We are back in 2019 with an awesome 3-speaker line up who will be discussing the modern era of genetic engineering, diving in Antarctica and the neurology of pain. Come join us at Howler in Brunswick, for $15 burger and pot deals whilst you are learning.

*Presentation 1

Genetic Engineering: Pereception vs Reality - Stop Referencing Pop Culture! - Ben Novak

Recent innovations in genetic engineering are revolutionizing the future of medicine, agriculture, and wildlife conservation. Things once only imagined in science fiction novels, tv series, and films are now materializing as real applications, but the impacts and concerns of real life genetic engineering are nothing like the dystopian tropes of popular culture - knee jerk fears are unwarranted. Amazing achievements in genetic engineering may seem underwhelming compared to the action packed plots of movies like Jurassic World and Rampage, but small accomplishments in petri dishes are poised to radically transform the the world for the better. A real look at the prospects on the horizon open up a future of wonder, rather than alarm.

*Presentation 2

Diving with the Kiwis among the penguins - Matthew McArthur

When Matt got the call that he was needed for a research project involving diving at the world's southernmost dive site, he said "maybe," and hung up to call his bride of four weeks to check that such high latitudes gallivanting wasn't a marriage denting proposition.  Fortunately his wife, also being a marine scientist, realised what this realisation of a life long ambition meant to Matt and told him to get it out of his system, little realising how readily Antarctica gets under a person's skin.  He serviced his regulators, repaired his dry suit and set south to see what he would see in the sea beneath the sea-ice.

*Presentation 3

The neuroscience of kink - Aerie Shore

Bdsm and kink have garnered tremendous media attention and cultural traction in recent years. Unbeknownst to most people, humans have been exploring kink and alternative sexual practices for millennia. Modern scientific research provides clues as to why activities that may seem so bizarre and intimidating hold such a strong allure, seated in the very neurological chemistry and wiring of our brains. Join Aerie on a journey into the human brain, as she unravels a complex tapestry of neurochemistry, psychobiology and behavioural conditioning to explore what makes humans kinky. What allows people to override survival instincts and cultural mores to seek out, possibly even sexualise, pain and humiliation? How are fetishes formed? Are there benefits to engaging in kinky activities? (Spoiler: Yes!) Aerie draws upon a background in animal biology as well as an 18-year career in bdsm arts and kink education to illuminate this deeply enthralling topic.