Nimrod Gabriel
Want to find out where the best talks and lectures are in London this March? We’ve compiled our top 20 for March right here for you. Held in an array of the city’s most intimate venue spaces, these talks will open your mind. Want to see all of our lectures? Head here: http://bit.ly/2n0VMuy
This post will be constantly updated, so keep your eyes peeled for more dates. You can find the most up-to-date list on our website
Funzing Talks | Inside The Mind of a Dictator
WHERE: Stoke Newington | WHEN: 01/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Jonathan will lead you through the indicators that can lead to genocide & crimes against humanity that he witnessed during his investigations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Libya and Gaza . War and genocide are not exclusive; ongoing conflict, control of the media, autocracy, dehumanisation of others, symbolism, ideology & minority elitism are all factors that may be present.
From personal experiences such as being in court with Saddam Hussein, meeting convicted Bosnian Serb generals, interviewing people like Chemical Ali (Ali Hassan al Majid), and meeting survivors of mass executions, Jonathan will take you into killers’ minds and tell you why he thinks people BECOME BARBARIC.
WHERE: Camden | WHEN: 05/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Björn Schuller’s ‘Can A.I. have Emotions?’ talk will share with you latest insights into the state of “Affective Computing” – the science behind computers and emotions. Largely unnoticed by the public, machines have indeed started to do their homework on emotions, recently creating a quite vibrant start-up scene around the topic.
Based on latest competitions in this exciting field, you will be surprised to learn what machines can already sense from your voice, face, and physiology about your affective state. You’ll also see how machines can these days react to emotions, and even hear real-life moving stories about computers and robots successfully teaching autistic children about emotions and many other applications slowly becoming a reality. But can machines actually have emotions? Facts will be first, but prepare also to get absorbed into a science-driven discussion on what Artificial Emotional Intelligence ultimately might evolve into, and whether we need to be afraid or euphoric about it.
If this talk sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can book your tickets HERE
Prof David Nutt: Why We Should Decriminalise Drugs
WHERE: Soho | WHEN: 06/03/2018 | PRICE: £20
The attempt to control drug use and harms through punitive sanctions (i.e. the war on drugs) has been a global failure.
In fact, in many cases it has intensified the problem, leading to soaring prison populations, and disproportionately pulling poor, vulnerable or minority communities into the dragnet of the criminal justice system.
In this vehement talk, Professor David Nutt will explain the reasons such failure was predictable and illustrate how decriminalisation policies (as pursued in other countries such as Portugal, Netherlands etc.) offer a rational and more humane way forward, that also have huge economic and research gains for society.
Professor Nutt will also explore new research carried out by DrugScience.org on estimating the comparative values of different policy regimes for some common drugs.
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 07/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Can cannabis cause (or even perhaps treat) psychosis?
Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, but in recent years several countries have decriminalised it or even legalised it for “medicinal” or recreational use.
Most people who use cannabis enjoy it and come to no harm, but, as with alcohol, some develop problems. In a minority, daily cannabis use is associated with a need to continue using (dependence) and, ultimately, an increased risk of psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia. This can lead to social withdrawal, excessive suspicion and paranoia, and even delusions and hallucinations.
About one quarter of cases of psychosis in London are due to use of cannabis. The risk is greatest in those who start to use in adolescence and in those with a family history of psychiatric disorder. As yet, there is not convincing evidence that cannabis use increases risk of other psychiatric disorders, but long-term very heavy use can have detrimental effects on cognitive function.
If you would like to know more about the link between psychosis and cannabis, get your tickets to Robin’s talk with this LINK
Funzing Talks| What Makes a Murderer?
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 09/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
understanding crime is creating an uncomfortable tension between our concepts of responsibility and retribution on the one hand, and understanding and mercy on the other.
This talk outlines implications of this body of knowledge not just for
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 11/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Shaun Attwood is returning to talk about being banged up abroad in one of America’s most dangerous prisons.
Shaun went from recreational drug user and stock-market millionaire to becoming an Ecstasy kingpin in America. He got caught and was sent to maximum security prison in Arizona. His story has been broadcast worldwide on the National Geographic program “Banged Up Abroad”. His trailer is here.
In this amazing talk, Shaun is going to tell you what it was like making millions of dollars and reaching God like status throwing raves and selling Ecstasy, to ending up in one of America’s most dangerous prisons, where gang members and even guards were murdering inmates.
“Shaun’s story is the Manchester rave scene meets The Wolf of Wall Street and ends in The Shawshank Redemption” – Jon Ronson author of The Psychopath Test
Get your tickets to Shaun’s talk HERE
Forensic Talks | Exploring the Mind of a Psychopath
WHERE: Soho | WHEN: 12/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Learn about Psychopathy – explore the common symptoms of the condition, and how a typical Psychopath behaves. How do you spot a psychopath? Do you know any? What are the tell-tale signs which give them away?
