To be a bit annoyed that they tucked the RI Christmas lectures away on BBC 4 at 8pm at night?

[Salmotrutta]

They seem to have gradually slipped further and further away from the spotlight.

They used to be a big deal!

Yes, there is that but I only stumbled across them by accident when I was trawling through Catch Up!

I find I'm getting more annoyed by the antics of the Beeb the older I get.

I was quite disappointed they weren't as much of a big deal this year but also, is it just me or were the actual lectures not as good as the last few years?

Travelin you can watch some past lectures on the RI website if you can't find the ones you want on iplayer

I've taped them Danann but they looked interesting to me!

I'm very hacked off lately at some of the crap the BBC palms off on us on the two "mainstream" channels.

They are a bit niche I think and that niche is being catered for on BBC4 these days. Shame they weren't a bit more widely advertised though.

did they? Shocking!

BBC4 is what BBC 2 used to be. Interesting, needs intelligence and absolutely NO shitty reality stars or false emotion.

It is a real shame that they weren't on bbc2 this year. dd was a bit by them too for the first time as she is in the same age group as the studio audience and she said that a lot of it was taught at school.

I agree special.

Sometimes I used to go and rant on the Points of View message board on the BEEB website!

Then, the BEEB started discontinuing many of the message boards so there are about two left...

They were ok, DS thought they were brilliant. the DC are fascinated by science so we watch them together, or at least DS(9), DH and I do, DD(5) watched the first 5 minutes then got bored but sat pretending to watch it so she could stay up late

It might just be that the subject this year didn't appeal to me as much or coz I've been studying all week so my brain rebelled at the idea of educational TV but I just didn't find them as exciting as last years.

Sod it I forgot to record them. What was the topic?

Life fantastic, it was all about cells and DNA. the lectures were Where do I come from? Am I a mutant? and Could I live forever?

Developmental biology Tailless - they will still be on iPlayer I think?

Well I enjoyed them, but there's probably no surprise there!

I was really pleased that this years lecturer was a woman. Wexwaychedcthd furst one and it was brilliant.

We loved them, and I thought the presenter was fab. DS(7) was transfixed by the worm embryo cells dividing in real time

Have to say I reckon the RI is a splendiferous organisation even if the lectures missed the mark with us this time round.

Kitten your daughter is right that much of it is taught at school, which is why I've recorded them to show bits in lessons, we're also going to do a live chat with some of the scientists next term organised by these people:

imascientist.org.uk/

The Ri also had an advent calendar with a chromosome for each day, was really interesting.

Lectures were great. Not sure about this tucked away business - I have more clue what's on bbc 4 than itv or c5. Bbc4 is the radio 4 of tv a must watch channel for us.

Well, Andcake, they used to be well advertised and on BBC2 during the day so I do feel they were not well promoted tbh.

The RI calendar was great. I'm glad to know that dd has been paying attention in school

Cool website!

Yes, 8pm was too late really for mine to watch, so we recorded them. No adverts that I saw on telly either, I only knew they were on because I look out for them every year.

We watched them but were looking out. Were in the raffle to go but didn't win.