Learn the secrets underpinning beaver dams and wasps’ nests, the science behind sci-fi, and how philosophy can help you to find out if you’re a Cylon at Nerd Nite London on 17th September 2014.
Nerd Nite London is a monthly event where three speakers give 18-21-minute fun-yet-informative talks across all disciplines – while the audience drinks along.
Address: Nerd Nite, Paper Dress Vintage, 114-116 Curtain Rd, London, EC2A 3AH
Details: Wednesday 17th September 2014, Doors at 8 pm, Tickets £6. Early nerd tickets £5 (limited availability). Tickets available here: https://billetto.co.uk/nerdnitelondon-bf1b43-0cb695
Nerd Nite London gets into its new monthly stride with another great line up. If you want to know what ants’ nests can teach us about construction, whether The Day After Tomorrow is as prescient as it seems, and whether you’re Number 7 then Nerd Nite London is the place to be on Wednesday 17th September.
Nerd #1 Reinier Zeldenrust- Oops there goes another rubber tree plant
How do animals build? What are the secrets behind beaver dams, wasp nests and termite mounds? What does that tell us about how clever animals are and how they think? I will take you through some examples of clever (and not so clever) animal architecture and zoom in on termite mounds, and what lessons we can draw for our own buildings.
Bio: Reinier Zeldenrust is probably of the few people in the construction industry who gets excited about the combination of insects and buildings. After studying astrophysics, he shifted his focus to sustainable building design and he wrote his master’s thesis at Cambridge University on the topic of termite architecture and the opportunities for imitation by human builders and designers. He works as an Environmental Designer at Atelier Ten.
Nerd #2 Hugh Mortimer- the science of Hollywood
Science fiction has a lot to answer for, Bruce Willis for starters. Not all of the science that comes out of Hollywood is bad, some of it is good while other bits can be just downright ugly. This talk will look at the science behind the fiction and will explain how the fiction can in turn influence the science.
Hugh is a research scientist working at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory where he develops new technologies for planetary exploration, which essentially means that he plays around with cool stuff for a living. However in his spare time he acts as a scientific adviser for Hollywood and has worked on big budget movies such as Prometheus, and is always surprized when they actually listen to him.
Nerd #3 Ayesha Janjua – Battlestar Galactica and the essence of being human
Philosophers have argued for centuries about what it is to be human, and the essence of what distinguishes us from other living creatures. Arguments about abortion and animal rights are based in notions of a difference between homo sapiens and other sentient or living creatures. But what is it to be human? Using Battlestar Galalctica to illustrate some core philosophical concepts, Ayesha will show us how to prove that we’re alive.
Bio: Ayesha is a part-time philosopher, full-time nerd, and avid BSG fan.
All profits from the night go to charity. This month’s charity is Contact the Elderly. More information about Nerd Nite London can be found by following us on Twitter @nerdnitelondon, liking us on Facebook www.facebook.com/NerdNiteLondon or visiting www.nerdnite.com/london
Tickets: https://billetto.co.uk/nerdnitelondon-bf1b43-0cb695