We’re all nerds in one-way or another. And weather you geek out about art, music, or science, or spend and unnecessary amount of time on Wikipedia reading up

about wormholes, modern dance, or crustaceans, East Bay Nerd Nite is bound to have something that will pique your interest.

A diverse audience crowded into the New Parkway’s two funky theaters last Monday to attend the 12th East Bay Nerd Nite. The monthly event has been held for one year, an anniversary that was greeted with much enthusiasm.

The atmosphere was relaxed, almost cozy, and the crowd was friendly, united by a common interest in learning.

Mark Rosin, a scientist and mathematician, began the talks with his presentation of the “Intergalactic Travel Bureau,” a fictional travel agency that plans trips to various destinations across the galaxy. The goal of The Bureau is to educate individuals about space through “Mixing interactive theater with the content that you want people to know.” Said Rosin who explained he hopes to “make science bind with art and music.”

The second to take the stage was Staci Dresher, a lawyer turned private investigator and an employee of the Mintz Group in San Francisco. Dresher’s presentation outlined what it takes to be a private investigator, a field she said favors “creative thinkers” and those who are “curious yet skeptical.” She also outlined a brief history of P.I’s and demonstrated the many applications of the internet to her work.

The evening closed with Ryan Smith’s discussion on bees. Smith is a laser physicist who moonlights as an amateur beekeeper. He revealed some of the humble honeybees’ secrets by teaching the audience about how bees dance to show their hive embers the direction and distance to certain flowers and how they can use electro reception to mark flowers so they aren’t visited more than once. However he also explained that bees are facing many threats and encouraged the audience to be aware and think about starting their own hives.

East Bay Nerd Nite is held the last Monday of every month at The New Parkway Theater on 24th St. Oakland. Next month’s gathering will discuss supercomputers, Lake Merritt, and DNA sequencing. Tickets are $8.