14th Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture, March 10th 2016

The 14th Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will be presented by Professor Alice Roberts and will take place at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday March 10th, 2016.

2014 Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture

This year's lecture is March 11th at 7:30pm. For more information please visit this page at Save The Rhino: The Science of Harry Potter and the Mathematics of The Simpsons

This year's lecture will explore a theme close to the hearts of many of Douglas' fans. We will be exploring science in fiction, taking a closer look at two popular fictional worlds - Harry Potter and the Simpsons - and exploring the science within.

Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture 2013

This year's Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will be from Dr Adam Rutherford and will take place on March 12, 2013 at 6:30 p.m (for 7:30 p.m. start) at the Royal Geographical Society in London. For full details and booking information, please visit the Save The Rhino Events page.

Dr Adam Rutherford is a scientist, writer and broadcaster. He completed his doctorate in genetics at University College London in 2002. Since then he has worked at the science journal Nature, as an editor and filmmaker. Adam is also a presenter for the BBC. On Radio 4 his work has included programmes on MMR and autism, human evolution, the influence of astronomy on art and literature and most recently Extinct!, a three-part series on the current and great mass extinctions of the past.

FINAL REMINDER: Brian Cox to Host Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture

Look To The Stars.org has a feature on the upcoming Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture, to be presented by "Rock star physicist" Professor Brian Cox.

Although Adams died unexpectedly in 2001 at the age of 49, the Memorial Lectures – held every year since 2003 – continue to explore the themes in which he was so interested, and help support both Save the Rhino International and the Environmental Investigation Agency, two charities championed by the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” author.

Douglas was moved to take action for wildlife conservation during a 1985 visit to Madagascar. His dedication to the cause resulted in the book “Last Chance to See” highlighting the plight of species facing extinction.

The Ninth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place at The Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday 10 March 2011, 7.30pm.
Photo Credit: Vincent Connare

EVENT: Rhino Mayday 2011

From Save The Rhino.org...

Rhino Mayday 2011

Wednesday 4 May 2011, 10.30 - 17.00

Huxley Conference Theatre, ZSL London Zoo

Tickets: £15

We are delighted announce that Save the Rhino will once again be organising Rhino Mayday. The event is intended as information-sharing and awareness-raising event for anyone with an interest in rhino conservation. We will have experts from many different areas of rhino conservation, from project field staff and conservation charities to academics and zoo personnel.

Confirmed speakers for this year's event include:

• Professor Mike Bruford, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University


• Peter Carr, Editor, Sporting Rifle


• Maggie Esson, Education Programmes Manager, Chester Zoo


• John Gripper, Chairman, Sebakwe Black Rhino Trust


• Jasper Humphreys, Director of External Affairs, The Marjan Centre for the Study of Conflict and Conservation, King’s College London


• Inspector Nevin Hunter, Chief Wildlife Inspector, Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service at Animal Health


• Mark Jones, Programmes Director, Care for the Wild International


• Felix Patton


• Rebecca Perry, Conservation Officer, Colchester Zoo


• Simon Tonge, EAZA Chair & Executive Director, Paignton Zoo


• Berry White


• ZSL

*Speakers subject to change

The 2011 Rhino Mayday will be held on Wednesday 4 May in the Huxley Conference Theatre, ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park, London (ZSL have, once again, kindly agreed to provide the venue free of charge).

Tickets cost £15 and can be purchased online from Save the Rhino’s website, by emailing events@savetherhino.org or by calling 020 7357 747.

For more information, visit www.savetherhino.org

Thanks to Events Manager Jo Paulson for the tip.

REMINDER: Brian Cox to Host Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture

Look To The Stars.org has a feature on the upcoming Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture, to be presented by "Rock star physicist" Professor Brian Cox.

Although Adams died unexpectedly in 2001 at the age of 49, the Memorial Lectures – held every year since 2003 – continue to explore the themes in which he was so interested, and help support both Save the Rhino International and the Environmental Investigation Agency, two charities championed by the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” author.

Douglas was moved to take action for wildlife conservation during a 1985 visit to Madagascar. His dedication to the cause resulted in the book “Last Chance to See” highlighting the plight of species facing extinction.

The Ninth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place at The Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday 10 March 2011, 7.30pm.
Photo Credit: Vincent Connare

Ninth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Brian Cox

News from the Save the Rhino website. The Ninth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place at The Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday 10 March 2011, 7.30pm.

The lecture will be given by Professor Brian Cox.

For tickets (which cost £15) please contact jo@savetherhino.org, online, or call +44 020 735 7474

Professor Brian Cox began his career not as a physicist but as a rock star, most notably as part of the band D’Ream, whose song ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ was famously used by Tony Blair as the Labour Party election song in 1997. During the D’Ream years, Brian obtained a first class honours degree in physics from the University of Manchester and a PhD in High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg.

