London Month of the Dead - Death, Dreams & Delusion

DEATH, DREAMS AND DELUSION The Neuroscience of Forgotten Diseases with Dr Jenny Lange on Saturday the 31st October 2026 at 3:30 pm Human history has always been irrevocably shaped by disease outbreaks that have affected major historical changes, turned the tides of war, and changed the economic and political landscape. Epidemics such as the plague and cholera continue to linger in our collective consciousness and are well remembered for their impact on humanity. But what about diseases that have disappeared? Smallpox is the only human disease that has been successfully eradicated thanks to the development of a vaccine. However other diseases have seemingly just faded away, their causes unknown and the dead forgotten. The sweating sickness in Tudor times, the mysterious dancing plague of 1518 and the sleeping sickness that killed 6 million people worldwide in the early 20th century, all lost to the past. We still find traces of traces of these devastating epidemics in fairy tales, comic books and other popular media, but the truly catastrophic impact has largely been forgotten. In this talk, neuroscientist Jenny Lange will discuss the history of these forgotten diseases, explore possible causes and dispel myths. Have they truly disappeared, or just evolved? Can we expect a re-emergence of the sleeping sickness in the wake of COVID-19? Join Dr Lange to uncover the mystery of how sweat, dance and dreams can kill. Tickets £12.50 including a delightful gin cocktail and a 20% donation to the King's Chaplaincy Trust. Please click here to purchase. Dr Jenny Lange Dr Jenny Lange is a neuroscientist specialising in uncovering the mechanisms of rare neurological disorders. Initially en route to becoming a psychologist, Jenny became intrigued by the field of psychopharmacology and completed a PhD in Neuroscience at King’s College London. She’s currently working as a senior postdoctoral fellow at UK Dementia Research Institute., University College London

DEATH, DREAMS AND DELUSION
The Neuroscience of Forgotten Diseases with Dr Jenny Lange
on Saturday the 31st October 2026 at 3:30 pm

Human history has always been irrevocably shaped by disease outbreaks that have affected major historical changes, turned the tides of war, and changed the economic and political landscape. Epidemics such as the plague and cholera continue to linger in our collective consciousness and are well remembered for their impact on humanity. But what about diseases that have disappeared? Smallpox is the only human disease that has been successfully eradicated thanks to the development of a vaccine. However other diseases have seemingly just faded away, their causes unknown and the dead forgotten. The sweating sickness in Tudor times, the mysterious dancing plague of 1518 and the sleeping sickness that killed 6 million people worldwide in the early 20th century, all lost to the past. We still find traces of traces of these devastating epidemics in fairy tales, comic books and other popular media, but the truly catastrophic impact has largely been forgotten.

In this talk, neuroscientist Jenny Lange will discuss the history of these forgotten diseases, explore possible causes and dispel myths. Have they truly disappeared, or just evolved? Can we expect a re-emergence of the sleeping sickness in the wake of COVID-19? Join Dr Lange to uncover the mystery of how sweat, dance and dreams can kill.

Tickets £12.50 including a delightful gin cocktail and a 20% donation to the King's Chaplaincy Trust. Please click here to purchase.

Dr Jenny Lange
Dr Jenny Lange is a neuroscientist specialising in uncovering the mechanisms of rare neurological disorders. Initially en route to becoming a psychologist, Jenny became intrigued by the field of psychopharmacology and completed a PhD in Neuroscience at King’s College London. She’s currently working as a senior postdoctoral fellow at UK Dementia Research Institute., University College London