Science and Nature courses online & in London
Spanning weekdays, evenings, and weekends, City Lit's Science and Nature programme offers a wide range of courses and lectures across the fields of astronomy, geology, physics, chemistry, botany and horticulture, and ecology, conservation, and climate change.
Our science and nature courses will help you understand how our planet, its ecosystems, and humanity, has evolved up to the present day and the challenges we now face, whether looking at the plant kingdom, the animal kingdom, or our own societies. Our courses, including lectures, day courses, and longer-term study over several weeks, aim to inform you of the issues that interest you.
Our courses are taught by experts in their fields.
All our courses are intellectually rigorous and stimulating. Our tutors come from a range of backgrounds, our tutors include academic experts, experienced educators, archaeologists, conservationists, horticultural experts, and renowned guides.
- The Geology of Everyday Life: Understanding Our PlanetCourse start date: Tue 17 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andres MesaAre you curious about the natural world around you? Ever wondered how mountains form, why coastlines look the way they do, or what lies beneath the ground you walk on? Join professional geologist Andres Mesa on this 6-week summer course to learn more about the geology of everyday life.
Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - Astrophysics: an introductionCourse start date: Sun 22 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicA short introduction to the science of astrophysics which explores the physics of stars, galaxies, planets and black holes, as well as theoretical topics such as solar system formation. The course is taught by Radmila Topalovic, who holds a degree in Physics with Astrophysics and a PhD in Astrochemistry. - Cosmology: a study of the UniverseCourse start date: Thu 26 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicA short introduction to the Universe in which we explore the Big Bang, the first stars and evolution of structure in the cosmos, ordinary and exotic matter and the future for the Universe. The course is taught by Radmila Topalovic, who holds a degree in Physics with Astrophysics and a PhD in Astrochemistry.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £77.00 - Science Friday Lates with Radmila Topalovic: Going back to the Moon: NASA's Artemis missionCourse start date: Fri 27 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicIn this interactive session we will discuss past, present and future missions to the Moon, in particular NASA’s Artemis mission and the plan to send people back to the Moon.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Garden History: Italian Renaissance Gardens
Course start date: Sat 5 Jul 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Nathalie PugetExplore the historical factors and the conditions which led to the creation of the Italian Renaissance Gardens in the 15th and 16th Centuries. Examine the technical developments and design approach as well as the wider socio economic context. The session will conclude with an assessment of the lasting impact of Italian Renaissance Gardens and our relationship with the natural environment.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - The Search for Life Beyond EarthCourse start date: Sun 6 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicThe origins of life continue to elude us here on Earth but maybe we can gain insights into the rarity of life by looking at our planetary neighbours, their moons and the vast population of exoplanets throughout our galaxy, the Milky Way.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Parallel Universes and the Multiverse – Science Fiction or Science Fact?Course start date: Fri 11 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Gary RetallickDo parallel universes exist? We will see how modern physics does not rule out this possibility and how some theories and observations may even imply that our universe is just one of many.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Searching for the ultimate particleCourse start date: Sat 12 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary RetallickThis course explores how the concept of the ultimate particle has shaped physics since 400 BCE: the idea of what we now call atoms is nearly 2,400 years old!Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Geohazards: Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunami’s - oh my!Course start date: Sat 12 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Louise HawkinsJoin us for an introductory weekend workshop so some of the natural disasters that affect millions of people each year and the geological processes that cause them. Tutor: Louise Hawkins.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Science Friday Lates: The Geology of MarsCourse start date: Fri 25 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Louise HawkinsJoin Louise Hawkins for a geological tour of the surface of Mars, the red planet, to learn about its rocks and what they tell us about how the planet has evolved over the last 4.5 billion years.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Nature Connection in the City: Nurturing Mental Well-Being with Urban Green Spaces Course start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Christopher CollierJoin us at Greenwich Park to explore the transformative power of nature in urban environments through a mix of informative content and participatory techniques. Meeting Point: the Sundial by the boating pond.
Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Beyond the Standard Model: supersymmetry in physicsCourse start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary RetallickCould Supersymmetry help to solve some of the mysteries of physics? Why do we even need to think about symmetry when doing physics? We will seek answers in the realm of squarks and sleptons.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - A taste of physics Course start date: Fri 12 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicGet a taste of the fundamental aspects of physics such as the nature of light, matter and energy and the physical laws governing the world around us and our universe. - The Changing Seasons: What to Look for in Autumn Course start date: Sat 20 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Chantal WoodunJoin us to explore the different species of plant and animal life that we can see during the transition from summer to autumn and learn how we can support nature at this time of year.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Forensic Science: Part I Course start date: Sat 27 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Judy JohnsonHave you ever wondered how crimes are solved? How can you prove a suspect is guilty or innocent? From the history of the crime scene to contemporary evidence, using practical activities and case studies, in this course you will discover the crime scene and how it is processed, reconstructed and investigated by forensic scientists.
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