Nerd Nite Brighton #15: 20/11/14 – Hearing colours, information punks and witch defence

20th nov poster

The nights are hitting us earlier and those summer smiles are starting to look a bit downturned. Even an extra an hour in bed doesn’t seem to make up for it. Why not give yourself a little winter pep and swing by for three more scintillating talks, quizzes, music, drinks with friends and all the cake you can eat at our next instalment. We’re joined by some emissaries from London’s big hitter museums as well as a heavyweight from our very own University of Sussex.

This month:

1. Punk Science: The Gameshow – Jonathan Milton

Jon is part of the Science Museum’s resident comedy team Punk Science and will be presenting a sneak preview of their latest show. The theme is based around The Science Museum’s new gallery “Information Age.” You might have seen the Queen tweeting from the opening. It’s up to the lucky contestants who will be selected at random to compete in science themed games and brain-melting quizzes to win big prizes and that is a fact.

Featuring Punk Science’s trademark blend of science, comedy and music now with added gameshow-flavoured cheese. In Punk Science: The Gameshow, nobody goes away empty headed…

Do pop up and see them as part of the Science Museum’s Lates programme later this month and in January.

2. Hearing colours and tasting words: the kaleidoscopic world of synaesthesia – Jamie Ward

People with synaesthesia experience the ordinary world in extraordinary ways. For some people each letter has its own distinct colour; for others, words have tastes or music is an animated spectacle. In this talk Jamie will explain what causes synaesthesia and how we can study it scientifically. He will discuss how it can often be advantageous and what it reveals about the workings of the typical mind and brain.

Jamie Ward is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. He is one of the world’s leading authorities on synaesthesia and his research methods draw on experimental psychology and human neuroscience.

3. How to protect yourself from a 17th century witch – Meriel Jeater

Meriel Jeater from the Museum of London, explains some of the charms against witchcraft used in the 17th century, from strangled chickens to bottles filled with urine and nail clippings. Find out how to keep a witch’s imp out of your chimney and other useful tips.

Meriel has been a curator at the Museum of London for 14 years, working in the Archaeology Collections Department (450,000 BC – AD 1700). She works mainly on the Roman, medieval, Tudor and 17th century collections but has been known to delve into prehistory when required.
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Tickets from here at the usual £4 for regular nerds and £3 for students/65+ nerds


Can’t wait to see you there!

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