Happy Wednesday, Nerds! We’ve come to the very last FNN of 2022, as our usual schedule takes us too close to Xmas and we have a non-compete with Santa, so this is your last chance to get your think and drink on before we all devolve into an infuriating loop of Mariah Carey and trying not to argue with our relatives about politics over a dried out turkey. Better that you enjoy a beverage, maybe win a door prize, discover yet another place from which you’ve been unwittingly ingesting bug juice, get a dose of real viral history, and wage a war with graph paper and dice. It’s Nerd Nite, baby, and it’s all you want for Christmas. (#callback)

You’ve Got Red on You: A Tale of the Humble Cochineal

From lipsticks to food dyes, one small sessile parasite (that’s a barely moving beastie to you and me) was been responsible for much of the red color in our daily lives. Learn about the chemistry and the history of Carmine, the dye extracted from the cochineal bug.

-Dr. Graeme R. A. Wyllie came to the US from Scotland several decades ago earning his PhD at the University of Notre Dame before joining the faculty at Concordia College. He also heads up Concordia Science Academy, a science outreach organization that provides hands-on science experiences to thousands of kids a year in the FM area and beyond.

It’s Not Just COVID: An Overview of Outbreaks in ND

Believe it or not, COVID is not the only disease that has had an outbreak. We’ll go over a brief overview of some other disease outbreaks that have occurred in North Dakota through the eyes of an epidemiologist.

-Brenton Nesemeier was born and raised in Fargo. He is currently an epidemiologist with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. He graduated from NDSU with a MS in microbiology. He lives in Fargo with his big lovable Maine Coon, Groot, his diva rescue cat, Zoey, and his fluffy chonky ragdoll, Hades.

The Basic Mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons (Or how to Kill Monsters, Find Treasure, and Laugh Your Ass Off with Your Friends)

You’ve heard your cooler friends talk about it, and now there’s a movie with Chris Pine playing a hot bard, but how exactly do you play Dungeons and Dragons? Now’s your chance to learn the basics with a local friendly Dungeon Master. She will provide all of the dice – all you to provide is the heart of a hero and a propensity for mayhem.

-Laurie Seifert Williams has been playing D&D since approximately 1991 when she became a D&D “widow.” She grew to love the nerdiest of nerd games while learning to play in an effort to spend more time with her future husband. Laurie is currently a Dungeon Master for a diverse party of players who just celebrated their first year in her current campaign. Assisting her for Nerd Nite are Coale, Enigma, Orag, Otsana, and Vola.

So there you have it! See your beautiful faces at Fargo Billiards and Gastropub, Wednesday November 16th. Show starts at 7PM, doors open at 6:30. Still free and open to the public, as long as you’re old enough to get into the bar.

🙂 T