In 2010, Brian received an OBE for his services to Science. Brian was granted a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in 2005 and in 2009 became Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester. He works at the CERN laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider.

Brian also writes for various publications including New Statesman, The Telegraph, Sun and Times. His book ‘Why Does E=mc2?’ (Da Capo USA and Perseus UK) was published in 2009. Brian’s ability to present science in an engaging manner makes him a popular television presenter & radio broadcaster. His credits include the recent series, Wonders of the Solar System (BBC2, 2010).

Photo Credit: Vincent Connare

Last Chance To See Event: Last Chance for Tickets

This month's Save The Rhino newsletter reminded us that there's only a few tickets left for this special event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Tuesday October 27th. Presented by Save The Rhino, join Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine as they update us on their adventures filming and the experience of tracking species on the edge of extinction for the Last Chance To See TV series. The event starts at 7.30pm, and doors open at 6.30pm.

Eighth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Marcus du Sautoy on "42"

According to their website and the latest issue of Save The Rhino's "The Horn" newsletter, The Eighth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place on Thursday, March 11th, 2010. (Douglas Adams' birthday)

The lecture will be given by Oxford Professor of Mathematics Marcus du Sautoy on the very Douglas Adams-ie subject of "42". Proceeds will go towards Save the Rhino International and the Environmental Investigation Agency.

For tickets (which cost £15) please contact Fiona Macleod for tickets, phone +44 (0)20 7357 7474.

Marcus du Sautoy is the Charles Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of New College. He has been named by the Independent on Sunday as one of the UK's leading scientists. In 2001 he won the prestigious Berwick Prize of the London Mathematical Society awarded every two years to reward the best mathematical research made by a mathematician under 40. In 2004 Esquire Magazine chose him as one of the 100 most influential people under 40 in Britain and in 2008 he was included in the prestigious directory Who’s Who.

Marcus du Sautoy writes for the Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent and the Guardian and is frequently asked for comment on BBC radio and television. He has a regular column in the Times called Sexy Maths.

Photo Credit: Niall McDiarmid

FINAL REMINDER: 7th Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Benedict Allen

**FINAL REMINDER REPOST**

In aid of Save The Rhino, the Seventh Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place on March 11, 2009. The speaker this year will be explorer and broadcaster Benedict Allen.

I first became aware of Benedict when he presented his inspiring 1997 "video diary" style documentary series "The Skeleton Coast" in which he trekked through the Namib desert with three grouchy camels. He followed that trip with a 3000 mile trek across the Mongolian Gobi desert in "The Edge of Blue Heaven".

Benedict is a sometime guest, and sometime presenter on BBC Radio 4's "Excess Baggage". Here he is in an appearance from 2006: The Adventurer's Spirit in the Face of Adversity.

These days, Benedict is known for his Channel Five TV series Unbreakable...

in which eight athletes are pushed to their mental and physical limits, explorer Benedict Allen takes a look at what helps keep any of us going in the face of disaster.

As to the lecture itself...

It’s an exciting and often humorous talk which draws on his vast experience of survival in jungles and deserts and the Arctic, by himself and others who live at the extremes.

Please e-mail fiona@savetherhino.org for tickets, which cost £15.

7th Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Benedict Allen

**REMINDER REPOST**

In aid of Save The Rhino, the Seventh Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place on March 11, 2009. The speaker this year will be explorer and broadcaster Benedict Allen.

I first became aware of Benedict when he presented his inspiring 1997 "video diary" style documentary series "The Skeleton Coast" in which he trekked through the Namib desert with three grouchy camels. He followed that trip with a 3000 mile trek across the Mongolian Gobi desert in "The Edge of Blue Heaven".

Benedict is a sometime guest, and sometime presenter on BBC Radio 4's "Excess Baggage". Here he is in an appearance from 2006: The Adventurer's Spirit in the Face of Adversity.

These days, Benedict is known for his Channel Five TV series Unbreakable...

in which eight athletes are pushed to their mental and physical limits, explorer Benedict Allen takes a look at what helps keep any of us going in the face of disaster.

As to the lecture itself...

It’s an exciting and often humorous talk which draws on his vast experience of survival in jungles and deserts and the Arctic, by himself and others who live at the extremes.

Please e-mail fiona@savetherhino.org for tickets, which cost £15.

Video: Douglas Adams - Parrots, the Universe and Everything

One of the very first posts I made on this blog, back in 2004, was about this wonderful Douglas Adams lecture entitled "Parrots, The Universe and Everything", which is mostly about "Last Chance To See". At the time, it was only available as a fairly low quality stream, direct from the University of California Television website. It is still available at UCTV, but now, through the magic of YouTube (which didn't even EXIST in 2004), I can present it for your enjoyment right here. ENJOY!

This report from the Daily Nexus Online describes the lecture, and how it was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience of some 800 people.

