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Watch The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures: Is There Life Beyond Earth?

Watch The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures: Is There Life Beyond Earth?

Posted on 27 December 2025 • Science, maths, computing and technology, TV and radio

Starting on 28 December 2025, a new three-part OU/BBC series, The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures with Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, starts on BBC Four at 19:00 and available for catch up on BBC iPlayer. The 2025 lectures are titled: Is There Life Beyond Earth?

Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock begins her search for extraterrestrial life with an exploration of our nearest neighbour, and her favourite space rock, the Moon. She then continues her search for alien life with a Grand Tour of our Solar System, asking whether any other planets or moons out there could be habitable.

With the help of the world’s most powerful telescope, she ventures through the Milky Way and into the Universe beyond, on the hunt for alien worlds, celebrating 200 years of the Christmas Lectures.

The lectures were supported by OU academic, Dr Chiaki Crews, who provided expert knowledge during the development of the series.

Dr Crews commented on the series:

“It’s been an enormous privilege to be involved in this OU/BBC co-production of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures on their 200-year anniversary. Dame Maggie will cover a huge range of space-related topics in her lectures alongside some really exciting guests, and I hope that everyone enjoys the journey!

“Along with reviewing the draft scripts, it has been great fun to work with the OU Connect team to create content that showcases some of the STEM subjects you can study to end up working on space missions – there are many ways in which people can contribute, without becoming an astronaut!”

Supporting Online content:

Visit our Broadcast & Partnerships site OU Connect where you can choose your space mission, meet the scientists behind real discoveries, and explore careers in space science.

This series was commissioned by Broadcast & Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, with particular relevance to Q64 | BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences – Astronomy and Planetary Science pathway, S10 | Certificate in Astronomy & Planetary Science and F77 | MSc Space Science & Technology.