Lectures on Tap - "My Beef with the Star Betelgeuse"

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🧠 Lecture: "My Beef with the Star Betelgeuse"

🎤 Speaker: Dr. Mark Popinchalk

Forget awe and wonder—this astronomer is fueled by pure cosmic spite. Join us for a hilarious and insightful evening as Dr. Mark Popinchalk explains why one particular star, Betelgeuse, has become his sworn celestial nemesis.

Inspired by astronomy’s tradition of publishing real science on delightfully silly topics for April Fools Day, this lecture recaps the year’s best April Fools Day papers and the strange, joyful corners of scientific creativity they reveal. Along the way, Dr. Popinchalk shares his personal journey as an astronomer, from guessing how old stars are by how fast they spin (old stars spin slow, young stars spin fast) to hunting for a rigorous scientific excuse to beef with a single star.

Dr. Mark Popinchalk is a postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History and an adjunct professor at NYU. He also hosts the late-night science comedy talk show Science, Tonight!, and is a planetarium presenter, ultimate frisbee player, and bread maker.

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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