Very sadly, this is one of the last public appearances by Douglas, as he would tragically die the following month. Still so very sadly missed.

7th Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Benedict Allen

In aid of Save The Rhino, the Seventh Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place on March 11, 2009. The speaker this year will be explorer and broadcaster Benedict Allen.

I first became aware of Benedict when he presented his inspiring 1997 "video diary" style documentary series "The Skeleton Coast" in which he trekked through the Namib desert with three grouchy camels. He followed that trip with a 3000 mile trek across the Mongolian Gobi desert in "The Edge of Blue Heaven".

Benedict is a sometime guest, and sometime presenter on BBC Radio 4's "Excess Baggage". Here he is in an appearance from 2006: The Adventurer's Spirit in the Face of Adversity.

These days, Benedict is known for his Channel Five TV series Unbreakable...

in which eight athletes are pushed to their mental and physical limits, explorer Benedict Allen takes a look at what helps keep any of us going in the face of disaster.

As to the lecture itself...

It’s an exciting and often humorous talk which draws on his vast experience of survival in jungles and deserts and the Arctic, by himself and others who live at the extremes.

Tickets cost £15 and are on sale in January.

Please e-mail fiona@savetherhino.org to be notified when tickets go on sale.

Sixth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - With Live Hitchhikers Performance

REMINDER: The Sixth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place next week at the Royal Geographic Society in London, on Wednesday 12th March 2008.

The lecture will be presented by psychologist Steven Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His subject will be "The Stuff of Thought, Language as a Window into Human Nature".

The lecture will be followed by a very special LIVE 30th anniversary performance of material from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio scripts which will hopefully reunite many original cast members such as...

Simon Jones as Arthur Dent
Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect
Mark Wing Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox
Susan Sheridan as Trillian
Roger Gregg as Eddie
Stephen Moore as Marvin The Paranoid Android
With a Very Special Guest as the Voice Of The Book

Proceeds from the event will go towards Save The Rhino, including the auction of a rare handcrafted model of Vogon Commander Kwaltz from the Hitchhikers Guide movie.

Also raising money for Save The Rhino are the team of runners in training for the RAW Africa ultra-marathon this April. Apparently one of their members has been spotted roaming around Hyde Park, dressed in his Save The Rhino suit. Check out the video evidence...

Sixth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - With Hitchhikers Bonus!

REMINDER: The Sixth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place at the Royal Geographic Society in London, on Wednesday 12th March 2008.

The lecture will be presented by psychologist Steven Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His subject will be "The Stuff of Thought, Language as a Window into Human Nature", with proceeds going to Save The Rhino.

And in some exciting new news, the lecture will be followed by a very special LIVE 30th anniversary performance of material from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio scripts which will hopefully reunite many original cast members such as...

Simon Jones as Arthur Dent
Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect
Mark Wing Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox
Susan Sheridan as Trillian
Roger Gregg as Eddie
Stephen Moore as Marvin The Paranoid Android
With a Very Special Guest as the Voice Of The Book

Stephen Fry?

Sixth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture

The Sixth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place at the Royal Geographic Society in London, on Wednesday 12th March 2008.

The lecture will be presented by psychologist Steven Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His subject will be "The Stuff of Thought, Language as a Window into Human Nature". As always, proceeds will go to Save The Rhino.

Fifth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Video Report

On Thursday 15 March 2007, Dr Richard Leakey presented the Fifth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture which was entitled "Wildlife management in East Africa – Is there a future?". Here's a video report as posted on YouTube.

Douglas Adams Memorial Debate 2007

The 2007 Douglas Adams Memorial Debate will take place on Thursday 3rd May at the Apollo West End, London. It is part of the 6th Annual International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film. It is subtitled "From Star Wars to the Battle of Ideas - Is science fiction good for public debate?".

Comedian and writer Mark Stevenson will get the ball rolling with a stand-up routine.

Science fiction often tells us more about social attitudes and anxieties than science itself, and can be a spur for debate about everything from genetics to consciousness, from war to climate change. Sci-fi can move people to engage in science, inspiring young people to become scientists, and encouraging the general public to debate the consequences of science for society. It can also frighten us, making us wary of new technology and its unintended consequences. Is this all to the good, or do

Writers and filmmakers often take their inspiration from science and ask 'what if…?', but when it comes down to it, they have few qualms about ditching scientific accuracy in favour of gripping narrative. Does it matter how much actual science gets into sci-fi, as long as it gets people talking? Do writers and directors have a responsibility to make their science accurate?

Should 'proper' sci-fi deal with hard science rather than 'issues'? Or should we stop worrying and just enjoy it?

Mountain Gorillas: Baby born last month

CBS.com is one of many sites covering the news that a baby Mountain Gorilla was born in Congo on Februry 17th. Hurray!

