Nerd Nite March: Aliens, pointless science and the role of the tabloid in British life
Spring is in the air, and we’ve got some great knowledge seeds to plant in your fertile minds- tales of life in space, why pointless science isn’t actually that pointless, and why the papers we love to hate are an integral part of British culture.
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 18th March 2014, Doors at 8 pm, Tickets £6. Early nerd tickets £5 (limited availability). Tickets available here
Nerd #1: Hugh Mortimer- The hunt for life in space
The truth is out there, however it is very hard to find. On earth we find life all around us and in some of the most inhospitable places. Many of science’s great minds agree that we’re probably not alone in the universe. But how will we find our alien friends in the great vastness of deep space? In this presentation Hugh will describe our current efforts to identify life in space, and how we have begun to identify the most likely places to find it.
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. This is Hugh’s second time presenting at Nerd Nite- he previously spoke about science and Hollywood.
Nerd #2: James Alan Anslow- the Tabloid Trickster: Why Britain needs its redtops
You all know Trickster. S/he’s the wild card in the pack. The random that makes the rational bearable. The mischief maker. The word spinner. The boundary crosser. Humankind’s bawdy wink at gods ancient and modern. Think Hermes. Think Puck. Think Abby in NCIS. Think redtop newspapers. I shall explain why we need the tabloid Trickster.
James is a Ph.D candidate at the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex. He is completing his thesis: the tabloid Trickster, a post-Jungian evaluation of early 21st century popular British newspaper journalism. He was for decades a journalist and media educator, and still edits part-time at The Sun. He will, however, be fully-clothed.
Nerd #3: Dominque Morneau- Cows Have Best Friends (and other “pointless” facts to make you the most interesting person in the room)
When it comes to research funding, a project’s (perceived) impact is increasingly becoming one of the most important factors. Science for the sake of science is frequently overlooked for research that does something. This presentation is a celebration of so-called “pointless” research – from how dung beetles use astronomy for orientation to a physical analysis of popcorn, I will give you a ton of good stories to impress down at the pub.
Dominique works in science publishing after getting her PhD in biology from one of Canada’s worst universities. Reading the ins and outs of impactful research projects every day has taken her appreciation of “pointless” research to a whole new level. She has most definitely used some of these studies as an icebreaker, as well as the occasional pick-up line (with a slightly less-than-stellar success rate).
All proceeds from Nerd Nite go to charity. This month’s charity is the National Autistic Society. 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.london.nerdnite.com