Nerd Nite London -Feb 11th: vibrators, dating data and plasmas in space and on Earth

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 Road, London EC2A 3AH

Details: Wednesday February 11th, Tickets £6, Early nerd tickets £5 (limited availability)

Tickets available here

It’s that special time of year, where corporations and nerdy events alike try to cash in on romance. We love a good band wagon, so we thought we’d jump on with an in-depth exploration of masturbation and online dating. Also, it’s global plasma month, so along with other Nerd Nites in Atlanta, Honolulu and NYC we’re celebrating the wonder of plasma physics.

Be there and be square

Nerd #1: Sarah Jaffray – Sexual Healing: A brief cultural history of the vibrator

The history of sex is filled with urban legends, but no object has been more mythologised than the vibrator. Many people associate the origins of the vibrator with the 19th century ‘dis-ease’ hysteria, but few people can explain what hysteria actually was or how the two became historically entwined. Discover the turbulent history of hysteria, the real origins of the vibrator and what makes it special to the history of sex aids.

Sarah is a Visitor Experience Assistant at Wellcome Collection. She is an art historian focussed on modernism, fascinated by the cultural history of medicine and frequently distracted by the oddities of 19th century society. Coincidentally, the topic of hysteria relates to it all. Disclaimer: Sarah, herself, is not a hysteric.

Nerd #2: Jenny Macdonald – Dating, data and human nature

There are a lot of clichés about how humans interact through dating services – some say the data shows that women over the age of 23 are past it, that the gender stereotypes are confirmed by statistical analysis, and that the use of optimal scripts and buzzwords will obtain ‘guaranteed results with women.’ I’ll attempt to challenge some of that nonsense.

Jenny manages a popular online dating service and has managed, moderated, and molly-coddled a wide range of online communities since the dark days of dial-up internet. She enjoys challenging behaviour, kicking out clichés and checking the facts.

Nerd #3: Christopher Chen- Why You Should Love Plasma (part of Global Plasma Month)

Plasma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter and makes up the majority of the visible universe. This talk will describe how plasmas in space (the Sun, stars, aurora, galaxy clusters) and on Earth (typically made in laboratories) are both fascinating and important, including the potential hazards of space weather and the search for a long term solution to the world’s energy crisis. This talk is part of Global Plasma Month, in which plasma physics is being promoted through a series of talks at Nerd Nites worldwide.

Chris is a research fellow in the Department of Physics, Imperial College London. His research involves the analysis of spacecraft data to understand the behaviour of plasmas in space. Previously he has worked at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a member of the team designing a set of instruments for the upcoming NASA Solar Probe Plus mission. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/christopher.chen

This month’s charity is The Samaritans

Tickets available here