Our May 3 show is a Star Wars themed, all-women in STEM episode - our last show before we break for summer. Feel free to come as your favourite Star Wars character and may the force be with you!

We'll be back this fall with some amazing line-ups and more unicorn science, so follow our social media over the summer and stay tuned for shows on radon, astroNOTs, physics, astronomy and tons of other cool topics.

TALKS & SPEAKERS:

"Apocalyptic Party Planning" Geophysicist & Disaster Researcher Mika McKinnon

Apocalyptic skills are a must for a modern Nerd, any gamer or zombie movie fan will tell you that. Who better to teach us the basics than an actual disaster researcher and science fiction writer, specializing in tsunami, earthquakes and asteroid impacts -- pretty much all the heart-pounding, doom-riddled science.

Mika received her BA in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005, attending the College of Creative Studies. There, she re-launched the Society of Physics Students and lead a student colloquia on science fiction, creating an environment for an exchange of views. She received her MSc in Geophysics from UBC in 2010 where her graduate work centered on assessing and managing risk of landslides using statistical models.

Mika is a field geophysicist and science communicator with joint appointments at SETI and FEMA. She is currently a co-investigator with NASA's Project ESPRESSO, lending her expertise towards the project's goal of characterizing extraterrestrial target surfaces - asteroids, comets and moons. Mika has produced the largest published collection of data on landslides in space!

Mika is also a United Nations Delegate for Hazard and Risk Reduction, and a science adviser to TV shows like Doomsday, No Tomorrow, Madame Secretary, Star Trek: Discovery and Stargate, where she adds science to their fiction. She has been a contributing editor for Gawker Media and a science writer for Gizmodo. Like all Nerds, Mika is irrepressibly curious about our wonderfully weird universe and loves the outdoors.

“From Atom to Alien - The Universe As A Chemistry Lab” Astronomer & Nerd Nite Victoria Host, Dr. Nienke Van Der Marel

We are all made of star-stuff! Everything on Earth consists of molecules built out of atoms, but what is the origin of these elements in the Universe? What molecules can we find in the regions where stars and planets are forming? How is it possible that molecules can form in those extreme environments of cold and emptiness? And how can we even observe those molecules? In this talk,

Nienke will takes us on a tour through the most exotic chemistry lab ever…The Universe.

Nienke was born and raised in The Netherlands where she got her PhD cum laude in Astronomy at Leiden University in 2015, followed by a two-year fellowship at The University of Hawaii in Honolulu. In November 2017, she moved to Victoria for a fellowship at the NRC Herzberg Institute for Astrophysics. She is the Host of Nerd Nite Victoria (shows are the third Wednesday of every month at the Victoria Event Centre).

Nienke loves to travel and has some pretty mad latin/african dance skills! You may remember Nienke from her appearance at the January show for our thought experiment "What is a Nerd?"

"Searching for New Particles at CERN" Project ATLAS Researcher and PhD Physics Student (UBC/TRIUMF), Robin Hayes

Buried beneath the border of France and Switzerland, nearly 100 metres underground, CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the largest and most powerful particle accelerator on the planet. The LHC collides particles at 99.999999% of the speed of light, recreating conditions that existed shortly after the Big Bang. In this talk, you'll hear about how scientists study such intense conditions, and about some of the mind-blowing discoveries they've already made. Protons at the LHC collide about 800 million times every second! All the data from these collisions would fill enough CD-ROMs to stretch from the earth to the moon four times over the course of a single year. Don't miss this rare access to all things CERN.

Robin is a PhD student at UBC and TRIUMF. She works on the ATLAS experiment, studying data collected at the LHC. When she's not doing physics stuff, she enjoys cycling to school at 0.000002% of the speed of light and working hard to perfect her baba ghanoush recipe.

Each "nite" features three 15 minute "TED Talks" on subjects across all branches of science, in language anyone can understand. We do it in a fun, bar environment with beer and as much comedy as our Nerds can deliver, which makes this a 19+ event (sorry “nearly nerd-nite” teens we’ll see you soon). Be ready for an interactive question & answer period, social media competitions and prizes! Meet other nerds & the speakers during breaks.

With over 80 locations worldwide, Nerd Nite is taking over! We're an all-volunteer community outreach devoted to Science Communication for adults who yearn to learn more about the amazing discoveries being made in science every day. We're always looking for more nerds to join our herd, so if you're interested in getting involved hit us up on our social media!

We'll play "What Are You Nerding Out On?" North Van style and have our Twitter Competitions where you can win tickets to Nerd Nites North Van, Vancouver & Victoria and of course our Nerd Nite tool cards and bookmarks.

Location: Eagles Club Event Room 170 West 3rd Street at Chesterfield (just east of 7-11). Fully licensed bar. No minors. 3 blocks from Lonsdale Quay, straight up Chesterfield.

Transit: We're just 3 blocks from the seabus so don't learn and drive.

Social Media: Website: http://www.northvan.nerdnite.com Facebook: Nerd Nite North Vancouver Instagram: @NerdNiteNorthVan Twitter: @NerdNiteNV

FAQs Doors open at 6:45pm. Show at 7:00pm. Must be 19yrs or older, no minors. You can bring food to this event! Just 3 blocks from Lonsdale Quay, straight up Chesterfield.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1219032504925908/

Join us for an after hours family night celebration “May the 4th Be With You”. Come dressed as your favorite Rebel or Empire character, make your own glowing light saber and visit distant worlds beyond your imagination. Vancouver’s 501st Legion Outer Rim Garrison will be making a special appearance http://outerrimgarrison.com/.

Doors Open at 6:15pm

6:30pm - 9:00pm – Games, Activities & Live Demonstrations Our exhibit space will be open throughout the evening where you can enjoy games and activities. We’ll also be running live demonstrations in our GroundStation Canada Theatre where you can learn about NASA’s current rocket fleet and how they would hold up in a race against the Falcon.

