Date: Saturday, June 15th
Time: Doors at 6, show at 6:30
Where: DC9 Nightclub

This time around, we’re diving into the world of fungi, challenging WebMD’s doom-and-gloom diagnoses, and discovering why some worms are more hardcore than a heavy metal concert. Yes, you heard right: we’ve got fungi that could make your bread look suspicious, worms that would make a headbanger proud, and WebMD’s uncanny ability to convince you that a common cold is actually the plague. Because who doesn’t want to laugh while learning about their imminent doom??

So, join us, fellow nerdlings, for an evening of laughter and enlightenment, where you’ll find out just how many ways you might not die from fungi and worms (despite what WebMD says). Trust us, it’s going to be a wild, educational ride!

June Talks:
“A Fungus Among Us” by Drew Drozynski
Description: A whirlwind tour through the magical kingdom of fungi touching on its role in the environment, its impact on our daily lives, and how to not die if you try foraging for them yourself. Plus we’ll answer the age-old question, “Could The Last of Us really happen?”

“A Way with Worms: how are polychaete worms so small yet so heavy metal at the same time” by Kody Muhic
Description: The aliens are below us. Here we dive to the bottom of the sea to examine some of the elongated, boneless weirdos who live there, from the aptly named bone-eating snot-flower worm, to the scifi horror creature that is the Bobbit worm. (Key words: death-jawed, sexually ambiguous, exceptionally phallic, death orgy, sci-fi nightmare fuel).

“Everything Hurts and I’m Dying: WebMD vs an actual pathologist in a game of Worst Case Scenarios” by Kali Holder and Rae Pendergrass
Description: You know when you have some random mild symptom, search the internet to find out what it might be, and immediately regret it because you apparently have cancer, molybdenum toxicity, and/or network connectivity issues? That was a bad idea. This is a worse idea. This is what happens when a comedian asks a pathologist, “How bad could it be?”

Date: Saturday, May 18th
Time: Doors at 6, show at 6:30
Where: DC9 Nightclub

“You gotta rub me the right way: rectifying the pleasure gap one orgasm at a time” by Tiffany Atkinson
Description: Everyone deserves to have toe curling, mind shattering “what plane of existence did I just go to” sex, but vulva owners often get the shaft (and not in a good way). Let’s talk about the pleasure gap, why penis AND vulva owners are part of the problem, and how YOU can be part of the solution.
Bio: Tiffany (she/her) believes wholeheartedly in living life with childhood wonder. She is a self-proclaimed semi-professional chef who loves cheese, making peace signs, and dancing without a care in the world.

“Grass: An Ecological Nightmare, And How Mother Earth Needs Us To Make Better Choices” by Rachel Hager
Description: Grass lawns are the largest crop in the U.S.! But they serve no productive purpose other than to make us feel good. Come explore why grass is a terrible choice for your neighborhood and the planet. Let’s learn about how you can make small swaps that make a big difference.
Bio: Rachel (she/her) has a Masters in Ecology from Utah State University, where she also found her passion for science communication. She gets excited by new plants, good food, and outdoor adventures. Rachel is in the process of converting her bland lawn into a productive landscape filled with native plants, fruit trees, and a vegetable garden.

“That Time We Discovered The Proof for a Major Open Question in Mathematics in a 4chan Post About Anime from 2011” by Quill Nebeker
Description: Yes, 4chan. Really.
Bio: Quill Nebeker (she/her) used to produce strange theater things in DC like The Tarot Reading, The Internet: LIVE!! (with Rae Pendergrass) and SHRINES with The Arcanists. Now, she’s at NC State studying mathematics. This summer, she’s doing research in spectral graph theory with Dr. Fulton Gonzalez at Tufts. You can still see her once in a blue moon when she gets conscripted by the classically-minded reprobates of Shakespeare in the Pub. She may appear slightly different than you remember.

Date: Saturday, March 16th
Time: Doors at 6, show at 6:30
Where: DC9 Nightclub

Oh you brilliantly beautiful nerdy souls, April’s Nerd Nite will be a rollercoaster ride through the realms of imagination, satire, and a healthy dose of 420-friendly humor! Let’s ignite those brain cells and blaze a trail to enlightenment!

Hold on as we unravel the mystique behind the Invention of the TurboEncabulator. We’re delving into the realm of satirical technobabble that’s had engineers chuckling since 1944!

Prepare to have your minds blown as we explore Aphantasia – where some people can visualize things and others are left in the dark!

And for all you budding botanists out there, get ready to explore the twisted branches of the Family Trees of Weed. From indica to sativa, we’ll be blazing through botanical history faster than you can say 420 BLAZE IT!

“They Live! Mind Control and the Invention of the TurboEncabulator” by James Browne

“Aphantasia, the New Science of Subjectivity, and my Shocking Discovery that Other People can Actually Visualize Shit” by Sadie Dingfelder

“Family Trees of Weed” by Jeffrey Salpekar