Professor Robert Winston discusses sciences dark side

A full report on Lord Winston's talk now available here

The eminent medical scientist and television presenter Professor Robert Winston is to give a glimpse at the ‘dark side’ of scientific discovery at the next Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture for the University of Leicester.

Lord Winston’s free public lecture, entitled ‘Misusing Science’, took place on Thursday 9 February at 6pm at Athena on Queen Street, Leicester, LE1 1QD.

Lord Winston is Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London. For over forty years he has pioneered techniques to improve fertility treatments and has produced over 300 scientific publications. In addition to his medical and academic successes, Robert Winston has also presented many BBC television series, including Making Babies, Superhuman, The Secret Life of Twins, Child of Our Time, Human Instinct, The Human Mind, Frontiers of Medicine and the BAFTA award-winning The Human Body.

Professor Winston said: “Nearly every invention is given a wildly exaggerated label when first published. Some of our most important scientific discoveries have uses which were never envisaged at the time and virtually all the best scientific discoveries have a dark side which threatens humanity. I’m very much looking forward to visiting Leicester and delivering this Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture for the University of Leicester.”

Inaugurated in 2015, the Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series is the University of Leicester’s flagship programme of public events.

Free and open to the public, these talks are given by high-profile speakers who either have an existing link to, or relationship with, the University, or who are notable in fields that align with its values and aspirations.

Already, the series has hosted such illustrious names as naturalist Sir David Attenborough, politician the Rt. Hon. David Willetts and crime author Patricia Cornwell.

‘Misusing Science’ by Professor Robert Winston will take place on Thursday 9 February at 6pm at Athena on Queen Street, Leicester, LE1 1QD.