Psychopathic children – how early do the signs emerge? Is animal cruelty always a reliable indicator of a future killer? What are the causes of psychopathy?
Jennifer will also explore the neuroscience behind the condition, including how the psychopathic brain functions.
Are You a Psychopath? Take a screener on the night for fun!
Is your boss a psychopath? Jennifer will provide you with some tips for dealing with them if you think so!
Can psychopaths cheat lie detector tests? Jennifer will review the research.
She will also explore why we need psychopaths in our society.
Can you guess which professions have a high prevalence for psychopaths? Jennifer will also provide you with some top psychopath self-help tips: what you can learn from psychopaths to improve your life!
From Jeffery Dahmer to James Bond, Jennifer will discuss famous examples throughout. You will also get opportunities to watch videos of various psychopaths in action, giving you the chance to observe how they behave and think.
If this sounds interesting, get your tickets to the talk HERE
Funzing Talks | UK Drugs Gang: 14 Years Undercover
WHERE: Hackney | WHEN: 14/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Meet Neil Woods – a former Police Officer who worked undercover for 14 years as part of the war on drugs. From a samurai sword to the neck and being stripped naked at gun-point, Neil has had many near death experiences whilst infiltrating drug gangs across the U.K.
He will recount tales from his undercover days and use these to illustrate how police tactics lead to the monopolisation and increased violence of Organised Crime, as the vulnerable victims of the Drug War are trampled in the crossfire.
A cross section of views are especially welcome during questions. Join us at a cool East London Canal-side location for one of the most interesting talks you’ll see all year.
Get your tickets HERE
Funzing Talks|The Neuroscience of The DMT Experience
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 14/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Funzing Kids Talks | The Universe, Stars and Planets
WHERE: Stoke Newington | WHEN: 17/03/2018 | PRICE: £10 Adults £7 Kids
Just how big is the Solar System, and why is Earth so special? Is there life on any other planet, and how could we find out about it? Why do stars have different colours, and why do some shine brighter than others?
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 18/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
There is a penis museum in Iceland but no vagina equivalent. Why is that? Upset at this inequality, Florence is making one and talks through why we need one in the first place. This talk will revolve around her experiences researching vaginas, vulvas and all parts related, the highs and lows, what would go in a museum about the gynaecological anatomy and the wonderful and strange reactions she’s got making the world’s first physical vagina museum.
Florence Schechter is opening the vagina museum in UK and has been shortlisted for a Women of the Future Award 2017 in the arts and culture category for her work. She has performed across the country at the Science Museum Lates, Royal Society, British Science Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, BlueDot Festival, to name a few.
To get tickets to her talk, click HERE
Funzing Talks | Tech and The Future of Health
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 18/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
From robot surgeons and digital doctors to curing cancer and ending aging, the future of health has never looked brighter. Companies large and small, along with governments and universities, are creating unbelievable solutions to some of the most pressing needs in human health, meaning we can look forward to a world in which both mental and physical health is better than ever before.
But with technological innovation comes questions of ethics, privacy, and what it means to be human – questions which we as a society haven’t quite come to an agreement on yet. So let’s dive into the world of the Future of Health – taking a look at what technology and science are bringing us, both the ‘incredible’ and the ‘to be decided’…
Gemma Milne is a Tech and Science Journalist writing for The Guardian, Adweek, Imperica & Ogilvydo, covering science, tech, culture and politics. She is also Co-Founder of Science: Disrupt – an organisation connecting the innovators, iconoclasts & entrepreneurs intent on creating change in science.
If you would like to see her talk, get your tickets HERE
Funzing Talks | The Neuroscience of Love
WHERE: Shoreditch | WHEN: 20/03/2018 | PRICE: £12
Love’s been around a long time. As an evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Anna Machin is fascinated by what makes us fall in love and what keeps us there. In this talk she will use the results of cutting edge research in the fields of neuroscience, genetics, evolutionary theory and psychology to explain what happens in our brains when we fall in love and how this affects how we feel and behave when we are in love.
Why do we need love in our lives? How can love be a source of such intense euphoria but at the same time be so incredibly painful? Why are some people better at staying in relationships than others? And is it really the case that love is addictive?
She will explain how a wonderful cocktail of chemicals motivates us to form relationships, how a complex mix of our genetics and psychology combine to influence how we feel when we are in love and what all this new scientific knowledge means for the way we will love in the future.
Get your tickets HERE
Funzing Talks | Interviews With Female Serial Killers
WHERE: New Cross | WHEN: 20/03/2018 | PRICE: £15
Insomnia and other sleep problems affect around one in every three people in the UK, that is around 22 million people in the UK alone. A staggering amount, especially since there are so many effective ways to improve sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning.
This talk will uncover how to overcome insomnia and other sleep problems as well as discussing:
– How sleep works and why we need it
– Common misconceptions about sleep
– The 7 areas of our life affecting our sleep
– Simple tools and exercises that will help you to sleep well at night and wake up refreshed the next morning.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, get your tickets HERE
