HowTheLightGetsIn London 2025 Tickets coming soon!

20-21 Sep

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Speakers

HowTheLightGetsIn London 2024 welcomes philosophical revolutionaries, scientific trailblazers, political rebels and creative icons to navigate our era of uncertainty this September. From party leaders and Putin adversaries to Nobel Laureates and Turing Award winners explore the leading minds set to join us so far!

Check out the full lineup of speakers or keep exploring the Big Ideas coming to Hampstead Heath with our full programme...

Explore the programme

A man with short gray hair and a slight smile, wearing a black shirt, against a dark background.

Sam Harris (via Zoom)

Neuroscientist and philosopher

A woman with curly hair smiles warmly, dressed in a patterned jacket, seated against a colorful bookshelf background.

Philippa Gregory

Bestselling Author

A pensive middle-aged man with a beard, wearing a navy blue shirt, appears deep in thought against a plain white background.

Slavoj Žižek

Maverick Philosopher

Smiling woman with short hair, dressed in a white blazer and green top, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Carla Denyer

Co-leader of the Green Party

An elderly man with gray hair and a gentle smile, wearing a light blue shirt, seated in a cozy environment with a lamp and plants in the background.

Roger Penrose

Nobel prize-winning physicist

A man with short gray hair, wearing a navy suit and white shirt, stands confidently against a modern city skyline.

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London

A man with gray hair and a beard, wearing a dark blazer over a red shirt, smiles against a light blue background.

Yoshua Bengio

Deep Learning Pioneer

A woman with curly hair and a polka dot dress smiles warmly at the camera, set against a soft background.

Katharine Birbalsingh

Britain's Strictest Headmistress

A middle-aged man with glasses wearing a dark blazer over a light shirt, posing against a plain background.

Will Hutton

Labour thought-leader

Portrait of a woman with a headscarf, wearing a blazer, against a light background, exuding confidence and professionalism.

Myriam François

Activist and Documentary maker

I'm sorry, but I don't know who they are.

Bessel van der Kolk

Boundary-pushing psychologist

A bald man wearing glasses and a suit poses against a plain background, exuding confidence and professionalism.

Nadhim Zahawi

Former chair of the Conservative Party

A smiling man with white hair wearing a dark robe and tie, walking in a historic building, likely a governmental setting.

John Bercow

Former speaker of the house of commons

I don't know who they are.

Ruby Wax

TV personality and campaigner

A close-up portrait of a man with gray hair and blue eyes, set against a textured, natural background. He has a thoughtful expression.

Rupert Sheldrake

Radical scientist

A man with short, dark hair and brown eyes smiles softly, wearing a blue blazer over a teal shirt, set against a light background.

Konstantin Kisin

Cultural Commentator

A smiling man in a light-colored suit with a yellow tie stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery, showcasing a professional and approachable demeanor.

John Ioannidis

Stanford medic

A woman with curly hair wearing glasses and an orange sweater smiles in front of a stone staircase and greenery.

Sabine Hossenfelder

Youtube Science Star

A happy woman with long, wavy black hair and a bright smile, wearing a red dress with a floral pattern against a neutral background.

Shini Somara

Award-winning broadcaster

A middle-aged man with glasses and short hair, wearing a navy blazer over a light blue shirt, poses for a photograph against a neutral background.

Bill Browder

Putin adversary

A close-up portrait of a man with a shaved head and intense expression, set against a backdrop of blurred warm lights.

Gary Stevenson

Top trader turned activist

I don't know who they are.

Anders Sandberg

Radical Futurist

A smiling woman with curly blonde hair and large hoop earrings poses in front of a red Netflix backdrop at a public event.

Sam McAlister

BBC producer and 'Scoop' author

A close-up portrait of a man with a beard and tousled hair, wearing a dark blazer, against a plain light background.

Daniel Susskind

Leading big-picture economist

A smiling woman with curly hair, wearing a patterned black and white shirt, stands in a modern setting with blurred lights in the background.

Mary Ann Sieghart

Stalwart public intellectual

A man with a serious expression stands with arms crossed, wearing a white shirt, against a backdrop of residential buildings.

Aaron Bastani

Journalist and founder of Novara Media

A man with a beard wearing a colorful striped sweater sits in a modern indoor setting, reflecting a thoughtful demeanor.

Marcus Du Sautoy

Mathematician and best-selling author

A middle-aged man with gray hair and stubble, wearing a dark blazer over a white shirt, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression.

David Aaronovitch

Award-winning journalist

A middle-aged man with silver hair and a mustache, wearing a light-colored coat, surrounded by photographers and onlookers in an urban setting.

Tariq Ali

Leading political activist

A woman with long, straight black hair and red lipstick poses confidently in a red blazer against a solid red background.

Faiza Shaheen

Economist and activist

I don't know who they are.

Hilary Lawson

Post-postmodern philosopher

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Malcolm Rifkind

Former Foreign Secretary

A smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a light pink blazer over a patterned blouse, poses against a plain grey background.

