Tuesday, April 22, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE! Secret Science Club presents Psychologist & Author Steven Pinker on the Better Angels of Our Nature

Have humans become less violent? The news—war, crime, terrorism—seems to contradict that notion. But experimental psychologist Steven Pinker crunches the empirical data and concludes we live in the most peaceful era in the existence of our species. Believe it or not, rates of violence are down. Combining science and history, Dr. Pinker explores the psychological and social forces that tend humans toward violence—or nonviolence. And he examines how our aggressive impulses are counterbalanced by our “better angels” (e.g. empathy, self-control, and the ability to reason). 

Harvard College Professor and Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, Steven Pinker conducts scientific research on language and cognition. His popular and critically acclaimed books include The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, The Blank Slate, The Stuff of Thought, and most recently The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. He writes frequently for the New York Times, Edge, Slate, and the New Republic. Take his pop quiz!

Before & After
--Try the Earth Angel, our flighty cocktail of the night!
--Groove to super cerebral tunes
--Stick around for the thought-provoking Q&A
--Snag a signed copy of Steven Pinker's latest book, The Better Angels of our Nature!  

This edition of the Secret Science Club meets Tuesday, April 22, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover.

Note: Early arrival to this event is advised. Capacity is limited and entry is first-come, first-served.

Winners!

Congratulations to all the winners and oddly wonderful contestants at our 2014 Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest!  And a ferocious thanks to our judges Robert Marbury, Joanna Ebenstein, and Tony Rodgers; our volunteers; the owners and staff of the Bell House; and everyone who came out to support. The night was immortalized by the Village Voice in a slideshow. How beastly!

2014's Grand Master of Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy: Takeshi Yamada

First prize—Grand master, Takeshi Yamada, fearsome multiheaded monster, eek!

Second Prize—Kelly Owen, jeweled jackalope and rat dolls

Third Prize—Shasta Donegan, taxidermy opossum

Best in Bones Award—Tanis Meyer Thornton, “Resurrection of the Lamb"

Terribly Interesting Award—Mike Zohn, blue whale penis

Kick Ass Award—Daisy Tainton, cat monster battling beetle on horseback

Belle of the Ball Award—Mark Splatter, wet specimen titled “El Topo”

First in Panache Award—Richard Sauntomauro, ring-tailed lemur

You've got Chutzpah Award—Elizabeth Cohen, “Nicademus the Evil Jackalope”

Urban Outdoorsman Award—Steven Rinella, "The Remains of the Hunt" (skulls and rug of invasive Himalayan tahr)

Nate Hill Jumped the Shark Award--Joshua Goldstein and his squirrel Reginald

Judge’s Payback Award—Wilder Duncan, Dancing lambs”