The tiny gorilla, named Ndeze, was born Feb. 17 in Congo's Virunga National Park, home to some of the world's last 700 mountain gorillas, said Samantha Newport of the conservation support group WildlifeDirect

"It's incredibly positive. These gorillas have managed to survive a 10-year civil war," Newport told The Associated Press by telephone from the park. It is "an absolute miracle and testament to the work of the rangers, who worked throughout the war without receiving a salary, and to conservationists from all over the world."

Richard Leakey, the conservationist credited with helping end the slaughter of elephants in Kenya during the 1980s, is also quoted in the article. He will be hosting the Fifth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture on March 15th.

"The Mountain Gorillas have been under enormous pressure for many years, and a newborn is always a positive step toward protecting these animals," Leakey said. "We should not forget that this is the product of enormous effort and sacrifice on the part of African rangers, many of whom have paid the price of this success with their lives."

Fifth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture

Reminder! The Fifth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture takes place on March 15th 2007.

The presentation will be made by Dr Richard Leakey and is entitled "Wildlife management in East Africa – Is there a future?".

The lecture takes place at 7.30pm on Thursday 15 March 2007 at the Royal Geographic Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7. Tickets will be £12, with a pay bar before and after the Lecture, and they are available now from www.savetherhino.org or Zoe at Save the Rhino, Email: zoe_AT_savetherhino.org.

Save the Rhino International and the Environmental Investigation Agency are co-hosting the Fifth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture, a talk by Dr Richard Leakey, on Thursday 15 March at the Royal Geographic Society in London SW7. In this talk, Dr Leakey will draw on his own experiences in Kenya, as founder and Director of the Kenya Wildlife Service and as the Head of Kenya's Civil Service to reflect on the successes, current problems and future challenges.

Richard Erskine Leakey was born on 19 December 1944, the second of Louis and Mary Leakey's three sons. Quickly following in his parents’ footsteps, his first career was in the field of paleoanthropology, with many important finds including (with Alan Walker in 1984), "Turkana Boy," a Homo erectus roughly 1.6 million years old, one of the most complete skeletons ever found. In 1968, aged just 24, Richard Leakey was appointed Director of the National Museums of Kenya.

In 1989 Richard left his post to become Director of the Kenya Wildlife Service. In this capacity, he spearheaded efforts to end rampant elephant poaching, but he made political enemies in the process. Nonetheless, the elephant population has since stabilised and continues to grow. In 1993 Leakey survived a serious plane crash and the following year he resigned as director of the Kenya Wildlife Service, though he continues to be active in political and environmental arenas.

As the former Director of Kenya's National Museums and former director of the Kenya Wildlife Service, he has used his leadership skills and considerable influence to raise money for the preservation of Kenyan culture and wildlife. Never one to back down on a challenge, in 1995 Richard Leakey took a stand against corruption in Kenya’s government by forming Safina, an opposition party. Despite being subjected to beatings, death threats, and constant government surveillance, Leakey has continued his crusade for political justice. Although no longer active in fieldwork, Dr Leakey, as one of the foremost authorities on wildlife and nature conservation, continues to educate others about the dangers of environmental degradation through his many lectures and books.

The lecture is in aid of Save the Rhino International and the Environmental Investigation Agency, two charities supported by Douglas Adams. Douglas developed his deep-seated interest in wildlife conservation during a 1985 visit to Madagascar, which eventually resulted in a book (Last Chance to See) about the plight of species facing extinction. Douglas Adams died unexpectedly in 2001 at the age of 49. These Memorial Lectures continue to explore the themes in which Douglas was so interested.

Dr Leakey’s books include: Wildlife Wars: My Battle to Save Kenya's Elephants (paperback, August 2002, PanMacmillan, RRP £7.99); The Sixth Extinction: Biodiversity and Its Survival with Roger Lewin (paperback, November 1996, Phoenix Press, RRP £7.99); and Origins Reconsidered: In Search of What Makes Us Human also with Roger Lewin (paperback, October 1993, Abacus, RRP £10.99).

Douglas Adams created all the various and contradictory manifestations of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: radio, novels, TV, film, computer games, stage adaptations, comic book and bath towel. For more information about Douglas Adams and his creations, please visit www.douglasadams.com

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an international campaigning organisation committed to investigating and exposing environmental crime. Since 1984, EIA has used pioneering investigative techniques all over the world to expose the impact of environmental crime and to seek lasting solutions. More info at www.eia-international.org

Save the Rhino International works to conserve genetically viable populations of critically endangered rhinoceros species in the wild. We do this by providing financial and in-kind support for rhino- and community-based conservation projects in Africa and Asia. More info at www.savetherhino.org

Tickets are on sale now. Simply download the form and send it in with your cheque, alternatively phone the office on 0207 357 7474 and pay over the phone.