Lisa Cameron

Former MP

A smiling man with glasses and a short beard, wearing a white shirt, engaged in conversation against a gray background.

Trevor Phillips

Outspoken political commentator

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Simon Jenkins

Former editor of the Times

A middle-aged woman with short, dark hair and a warm smile stands outdoors against a green background, wearing a black cardigan.

Sunetra Gupta

Oxford epidemiologist

I don't know who they are.

Sandra Laugier

Anayltic philosophy critic

A middle-aged woman with curly hair smiles gently against a soft-focus dark background, exuding warmth and wisdom.

Susie Orbach

Eminent psychotherapist

A smiling older man with light brown hair stands against a textured stone background, conveying warmth and approachability.

Guy Standing

Pioneering economist

A professional-looking man with short, light brown hair and glasses, wearing a black suit with a checked shirt and a tie, smiles confidently.

Markus Gabriel

Founder of 'New Realism'

A smiling woman with long black hair and a black top poses confidently against a light gray background.

Megha Rajagopalan

Pulizer Prize Winning Reporter

A mature woman with silver hair and a warm smile, wearing a burgundy top and a patterned scarf, against a dark background.

Lindsey Hilsum

Channel 4 Foreign Editor

Portrait of a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and a beard, gazing directly at the camera with a serious expression.

Peter Godfrey-Smith

Philosopher and author of 'Other Minds'

A middle-aged man with glasses, dressed in a black jacket, holding a red book and looking directly at the camera against a plain background.

Frank Tallis

Psychotherapist and award-winning author

A man with curly hair rests his chin on his hand, smiling slightly as he poses for the camera. Background features soft, muted tones.

Uriel Abulof

Scholar of the politics of emotion

A woman with wavy brown hair and blue eyes wearing a black leather jacket, smiling against a dark background.

Clare Chambers

Best-selling feminist philosopher

A smiling man with glasses, wearing a dark suit jacket over a light-colored shirt, poses against a plain white background.

Socrates Mokkas

Leading economist

A young woman with long blonde hair, wearing a yellow cardigan over a white top, smiles against a blue background.

Freya India

Up and coming journalist

A serious-looking man in a dark suit and light shirt, posing against a black background. His expression is confident and focused.

Curt Jaimungal

Founder and host of Theories of Everything YouTube channel

A well-dressed young man with light hair stands in front of a textured stone wall, wearing a brown blazer and patterned tie.

Jack Symes

BBC New Generation Thinker

A man in a black puffer jacket and glasses smiles against a dark, industrial background.

Avi Loeb

Prominent astrophysicist

I don't know who they are.

Jessica Frazier

Intellectual historian

A smiling middle-aged man with curly hair and a beard, dressed in a white shirt, stands thoughtfully in a museum setting with display cases in the background.

Nick Lane

Outstanding Biochemist

A woman with short black hair and glasses speaks intently, wearing an orange blouse, with a conference lanyard visible around her neck.

Jessica Wade

Physicist and diversity campaigner

A professional man with glasses and a suit, smiling slightly, in a modern office setting with natural light.

Richard Kibble

Deloitte Partner

A man with short, tousled hair and a beard smiles while sitting in front of a microphone during a podcast interview.

Matt Kennard

Celebrated investigative journalist

A man in a formal suit with a serious expression stands in front of an orange wall, with a photo of another person visible in the background.

Dinesh Bughra

Former president of Royal College of Psychiatrists

A woman with long, wavy blonde hair wearing a light pink sweatshirt, standing against a plain white background with a serious expression.

Rose Cartwright

Mental health advocate

A man with long dark hair poses against a colorful cosmic background filled with stars and nebulae.

Matt O'Dowd

Youtuber and astrophysicist

A woman dressed in a clerical collar and black suit, portraying a modern clergyperson, with a thoughtful expression against a plain background.

Marie-Elsa Roche Bragg

Writer and therapist

Smiling woman with long, light brown hair, wearing a black sleeveless top, outdoors with a blurred natural background.

Sarah Hill

Renowned psychologist

A man with a beard and suit appears to be engaged in an intense discussion, showing a serious expression.

Roger Hearing

BBC Bussiness Presenter

A smiling woman with short, curly hair, wearing glasses and a bright pink blouse, poses with her chin resting on her hand in a well-lit indoor setting.

Julia Hobsbawm

Award-winning writer

A woman with long, dark hair and a floral blouse is smiling softly against a brick wall background.

Chine McDonald

Director at Theos

A man wearing a black hat and glasses, dressed in a leather jacket and graphic t-shirt, stands against a light-colored wall.

Graham Priest

Leading logician

A woman with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair wearing a black turtleneck sweater sits in a well-lit environment, facing the camera with a neutral expression.

Marika Taylor

Leading string theorist

I don't know who they are.

David Shariatmadari

Guardian Non-fiction editor

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black blazer, smiles while standing in front of informational displays at an event.

