The Secret Science Club presents Molecular Biologist Lee Silver & the DNA Time Machine, Tuesday, June 8 @ the Bell House, 8 pm, FREE!

When the future meets the past, get ready for a whole new you . . .

For a few hundred dollars and a tube of your own spit, you can now obtain a read-out of millions of secret histories embedded in your DNA. Thanks to a growing volume of data on the genetics of human populations, the budding field of “deep ancestry” promises to take your family tree to a whole new level. Could a quick peek at your personal genome reveal that you’re a descendant of Marie Antoinette? Genghis Khan? Charles Darwin? Turn the clock back even further, and you might be able to learn what path your ancient ancestors took as Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa.

Molecular biologist and biotechnology expert Lee Silver reveals the surprising tales hidden in his own genome. (For example, did his maternal ancestor really get hot and heavy with a man from another species? Shwing!) And he explores the ethics and anxieties society faces as science makes increasingly dramatic advances in personal genomics.

A professor of molecular biology and public policy at Princeton University, Lee Silver is the author of over 180 scientific papers and two popular books, Challenging Nature and Remaking Eden. The recipient of the MERIT award from the National Institutes of Health for outstanding research in genetics, he has appeared as a featured scientist on the Colbert Report, Charlie Rose, 60 Minutes, NPR, and Nightline. His research focuses on cloning, advanced reproductive technologies, genetic testing, human stem cells, and genetic engineering.

Before & After
--Groove to genetically altered tunes, plus Zach Charlop-Powers performs his latest science rap LIVE!
--Imbibe our past-life-regenerating cocktail, the Wayback Machine
--Stick around for the mind-blowing Q&A

The “Secret Science Club” meets Tuesday, June 8 @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn, p: 718.643.6510 Subway: F to 4th Ave; R to 9th St; F or G to Smith/9th

Doors open at 7:15 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self.

The Secret Science Club presents “The Perfect Swarm” with Biologist Iain Couzin, Tuesday, May 18 @ the Bell House, 8 pm, FREE!

Dr. Iain Couzin syncs up and goes wild at the Secret Science Club . . .

A predator approaches a school of fish, and—seemingly in one motion—the fish dart to safety. A flock of pigeons wheel over Brooklyn rooftops, their movements orchestrated as if by a conductor’s baton. What’s at the root of these mysterious behaviors?

Biologist and mathematician Iain Couzin of Princeton’s Collective Animal Behavior Lab discusses swarming locusts, marching army ants, and even crowds of bugged-out Homo sapiens. He asks:
--How did collective animal behavior evolve and what are the fundamental principles underlying this behavior?
--What enables groups of animals to move in unison?
--How does individual behavior influence group dynamics?
--Can crowds of species (even humans) undergo dramatic “personality” changes?

Dr. Couzin is Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Adjunct Faculty in the Program of Applied and Computational Mathematics at Princeton University. He is a member of the Faculty of 1000 Biology and the recipient of a Searle Scholar Award in 2008 and the Mohammed Dahleh Award in 2009.

Before and After
--Groove to synchronized tunes
--Stick around for the "orderly" Q&A
--Flock don't run to try our cocktail of the night, the Herd Mentality

The “Secret Science Club” meets Tuesday, May 18 at 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn, p: 718.643.6510 Subway: F to 4th Ave; R to 9th St; F or G to Smith/9th

No cover. Just bring your smart self! Please bring ID: 21+  Doors open at 7:15 pm. Limited seating.