Yes, Lena, there is a Jule Nissen

Norwegian Christmas Traditions

by Frank Haynes

What hides in a barn, is about 3 feet tall and brings presents on Christmas morning? Well if you lived in Norway, you would know it is the Jule Nissen. Broaden your holiday knowledge and amaze your friends this holiday season by learning about many of the Christmas (Jule) traditions of Norway. No lutefisk will be served at this gathering.

A Journey to Enlightenment

Silhouetted man spreads his arms in front of a rising sun as if to embrace it

by Mark Becker

We live in a world where we continuously hear of crime, division, distrust and prejudice. Most of us struggle through life in fear, and wonder what our purpose here is. We strive for happiness, without really knowing what that means. On the other side of the fence lies enlightenment. We are all capable of reaching it, and it is where we find true happiness and meaning. In this talk, our speaker will share what he has learned from hours studying personality types, psychology, spirituality, near death experiences, hypnotherapy, telepathy, psychics and mediums in his search for enlightenment.

Spinning Black Holes

Spiral galaxy

by Steven Dorsher

Many Nerds already have some familiarity with special relativity, which says that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light and that space and time coordinates depend on the speed of the person who observes them. Many Nerds also have some familiarity with black holes, which can either be the remnants of stars or much larger and found at the centers of galaxies. They are so massive they don’t allow light, or anything else, to leave, within the Schwarzschild radius. But what new properties does a spinning black hole have? And how have we observed spinning black holes in nature?

Potty Training is Why Parents Drink

wooden toy person sits on a regular-sized toilet

The History of Diapering

by Morgan Carlson

Diapering isn’t usually something people think about until that baby comes into your life; changing your perspective on many things. Did you ever wonder what people did before diapers were invented? Or why has the average potty training age doubled in the past 60 years? I’m here to tell you a bunch of fun facts about the history of diapering and some alternatives to the current mainstream potty culture!

St. Cloud Nerd Nite Kick-Off Event The Golden State Killer: 40 Years of Fear

presented by Sarah Clark

Thursday, October 21st, 6:15 p.m.

Reserved Seating