Imperial Lates

Imperial Lates: Senses

Thursday 5 December, 18.00-21.00

Join us at this instalment of Imperial Lates for a free evening of sensory stimulating activities to explore science.

Challenge your friends to see who has the strongest taste buds, explore mind-body connection through Bollywood dance, or get your spidey-senses tingling and vote for your favourite insect supersense!

Try out cutting-edge 360 sound technology, make 3D glasses to explore how the brain understands what our eyes see, and discover how your brain senses pleasure and pain. Chat to our sensory experts to find out how your senses work and dive inside the sounds of the rainforests to learn how monkeys use their sense of hearing to communicate with each other. Then head to the Sensory Room to relax with some mindful drawing and fidget toys.

Throw in a sense-sational quiz, storytelling from the Story Collider, a DJ set from our friends at the Rhythm Studio plus tasty snacks and drinks, and you have yourself a great evening of sensory science!

Register now for Imperial Lates: Senses

Imperial Lates are intended for an 18+ audience.  

Register for this Imperial Lates to receive a preview of the full programme of live demonstrations, workshops and talks, and help us track attendance numbers. Please note that registration alone does not guarantee seats for our talks or workshops.   

All of the spaces are wheelchair accessible, as are the entrance and toilets. There are lifts to any activities on other levels. If you have any specific needs, please don't hesitate to get in touch: [email protected].  

Please note that if you want to visit the Imperial Lates at a quieter time of the event, the event is least busy from 18.00-19.00 and 20.30-21.00.

You can view our programme online, as well as download the programme (PDF) and download the timed events schedule (PDF)

Please be aware that there will be filming and photography happening at this event. We use professional photography to communicate about and promote our work on our website and social media, as well as other platforms. Use of and access to your photo will be in accordance with the university’s retention policy, but you can contact [email protected] at any time to have your image erased. If you wish to opt out entirely, please pick up a red sticker from our info desk on your arrival or speak to the photographer.

Imperial Lates: Future Cities

Imperial Lates: Future Cities has now been postponed to March 2025 because of the tube strikes planned for Thursday 7 November. We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment and welcome you to celebrate city science with us in March.

Step into a future London at this Imperial Lates exploring city science and the future of our urban environments.

Chat to city scientists and urban experts while getting hands-on with the new research and tech that will reshape London. Learn about the capital’s first beavers in 400 years from the Ealing Beaver project, make your own mushroom growing starter kit with urban agriculture experts, and then join Roma the Engineer to get into the nuts and bolts of tomorrow’s high-rise buildings and build an earthquake-proof spaghetti skyscraper.

About Imperial Lates

Imperial Lates are fun and social post-work events where visitors can interact with the latest scientific developments at Imperial College London, centred around a new theme for each evening.

The 2024/25 season will begin in December and run until March, exploring the following themes:

• Senses: 5 December 2024
• "Weird" Science: 6 February 2025
• Future Cities: 11 March 2025

Learn more about the upcoming season and what scientific topics theses themes will explore by reading our season launch news story. 

To find out when registration opens, and to hear about other public events at Imperial, please sign up to receive our event update emails, or follow us on @ImperialSpark.

What to expect?

Check out some photos from our past evenings of discovery! 

Want to get involved?

Imperial researchers are invited to submit ideas for taking part in the Lates via an Open Call (please note there are different deadlines to submit ideas for each Lates, which are outlined within the Open Call).

You can submit fully developed activities or initial ideas. The Imperial Lates programming team can help you develop an idea further, discuss opportunities to host a talk or take part in a panel discussion, or connect you with a creative practitioner to explore your research through an artistic workshop. 

If you are an artist or facilitator interested in working with the Imperial Lates team,  please get in touch via email ([email protected])

If you are an Imperial staff member or student interested in volunteering at Imperial Lates, you can sign up to the volunteer portal to be the first notified when shifts open. Learn more about volunteering with the public engagement team.