Güneş Taylor

Award-winning geneticist

A smiling woman with long hair wearing a blue shirt, seated in front of a bookshelf filled with books.

Ankhi Mukherjee

Postcolonial theorist

I don't know who they are.

Jo Kavenna

Acclaimed novelist

A smiling middle-aged man with gray hair and a blue button-up shirt sitting in an office environment with bookshelves in the background.

Barry C. Smith

Director of the Institute of Philosophy

A smiling man with short, tousled hair and a light beard, wearing a gray V-neck shirt against a plain background.

Bjørn Ekeberg

Philosopher of science

A woman with long, wavy hair and blue eyes poses against a plain background, wearing a black blazer.

Sophie Scott-Brown

Anarchist philsopher

A woman with curly hair and red lipstick poses in front of a bookshelf filled with various books, exuding a confident expression.

Camila Vegara

Political scientist

A smiling man in a dark suit and light blue shirt, wearing glasses, poses confidently against a neutral background.

Duncan Potts

A woman with long, curly gray hair stands outdoors, wearing a black shirt and amber necklace, with a serene expression against a natural background.

Babette Babich

Nietzsche expert

A middle-aged man with tousled hair stands in front of a bookshelf filled with books, wearing a black t-shirt.

Timothy Morton

Prophet of the Anthropocene

A smiling man with glasses and short, light brown hair stands in front of a backdrop of green leaves, wearing a dark jacket over a white shirt.

Nick Spencer

Scholar of religion and science

A person with short, curly hair wearing a blazer and an open-collared shirt stands in a modern urban setting, against a backdrop of a tiled wall and overhead lights.

Finn Mackay

Feminist campaigner

A woman with short hair and a patterned jacket gestures while speaking, conveying a sense of engagement and enthusiasm.

Abby Innes

Boundary-pushing economist

I don't know who they are.

Paul Ernest

Mathematician and social constructivist

A woman with long wavy hair smiles gently, wearing a floral-patterned dress against a softly lit background.

Joanna Wolfarth

Author of 'Milk'

I don't know who they are.

Samir Okasha

Pioneering philosopher of science

A woman with blonde, wavy hair smiles while resting her chin on her hand, wearing a denim jacket against a brick wall backdrop.

Sarah Wilson

Presenter and social philosopher

A man with curly hair wearing a straw hat and a light-colored shirt is sitting in a sunny outdoor setting surrounded by greenery.

Martín López Corredoira

Radical philosopher of physics

I don't know who they are.

Isabel Hilton

China expert

A smiling woman wearing a cozy sweater stands outdoors amidst lush green foliage and flowering plants.

Marijam Didzgalvyte

Video game critic

A thoughtful man with glasses and a microphone clip, engaged in a serious discussion or presentation. The background is dark, emphasizing his expression.

Nolen Gertz

Philosopher of Nihilism and Technology

A smiling woman with long, wavy hair and glasses, wearing a patterned blouse, stands in a bright interior with a staircase in the background.

Niki Seth-Smith

Editor of the New Humanist

A person with short hair and glasses, wearing a red cardigan over a white shirt, smiles confidently in a bright, modern environment with abstract designs in the background.

Daniela Gabor

Economic critic

I don't know who they are.

Sarah Howe

Poet and author of 'Loop of Jade'

A woman with blonde hair and hoop earrings, dressed in a black shirt, stands against a neutral background, looking directly at the camera.

Johanna Thomas-Corr

Influential literary critic

A man standing outside near greenery, wearing a casual outfit with a scarf, looking directly at the camera.

Guy Shrubsole

Sunday Times best-selling author

Image of a woman with curly, reddish-brown hair, wearing a maroon jacket and patterned scarf, smiling against a backdrop of geometric shapes.

Carol Cleland

Philosopher of science and life

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Helena Kelly

Jane Austen expert

A man with a beard and short hair stands against a patterned blue and white tiled wall, wearing a light-colored shirt.

James Tartaglia

Existential nihilist

I don't know who they are.

Claudia Canavan

Wellness Director UK Women's Health

A woman with glasses and light blonde hair, wearing a blue top and a silver necklace, engages in conversation.

Mary Harrington

Wrtier at Unherd

A young man with a beard and earrings stands in front of a textured brick wall, looking confidently at the camera.

Craig Gent

Director at Novara Media

A stylized portrait of a woman with long hair, surrounded by images of a pilot, a figure in a flight suit, and headphones, set against an orange and beige background.

Alison Flood

New Scientist's culture editor

A middle-aged woman with short hair, wearing a gray sweater, gazes thoughtfully at the camera in a softly lit room.

Janne Teller

Former conflict advisor for EU

A man with glasses and styled hair looks directly at the camera, wearing a black sweater over a patterned shirt, against a plain background.

Jonathan Webber

President of UK Sartre Society

I don't know who they are.

Jacob Stegenga

Cambridge historian

Juliet Mabey

Director of Oneworld Publications

A UK First. Back To Big Thinking

The Guardian

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