After seeing his own cells used to grow clumps of new neurons – essentially mini-brains – Philip Ball began to examine the concepts of identity and consciousness. Inspired by his book How to Grow a Human, this event delves into humanity's deep evolutionary past to look at how complex creatures like us emerged from single-celled life.

This was a conversation to challenge preconceptions and values and make us rethink how we exist in the world.

Philip Ball

Author, broadcaster, writer

Philip Ball worked at Nature for over 20 years, first as an editor for physical sciences (where his brief extended from biochemistry to quantum physics and materials science) and then as a Consultant Editor. His writings on science for the popular press have covered topical issues ranging from cosmology to the future of molecular biology. He is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Beyond Weird: Why Everything You Thought You Knew About Quantum Physics Is Different, The Music Instinct: How music works, and why we can't do without it and Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another.

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