Tix: https://squareup.com/store/nneb/
Join Nerd Nite East Bay on 9/30 to learn how human systems borrow from nature, how and why the Transcontinental Railroad arrived in the East Bay, and the bonkers biology of our favorite Kaiju.
- Nerd Nite East Bay is on Monday, September 30, 2019.
- Show is at Club 21 at 2111 Franklin in Uptown Oakland, two blocks from 19th St. BART.
- Club 21 Doors and Drinks at 7PM, Talks Begin at 7:30PM. 21+ Please.
- Facebook event
- Join the Nerd Nite Email List to never miss an event announcement due to FB algorithms!
Ecomimicry: How Human Systems Benefit By Copying Nature
Human activities have greatly modified natural ecosystems, sometimes to our own detriment. Ecomimicry flips this approach and tries to solve problems by recreating the structure and function of natural ecosystems within our own artificial systems. Learn about the “goal” of natural ecosystems as they evolve toward a certain state, and consider what ecosystems can teach us about more efficient and resilient agriculture, and how industries, economies, and societies can benefit from thoughtful ecomimicry.
Amber Kerr is a lecturer in biology and ecology at UC Berkeley and Evergreen Valley College. She studied agroforestry in Malawi for her PhD at UC Berkeley, followed by a postdoc at UC Davis on climate impacts on California agriculture. When not teaching or doing research, she can be found running, gardening, attending protest marches, and dodging her kids’ LEGOs.
The Myth of the Golden Spike: How the East Bay Gained (and San Francisco Lost) the Transcontinental Railroad
When the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads celebrated the hammering of the Golden Spike that “completed” the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869, the true story (and construction!) of the first nation-spanning railway was hardly finished. Discover why the first trains to the West Coast didn’t arrive until September, and learn about the many doomed efforts to connect the railway to San Francisco. Then see how politics, geology and dead cows all led to the mighty Transcontinental Railroad terminating in Alameda and Oakland, tantalizingly short of the Pacific Ocean.
Dennis Evanosky and Eric J. Kos are historians and co-publishers of the Alameda Sun, Alameda’s successful independent hometown newspaper. Their careers as published authors began in 2003 with East Bay Then & Now, and they are currently working on their 14th and 15th history books together. Proud history nerds, Eric and Dennis get into the minutiae of history, finding the stories that are hilarious, heartbreaking or simply worth hearing. They are raising money for a documentary on this topic.
The History, Biology and Behavior of the Hyper-Evolved Modern Theropod Godzilla
Tsunami, earthquake, hurricane and typhoon all rolled in one, Godzilla, the “King of the Monsters,” has both plagued and benefited humanity for over half a century. By examining the origins and zoology of this force of transgenic nature, people and nations will be better equipped to deal with the awesome destructive power of our radioactive visitor from the Cretaceous.
Shyaporn Theerakulstit is an actor, writer, YouTuber, cosplayer and general “nerd about town.” He has given talks on subjects such as how to become Batman and the technology of Star Trek vs Star Wars at Nerd Nite, TEDx and the Smithsonian Institution. He has written and produced for Dark Horse Comics and is also the host of the science lecture series “Real/Fake Science.” His YouTube channel has over 5 million views.
With
music from DJ Rubberband Girl, drinks from Club 21, eats available for purchase from Grilled Cheese Guy, and info from the great Oakland Public Library. We’re pleased to be joined by guest MC Danna Staaf, a favorite alumnerd and the author of the fantastic Squid Empire.
Join the Nerd Nite Email List to never miss an event announcement due to FB algorithms!
Club 21 doors and drinks at 7PM, TALKS BEGIN AT 7:30PM! 21+.