Nerd Nite Vancouver is having its one year Nerdaversary! To celebrate an amazing year filled with fantastic speakers and delicious beer we’re bringing you… more fantastic speakers and delicious beer – but with a twist! We’re pleased to announce that we will be holding Nerd Nite v10 at the Vancouver Aquarium. Tickets will be sold online on the Vancouver Aquarium’s Website. Take a gander below to see our lineup of monstrously delightful talks. We recommend you come early to have a drink before we head into the theatre.
Where: The Vancouver Aquarium
When: Tuesday, March 3rd @ 6:45pm (doors @ 6:00)
Tickets: $10.50 (non VanAqua members), $8.40 (members)
#1 Monster appetite: The insatiable cravings of a coral reef
Hannah Evans
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on earth and can extend for hundreds of miles. The reefs are made of tiny coral animals, some the size of the tip of a pen, with mouths surrounded by sticky, stinging tentacles that are pointed skyward. For plankton passing by too close, the coral reef can be the end of the line.
Bio: Hannah Evans is the senior aquarium biologist at the Vancouver Aquarium.
This talk has been changed from the original speaker Dr. Chris Balakrishnan due to a flight cancellation.
#2 Meet Cadborosaurus: An introduction to marine cryptozoology
Dr. Paul H. LeBlond
Hundreds of sober people have seen large unidentified animals in the coastal waters of the northeast Pacific. These creatures are collectively known as Cadborosaurus, more familiarly “Caddy”. I will review and critique the evidence for Caddy’s existence, based on eyewitness reports, and present some speculations as to its nature.
Bio: Paul LeBlond is an Emeritus Professor in Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at UBC. In parallel to his research andteaching activities in physical oceanography, he developed an early interest in “sea-monsters”, leading to in-depth studies of Cadborosaurus and the creation of the BC Scientific Cryptozoology Club. He now lives on Galiano Island where he is active in community organizations.
#3 Could Godzilla play hockey? The rocket science of movie monsters
Dr. Jaymie Matthews
Jaymie Matthews hunts for alien worlds, including worlds that might harbour aliens. Might any of those aliens be monsters? Prof. Matthews would certainly prefer to meet E.T. than be eaten by Alien. But monsters have already invaded Earth. The first movie monster attack took place in 1924, in Die Nibelungen, where the monster was a giant dragon. Eleven years later, New York was terrorized by King Kong. In 1954, Godzilla started stomping on Tokyo.
Could there be a real Godzilla somewhere in the Universe, based on the laws of physics and biology? When Godzilla roars, does he purr like a kitten? With the playoffs approaching, the question on the mind of every NHL coach is: Can Godzilla skate?
Learn the answers to these questions as you sit ringside as an astrophysicist takes on Godzilla, Gamera, King Kong and Smaug in the ultimate battle of brains vs. brawn.
Bio: Jaymie Matthews is an astrophysical “gossip columnist” who unveils the hidden lifestyles of stars by eavesdropping on “the music of the spheres.” His version of an interstellar iPod is Canada’s first space telescope, MOST (Microvariability and Oscillations of STars), which detects vibrations in the light of humming stars. MOST also makes Matthews an “astro-paparazzo” by helping him spy on planets around other stars that might be homes for alien celebrities. Probably not Vulcans, but microbes. The discovery of microbes on another world would qualify them as newsmakers of the century.
A Professor of Astrophysics at UBC and a member of the Board of the HR MacMillan Space Centre, Prof. Matthews is also an Officer of the Order of Canada. In addition to research, education and outreach are also important facets of Dr. Matthews’ life. He’s a co-founder and regular instructor of UBC’s Science 101 course for residents of Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, and a mentor in the national Loran Scholar programme. Dr. Matthews was a “Human Library Book” in a programme where “readers” could reserve him for 20 minutes at a time to ask anythingabout astronomy. He was also a storyteller at the Kootenay Storytelling Festival in 2013.
