Last month, we nerds trekked to the edge of the universe.

This month…somewhere else you can’t breathe.

Don’t miss this Nite, it’s gonna be a lung-buster.

Expeditionary Cave Diving
Bill Stone

Bill Stone has organized the exploration of some of our planet’s deepest underwater caves. During the past 35 years, Dr. Stone has led 51 caving expeditions, spent more than seven years in the field, and logged 403 days below ground. In his spare time, Dr. Stone pioneered the development of computer-controlled diving apparatus, diver propulsion vehicles, 3D underwater and dry cave mapping equipment, spacecraft reaction control systems, next-generation laser radar systems for unmanned ground vehicles, and novel re-entry vehicles. In April of 2004 Dr. Stone was selected as Principal Investigator to lead the NASA project to develop the Europa lander third stage prototype – the “hydrobot” that will explore the hypothesized subsurface ocean on that Jovian moon and to autonomously search for life.

This man could talk about his rock collection, and it would be awesome.

Sense Deprivation and Immersion
Robin Arnott

In the experimental game “Deep Sea”, players are asked to wear a rubber mask that obscures their vision and monitors their breathing, and are then pitted against wave after wave of invisible sea monsters. Robin Arnott talks about what his experiment in sense deprivation has to teach us about perception.

Sound designer, sometimes experimental artist, and always hardcore gamer, Robin Arnott is the owner of the Austin game audio studio “Wraughk” (www.wraughk.com).

Corals Are Not Rocks
Sarah Davies

What is a coral? What is a coral reef? What is coral bleaching? What are general threats to coral reefs? What I study!

Sarah Davies is a UT graduate student in the Ecology Evolution and Behavior program. By day she works in a lab studying coral reef connectivity and the limits to coral dispersal. By night she hunts mullets.

PLUS!!

Heteronormative speed dating is back! Tell your hottest / most awkward friends!

–6:30, before Nerd Nite–

http://austin.nerdnite.com/speed-dating

Nerd Nite is FREE, cuz we do it for luv.