Welcome to show #50!! Wow 50 shows in Melbourne- what a ride!! To celebrate our golden anniversary, we have 3 fabulous golden speakers lined up. Prepare to be taken on a journey through time, exploring the evolution of the typewriter, be taken on a journey to the edge of the solar system and to explore the role AI is having on our lives. Be there. Be square.

Just Your Type

Wade Kelly

There was once a machine that could write books and plays, complete ledgers, and produce music scores without any power but the force of a finger. Generations of people used them to correspond with family, friends, and co-workers. It revolutionised how people communicated in written form, and then it died. Prepare to be taken on a journey through time, exploring the evolution of the typewriter and the cultural and societal changes that typewriters helped to bring about. From creating the QWERTY keyboard to hipsters banging out poetry on street corners, we’ll uncover the many dimensions of these powerful symbols of human ingenuity, creativity, and expression and how they continue to inspire and engage people today.

BIO: Wade has a long history with Nerd Nite. He was a nerd boss in three cities over a decade. In addition to hosting nites, he has provided talks on alternative facts and terrazzo floors. Organising Nerd Nite led him to a PhD and now he works with researchers to help get research out of universities and into practice. He's delighted to return to the Nerd Nite Melbourne stage to celebrate 50 shows!

Twitter: @wadekelly

A Journey to the Edge of the Solar System

Shane Huntington

In 1977 two probes, Voyager 1 and 2, were launched out into the Solar System to explore the outer planets. Our knowledge of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune exploded. It has been 46 years since the launch and both craft are still doing experiments! In this talk Dr Shane, who was 6 years old when the Voyagers left Earth, will talk about their journey to date, where they are now, and what will ultimately lead to their end of life. They don’t make them like they used to (why would we…we have better stuff now!).

BIO: Dr Shane Huntington OAM is the Host and Producer of 3RRR’s science program Einstein A Go Go – a show he has been broadcasting for 30 years. He is also the CEO of the kids’ cancer charity Little Big Steps – providing exercise medicine support to kids across Australia. Shane is a Senior Associate with Outside Opinion, Director of the Innovation Group Pty Ltd, and works as a Speaker and Consultant in Strategy & Communication.

Twitter: @drshanerrr

“Hi Mom, it’s Billy. Can you send me some cash?” The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Artificial Intelligence Tools

Lisa Given

Stories about artificial intelligence dominate the news; but how will this technology really affect our lives? Can AI tools think and act like humans? Will ChatGPT make our working lives easier? Will MidJourney make artists’ work obsolete? Are misinformation/disinformation, scams, and fraud the real future of AI – or is that just scaremongering? AI technologies provide opportunities for dynamic searching, creativity, and for people to chat and interact with information sources in new ways. However, their emerging designs and limitations also raise ethical, practical, and legal concerns affecting people across all walks of life. This Nerd Nite talk will explore what these tools can (and cannot) do and discuss how everyday citizens can engage with – and protect themselves – from what may come next.

BIO: Lisa M. Given is Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, and Professor of Information Sciences at RMIT University, where she explores how people engage with information and technology tools – from small children playing with iPads, to seniors looking for health information online, and everything in between. Lisa is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and lead author of Looking for Information: Examining Research on How People Engage with Information. In her spare time, you can find her listening to loud and heavy music at venues around Melbourne, relaxing with her cats, or testing out the amazing restaurants around the northern suburbs.

Twitter: @lisagiven