7:00pm or 8:00pm - Planetarium Star Theatre show – “Search the Galaxy” The original film trilogy skips across the galaxy exploring many unique and unconventional planets. In our special planetarium show we will explore real and imagined worlds and learn about places in the secluded corners of our galaxy – from ice worlds to a forested moon with unique inhabitants. Purchase tickets for either the 7:00pm or 8:00pm show.

9:00pm - 9:30pm – Stargazing Our observatory will be open weather permitting. Take a look at the stars through our 1/2 metre telescope.

This event is recommended for children ages 7+.

TICKETS: $15 children (18 and under) $20 adults (19+)

Tickets available online through Eventbrite until 12:00pm on May 3rd.

Paid parking is available in front of the Space Centre building

https://www.facebook.com/events/424172628155566/

Raise a glass of suds in celebration of charismatic harbour seals, sea lions and fur seals – collectively known as pinnipeds – at a special edition of After Hours at the Vancouver Aquarium®, an Ocean Wise® initiative. On Saturday, May 4, learn about these fascinating animals and their incredible rescue and rehabilitation stories through never-seen-before programs, all with a drink in hand. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket go to the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, which rescues, rehabilitates and releases more than 150 sick, injured or orphaned marine mammals each year.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1094508297418081/

Organisms around the world are already responding to our changing climate. Changes in the abundance and geographical distribution of many species have already been documented, and are predicted to intensify in the future – leading to extinction and adding to the toll of the global biodiversity crisis.

However, the scenarios forecasting biodiversity change in future climates rarely consider the different mechanisms of adaptation to environmental change that already play a fundamental role in the diversity of life on Earth.

For instance, some birds are known to advance the date at which they lay their eggs when the weather is warmer, genetic changes granting better drought resistance have occurred in some plant populations, and many species have extended their range towards cooler regions to track the climate they are used to.

So should we be more optimistic about the capacity of biodiversity to adapt to climate change? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is not simple.

Join researcher Ophelie Ronce for this illuminating talk, in which she will illustrate existing mechanisms of adaptation to climate change through examples in animals and plants. Learn about their limits and how modelling sheds light on the many uncertainties about the future of biodiversity in altered climates. She will also discuss how to facilitate adaptation to climate change.

Part of the Way Cool Biodiversity Series.

Lead image: Charles Bukowsky

Free with museum admission or membership

The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. We thank the Musqueam for their ongoing partnership with the museum in furthering our understanding of culturally diverse ways of knowing our world. You can explore the perspectives of six First Nations communities on biodiversity in our exhibition, Culture at the Centre.

ACCESSIBILITY SUMMARY: There are no lips or stairs to enter the museum. Flooring is concrete or tile. Our main entrance is equipped with door-opening buttons. Access to the lower level containing the museum collections is via a ramp with a fitted handrail.

There is an elevator in the Biodiversity Research Centre, adjacent to the museum, which can offer access to the collections floor. This elevator requires key-carrying museum staff or volunteers; please ask at the admission desk.

There are accessible, single stall, gender neutral washrooms on the gift shop level, and on the collections level. Both are equipped with door opening buttons and handrails.

For information and to book the UBC Accessibility Shuttle, visit the UBC website. Shuttle stop 12 (Earth Sciences) is located just opposite the museum. Service animals are welcome at the museum, but other animals are not permitted, due to the nature of our collections.

Our collections area is a dimly lit space to protect museum specimens. Given the nature of the museum’s work, and the materials used in preserving and maintaining our specimens for visitors to explore and learn from, we regret that we are unable to offer a scent-reduced space.

Everyone is welcome to the museum and its events; oppressive attitudes and behaviour of any kind, towards staff, volunteers or visitors, will not be accepted.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2196505810662656/

CHRIS HADFIELD PRESENTS Exploration: Where We’re Going Next

Monday, May 6 ORPHEUM, Vancouver All Ages / Reserved Seating Doors: 6:30pm / Show: 7:30pm

Facebook Presale: Thu, Jan 31 at 10am – 10pm Password: BOP Public on Sale: Fri, Feb 1 at 10am Get Tickets: https://livemu.sc/2S4PydR

Tickets: $29.50, $45.00, $59.50, $79.50 (Incl. GST) + s/c

-Chris Hadfield Online- Website: https://chrishadfield.ca/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AstronautChrisHadfield/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colchrishadfield/

Stay up to date with Live Nation! https://www.facebook.com/livenationbritishcolumbia https://twitter.com/livenationwest https://instagram.com/livenationbc http://www.livenation.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/299097284081923/

ColliderCafe is a space for artists, scientists, makers, and anyone interested in art+science. Meet. Discover. Connect. Create. Are you curious? Join us at "Collider Cafe: Art. Science. Journeys." to explore how art and science intersect in the exploration of curiosity.

//New location! Special thanks to Pizzeria Barbarella for hosting this upcoming Collider Cafe!//

• Michael Markowsky (visual art): The Dawn of the Artist-Astronaut
• Jacqueline Firkins (costume design): Fashioning Cancer: The Correlation between Destruction and Beauty
• Garvin Chinnia (visual art): Triops Journey
• Bob Pritchard (music technology): A Moving Experience: Gesture Tracking for Performance

The event starts promptly at 8pm (doors open at 7:30pm). $5.00-10.00 (sliding scale) cover at the door. Proceeds will be used to cover the cost of running this event, and to fund future Curiosity Collider events. Curiosity Collider is a registered BC non-profit organization.

(Banner Image: by Michael Markowsky, visual artist)

https://www.facebook.com/events/752442035149563/