London is big. Really big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist, but that’s just peanuts to London.

Ok fine, that’s actually Douglas Adams talking about space – but you get the point. London is a big city with a lot going on. To the outsider (and to many insiders) it can feel difficult to really tap into everything that London has to offer. That’s why we’ve put together a events calendar for August, featuring a variety of interesting talks and exhibitions – all for £10 or less.

In chronological order…

– On now: Space Descent VR with Tim Peake at the Science Museum. Tim Peake is your guide for an out-of-this-world virtual reality mission that puts you in the pilot’s seat of a Soyuz capsule. (£7)

– 3rd March: Can Gender Equality Help Solve Climate Change? with Gresham College. Is gender equality a key factor in tackling climate change? Many think so, and in this lecture Environment Professor Jacqueline McGlade will explain why in relation to UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 is to ‘achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’. (Free)

– 6th – 8th March: Women of the World Marketplace at the Southbank Centre. This is no ordinary market – here stalls provide information, raise awareness, showcase work, offer workshops and sell wonderful items by women-led businesses. (Free) 

– 10th March: Zimbabwe: Living on the Edge with the Royal Geographical Society. Living on the edge, without the rule of law, is unimaginable to most people in the western world. We take it for granted. What is it like? (£5)

– 10th March: The World of AI-Powered Creativity at Conway Hall. Today’s computers are composing music that sounds “more Bach than Bach,”. But are computers truly creative—or are they merely tools to be used by musicians, artists, and writers? In this talk, Arthur I. Miller (UCL) takes us on a tour of creativity in the age of machines. (£5-8)

– 10th March: The Art of Maths with Gresham College. Mathematics and art are more similar than is commonly thought. Each is concerned with the process of being highly creative with abstract objects and of producing everlasting work of great aesthetic beauty. (Free)

– 12th March: The Past, Present and Future of Digital Mapping at the British Library. Maps have seemingly become mainstream but, argues Google’s Ed Parsons, their very nature is changing to reflect the more complex environments in which we live everyday life. The map of the future may not in fact be a map! (Free)

– 12th March: Mandem Don’t Cry: Deconstructing Grime, Race and Masculinity at the Barbican. Mandem present an insightful discussion on how modern masculinity is experienced and expressed by black men in the UK. (£8)

– 15th March: The Medicalisation of Love at Conway Hall. Is there a pill for love? What about an “anti-love drug”, to help us get over an ex? In this talk, Yale bioethicist Brian D. Earp will argue that certain psychoactive substances, including MDMA – the active ingredient in Ecstasy – may help ordinary couples work through relationship difficulties and strengthen their connection. (£5)

– 18th March: Flying Robots at the Wellcome Collection. Raphael Zufferey is a research scientist in aerial robotics. Join him to find out about biologically inspired robots and the role they can play in medicine and disaster responses. (Free) 

– 23rd March: Bloody Ivory: Artistic Endeavour to Endangered Species – David Hogg with the Royal Geographical Society. David demonstrates how the investigation of an ivory casket held at the V&A leads to fundamental questions on the ivory trade and the future of African and Asian elephants. (Free – £5)

– 28th March: Building Community through Composition at the Southbank Centre. Musician and composer Supriya Nagarajan advises on bridging gaps between diverse musical genres and cultures in an afternoon workshop. (Free)

– 30th March: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit with Gresham College. This lecture, based on a brand new book (Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit), uses the highest-quality evidence to propose a new solution that works for both business and society, and a simple framework to put it into practice. (Free but booking required).

We’ll share our April event calendar soon. If you have anything you’d like to add, please get in touch at hello@t-lis.org.