2009Benedict AllenUnbreakable2010Marcus du Sautoy42: the answer to life, the universe and prime numbers2011Brian CoxThe Universe and Why We Should Explore It2012Lecture replaced by "The Douglas Adams Party" at London's Hammersmith Apollo2013Adam RutherfordCreation: the origin and the future of life2014Roger Highfield and Simon SinghThe Science of Harry Potter and the Mathematics of The Simpsons2015Neil GaimanImmortality and Douglas Adams2016Alice RobertsSurvivors of the Ice Age2021Baroness Susan GreenfieldThe Creative Mind: Insights into neuroscienceArvind Ethan DavidOn the Advisability of Writing Fan Mail2022Eleanor Jane Milner-GullandZFinding Optimism in a Time of Biodiversity CrisisFay ClarkThanks For All The Fish! A Deep-dive into Dolphin Cognition2023Jim Al-KhaliliJohn Lloyd References:
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