Dalek Scale Model

1:5 scale model kit of a 'Dalek', from TV Series Doctor Who, unassembled in box.

The Daleks are a fictional race of aliens’ intent on exterminating all life in the universe that stands in their way of total domination. They feature in the BBC’s flagship science fiction television series Doctor Who.

Created by writer Terry Nation and BBC designer Raymond Cusick, the Daleks made their debut in the show’s second-ever storyline, which was serialised into seven episodes aired between December 1963 and February 1964.

Daleks are known for their mechanical-sounding catchphrase ‘exterminate, exterminate…’ and their inability to use stairs. They have a chilling backstory, a terrifying voice and an iconic design, all of which contribute to their notoriety and enduring popularity with fans.

Items like this Dalek can inform and inspire not just science fiction fans but real-world science. Scientists are working on theories of time travel, black holes and exploring space for resources and signs of life, all elements of the Dalek’s successful fictional existence. Science fiction encourages audiences to think creatively about our world and beyond. It can spark imagination, which drives the development of new technology and the further exploration of space and time.