Perspectives are essays that express our point of view on important topics. The topics range from the value of fundamental science to how to fund research to why we show up for work. Our perspectives are shaping the national and global debate on how to organise discovery.

  • The Spectator

    Science funding7 Jun

    The most valuable cargo

    As US science funding falters, Britain creating posts for top American researchers would be a win for science on both sides of the Atlantic.

  • Quanta Magazine

    Physics16 May

    The shape of physics

    Prof. Yang-Hui He explores geometry’s surprising impact on physics and their interplay through the ages on Quanta’s The Joy of Why podcast.

  • AI-assisted maths30 Oct 2024

    Launch of Irix

    The London Institute, which uses humans to speed up fundamental discovery, launches Irix, a company that harnesses machines to do the same.

  • The Spectator

    Russia & Ukraine11 Oct 2024

    Science needs Russians

    Like chess, theoretical research is an international game played in the language of patterns. Its intrinsic value transcends politics.

  • The times

    Russia & Ukraine11 Jun 2024

    Beyond politics

    Russia's brain drain is Britain’s gain. Yet the pursuit of knowledge, through global scientific collaboration, should transcend politics.

  • Nature

    AI-assisted maths14 May 2024

    Conjuring conjectures

    In a Nature World View piece, our director Thomas Fink argues that mathematics is an ideal testing ground for AI-assisted discovery.

  • The spectator

    Creativity16 Mar 2024

    Let's talk about science

    For its 225th birthday, our writer Thomas Hodgkinson hails the Royal Institution as proof of the vital importance of science communication.

  • Nautilus

    Creativity11 Jan 2024

    The art of blackboards

    In a piece in Nautilus, our scientists talk about why they prefer the 1,000-year-old technology of blackboards to their digital equivalents.

  • Nature

    AI-assisted maths9 Jan 2024

    A Birch for AI's back

    In a Nature correspondence, our scientists argue that, by the terms of "the Birch test", no AI has yet made a genuine mathematical discovery.

  • The telegraph

    Creativity5 Sep 2023

    Science goes pro

    Professional sport has a lot to teach scientists about pushing the limits of human achievement—so why are we still content to be amateurs?

  • Troitsky variant

    Russia & Ukraine23 Feb 2023

    Science without borders

    Our Arnold and Landau Fellowships continue a tradition of contact and collaboration between British and Russian scientists dating back to Newton.

  • opinions

    Science funding13 Feb 2023

    Accelerating science

    In a letter in The Times, our Director Thomas Fink argues that supporting independent research centres will accelerate discovery for Britain.

  • The times

    Physics & maths9 Dec 2022

    The beautiful game

    The beautiful game of mathematics, accelerating discovery by seeing patterns among the patterns, deserves a Nobel prize all of its own.

  • The Times

    Russia & Ukraine10 Oct 2022

    Landau lives on

    In the Thunderer column of The Times, Thomas Fink argues that Britain should open its doors to Russia’s top physicists and mathematicians.

  • Nature

    Russia & Ukraine6 Oct 2022

    Boost for British science

    In Nature, the London Institute argues that its five new Research Fellowships for Russian theorists will be a boost for British science.

  • The telegraph

    Russia & Ukraine1 Jul 2022

    History repeats itself

    The Royal Institution supported scientists fleeing 1930s authoritarianism. Now, thanks to our Arnold Fellowships, history repeats itself.

  • The telegraph

    Russia & Ukraine13 May 2022

    From Russia with math

    History suggests our new posts for physicists and mathematicians from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus will have an enduring impact on UK science.

  • LIMS

    Creativity21 Apr 2022

    Designing web design

    To mark our Webby nomination, we describe the design principles behind our website and how they evolved in tandem with the Institute itself.

  • the telegraph

    Org intelligence 7 Jun 2021

    Intelligent organisation

    Showing up for work makes organisations more intelligent, because it let’s workers switch between focus and interaction in an unplanned way.

  • The spectator

    Creativity7 Mar 2021

    Britain’s DARPA

    As the government creates its Advanced Research and Invention Agency, it could learn from the exceptional history of the Royal Institution.

  • LIMS

    Physics & maths23 Feb 2021

    Move to the Ri

    The London Institute has moved into the iconic Royal Institution, where it will expand its programme of curiosity-driven theoretical science.

  • SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT

    Science funding29 Jan 2021

    Independent science

    Supporting non-university research institutes with core funding will finally give aspiring researchers an alternative to a university job.

  • The guardian

    Science funding8 Dec 2020

    The value of theory

    From Newton to Maxwell to Penrose, Britain has always excelled at theoretical science—so why doesn't the government do more to support it?

  • The Spectator

    Science funding14 Mar 2020

    Back to basic science

    Basic science—the kind done without consideration of its usefulness—leads to the biggest breakthroughs, which is why we need to protect it.

  • Science|Business

    Science funding30 Jan 2020

    Taking back research

    In today’s Science|Business, the London Institute welcomes the prospect of a UK DARPA and calls for shorter turn-around times for funding.

  • Open access goverment

    Science funding5 Nov 2019

    Post-Brexit science

    EU funding favours applied research over basic science, but Brexit is a chance to redress the bias and protect curiosity-driven research.

  • Times Higher Education

    Science funding4 Apr 2019

    A new kind of science

    More independent research centres would provide an alternative to the university model of research, where teaching is bolted to science.