Science & Nature Courses in London & Online
Discover our Science and Nature programme which includes a wide range of courses and lectures across the fields of astronomy, geology, physics, human sciences, and habitats, ecology, conservation, and climate change.
Learn from Experts, Dive into Knowledge
Our courses are crafted to ignite curiosity and deepen understanding. Led by renowned tutors, including academic specialists, conservationists, archaeologists, and horticultural experts, our classes bring science to life in a way that is engaging, stimulating, and intellectually rigorous.
Discover the forces that shape our world, the evolution of life, and the challenges we face today. Whether through lectures, short courses, or in-depth multi-week studies, City Lit provides thought-provoking learning experiences tailored to your interests.
Find the course that sparks your curiosity and start your journey with us!
- Science Friday Lates: The Earth’s magnetic field: our invisible shield
Course start date: Fri 14 Nov 2025Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Louise HawkinsJoin Louise Hawkins for a deep dive into the invisible shield protecting us from the solar winds, the Earth’s magnetic field.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - The physics of timeCourse start date: Sun 16 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicWe'll explore the concept of time in everyday life, using the theories of special and general relativity, and also investigate its nature in the quantum world zooming out to the large scale Universe.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - How gravity shapes spacetime: exploring Einstein's theory of General Relativity Course start date: Sat 22 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary RetallickIn this course we explore the connection between mass, gravity and spacetime, arising out of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. We explore what gravity is through effects such as bending light and slowing down time.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Science Friday Lates with Radmila Topalovic: The Search for Life Beyond Earth Course start date: Fri 5 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
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 £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Earth's six major mass extinctions: an introduction Course start date: Sat 6 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Louise HawkinsAn introductory course on a long-term perspective of extinction events throughout earth’s history, reminding us of the fragility of the planet's ecosystems. Looking back over the last 450 million years of earth’s history we will go beyond the extinction of the dinosaurs to mass extinctions that were even more devastating.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Quantum physics: an introduction Course start date: Sun 7 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Radmila TopalovicLearn about the failure of classical mechanics (everyday laws of physics) to explain particle behaviour and the emergence of the quantum revolution. Consider interpretations of these unusual phenomena and the use of quantum physics in current technology.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Exploring the quantum world Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary RetallickEver wondered what quantum theory is? Are you baffled by relativity? Learn about the interpretations of quantum physics and what it means for our conception of reality.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £168.00 - Introduction to Geology II: How rocks are present in our every day life Course start date: Mon 9 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andres MesaThis course delves into the hidden geology behind modern civilization, from construction materials to energy resources and climate change.
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £90.00 - Science Friday Late: Asteroids, meteorites and comets: A geological survey Course start date: Fri 13 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Louise HawkinsTake a geological tour through our solar system to learn more about the asteroids, meteorites and comets that reside in it on this Science Friday Late.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - How Volcanos shape the EarthCourse start date: Sat 14 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Andres MesaThis one-day online workshop explores the powerful role of volcanoes in shaping our planet’s past, present, and future from a geological perspective. Whether you’re fascinated by natural disasters or curious about Earth’s fiery forces, this course will change how you see the ground beneath your feet!
Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - When stars collapse: the physics of black holes, from small to supermassive Course start date: Sat 14 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary RetallickBlack holes, created by the collapse of massive stars, are objects which curve space-time to such an extent that light itself cannot escape from them. We explore the compelling physics of these mysterious entities.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Garden History: Italian Renaissance Gardens Course start date: Sat 28 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Explore 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 - Botany: a taster Course start date: Sat 28 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Letta JonesJoin us for a one-day taster course to discover the breadth of the plant world and evaluate some common plants used for ornamental and medicinal purposes. The day will include a morning, classroom-based session at City Lit and an afternoon visit to explore plant life at Lincoln's Inn Fields.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Chemistry for Fun, Part 2: Inorganic: burning metals and choking gases!Course start date: Wed 4 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary RetallickWe look at how atoms combine, at the concept of the Mole, at the relationship between chemical reactions and energy, at the role of solvents, and at gases in the laboratory and in the atmosphere.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00 - Paleontology: An IntroductionCourse start date: Sat 7 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Louise HawkinsJoin us for an introductory workshop on paleontology, where we will explore fossils and the fossil record, covering how fossils form, the fossil record and how the fossil record has changed over time.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
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