Speakers

Name: Speakers
Start: 2026-09-19T09:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-09-20T19:00:00+01:00
Location: HowTheLightGetsIn Festival

HowTheLightGetsIn brings together voices from across philosophy, science, politics, and the arts to explore the questions that define our times. Through thought-provoking conversations and fresh perspectives, the festival invites new ways of understanding the world around us.

Explore below the world-leading speakers joining us at our upcoming festival, HowTheLightGetsIn London 2026!

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Mariana Mazzucato

Leading Economist and Champion of the Entrepreneurial State
Roger Penrose

Nobel Laureate in Physics
Bryan Johnson

Silicon Valley's Prophet of Immortality
New

Kwasi Kwarteng

Historian and Former Chancellor Under Liz Truss
New

John Bolton

Former US National Security Advisor
Sabrina Pasterski

Theoretical Physicist Tipped as Next Einstein
New

Dasha Nekrasova

Succession Star Turned Cultural Provocateur
New

John Gray

Philosopher Exposing Humanism as Religious Delusion
New

Nicola Sturgeon

Longest-Serving First Minister of Scotland
Rebecca Goldstein

Award-Winning Philosopher and Novelist
New

Leo Varadkar

Former Prime Minister of Ireland
New

Jordan Stephens

Hip Hop Star and Mental Health Advocate
Jeremy Hunt

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Catherine Liu

Left-wing critic of the progressive elite
Sabine Hossenfelder

Science's Biggest Reality Checker
New

Gillian Tett

World-Leading Journalist Who Predicted the 2008 Crisis
Tariq Ali

Titan of the Radical Left
New

Laila Cunningham

Reform UK's Face of London
Galen Strawson

Pioneering Philosopher of Panpsychism
Emily Wilson

First Woman to Translate the Odyssey Into English
New

Will Self

Britain's Leading Literary Provocateur
New

Victoria Trumbull

Philosopher Challenging Materialist Consensus
New

Neil Turok

Physicist Uncovering the Origins of the Universe
Michael Gove

Leading Figure in Tory Cabinet 2010-2024
New

Divya Dwivedi

Philosopher Dismantling 1,000 Years of Caste Ideology
New

Hilary Lawson

Post-postmodern philosopher
New

Thomas Hertog

Hawking Collaborator Arguing the Laws of Physics Evolve
New

Thangam Debbonaire

House of Lords' Leading Voice on Arts and Culture
New

Sebastian Rödl

German Philosopher Rewriting the Logic of Self-Consciousness
New

Tommy Curry

Critic of White Progressive Orthodoxy
New

Patricia Lockwood

Leading American Novelist and Critic
New

Alister McGrath

Leading Critic of New Atheism
New

Heather Widdows

Philosopher Exposing the Moral Tyranny of Beauty
New

Edward Bullmore

Neuroscientist Uncovering the Physical Roots of Depression
New

Farha Khalidi

TikTok Feminist Firebrand
New

Steve Keen

Heterodox Economist
Joanna Moncrieff

Maverick Psychiatrist Exposing the Mental Health Industry
New

Malcolm Rifkind

Britain's Veteran Foreign Policy Voice
David Aaronovitch

Journalist Who Predicted Our Age of Conspiracies
New

Priya Natarajan

Astrophysicist in TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People
Sarah Wilson

Anxiety's most articulate advocate
Sebastian Mallaby

Journalist Demystifying the World of AI
New

Babette Babich

Defender of Continental Philosophy
New

Yaron Brook

Libertarian Thought Leader
New

Martin Wolf

Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times
New

Aubrey de Grey

Thinker Behind Longevity Escape Velocity
Mark Solms

Neuroscientist Who Discovered Why We Dream
Sally Haslanger

Pioneer of Feminist Social Theory
New

Daniel Whiteson

Physicist Exposing Unanswered Questions of the Universe
New

Güneş Taylor

Award-Winning Geneticist and Science Communicator
New

Melvin Vopson

Physicist Making Scientific Case for a Simulated Universe

Speakers

HowTheLightGetsIn brings together voices from across philosophy, science, politics, and the arts to explore the questions that define our times. Through thought-provoking conversations and fresh perspectives, the festival invites new ways of understanding the world around us.

Mariana Mazzucato

Leading Economist and Champion of the Entrepreneurial State

Roger Penrose

Nobel Laureate in Physics

Bryan Johnson

Silicon Valley's Prophet of Immortality

Kwasi Kwarteng

Historian and Former Chancellor Under Liz Truss

John Bolton

Former US National Security Advisor

Sabrina Pasterski

Theoretical Physicist Tipped as Next Einstein

Dasha Nekrasova

Succession Star Turned Cultural Provocateur

John Gray

Philosopher Exposing Humanism as Religious Delusion

Nicola Sturgeon

Longest-Serving First Minister of Scotland

Rebecca Goldstein

Award-Winning Philosopher and Novelist

Leo Varadkar

Former Prime Minister of Ireland

Jordan Stephens

Hip Hop Star and Mental Health Advocate

Jeremy Hunt

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer

Catherine Liu

Left-wing critic of the progressive elite

Sabine Hossenfelder

Science's Biggest Reality Checker

Gillian Tett

World-Leading Journalist Who Predicted the 2008 Crisis

Tariq Ali

Titan of the Radical Left

Laila Cunningham

Reform UK's Face of London

Galen Strawson

Pioneering Philosopher of Panpsychism

Emily Wilson

First Woman to Translate the Odyssey Into English

Will Self

Britain's Leading Literary Provocateur

Victoria Trumbull

Philosopher Challenging Materialist Consensus

Neil Turok

Physicist Uncovering the Origins of the Universe

Michael Gove

Leading Figure in Tory Cabinet 2010-2024

Divya Dwivedi

Philosopher Dismantling 1,000 Years of Caste Ideology

Hilary Lawson

Post-postmodern philosopher

Thomas Hertog

Hawking Collaborator Arguing the Laws of Physics Evolve

Thangam Debbonaire

House of Lords' Leading Voice on Arts and Culture

Sebastian Rödl

German Philosopher Rewriting the Logic of Self-Consciousness

Tommy Curry

Critic of White Progressive Orthodoxy

Patricia Lockwood

Leading American Novelist and Critic

Alister McGrath

Leading Critic of New Atheism

Heather Widdows

Philosopher Exposing the Moral Tyranny of Beauty

Edward Bullmore

Neuroscientist Uncovering the Physical Roots of Depression

Farha Khalidi

TikTok Feminist Firebrand

Steve Keen

Heterodox Economist

Joanna Moncrieff

Maverick Psychiatrist Exposing the Mental Health Industry

Malcolm Rifkind

Britain's Veteran Foreign Policy Voice

David Aaronovitch

Journalist Who Predicted Our Age of Conspiracies