The Royal Institution was founded in March 1799 to introduce new technologies and teach science to the general public through lectures and demonstrations. Humphry Davy, one of the first Professors, established scientific research as a crucial part of the RI’s identity. Over the last two centuries the RI’s labs have been home to many famous scientists, such as Michael Faraday, who made discoveries here which have helped shape the modern world. Research has been part of the RI for 200 years, and the tradition continues today with cutting-edge work on nanotechnology and health science.