— For most people, clowns represent fond childhood memories. But a surprising number of people are scared of clowns — 7.8 percent of Americans, according to a Chapman University study. Recent pop culture hasn’t helped the situation at all. It: Chapter Two, released Sept. 6, has garnered nearly $200 million at the box office. That film focuses on a shape-shifting monster whose favorite form is a creepy clown surrounded by red balloons. The concept of the fear of clowns and fear, in general, has a real root in science. This science is the topic of a talk by PacSci Communication Fellow Cate Sanders on Oct. 10 at Central Cinema. The talk will be followed by a showing of the ’80s B-movie Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
— With the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, there’s a lot of mystery and sometimes fear of what AI could mean for the future. Melanie Mitchell, author of Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans, will lay out all of the current information and trends, from how intelligent current AIs could actually get, what they can and can’t do, and whether we need to worry about them surpassing humans during a talk on Oct. 16 at Town Hall Seattle.
Here are more highlights from the GeekWire Calendar:
- AoA Workshop – Start with the Exit in Mind: A workshop where startups can learn strategies for the long run at K&L Gates in Seattle; 12 to 1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10.
- Ikigai: Purpose Passion and Social Impact: An event where tech leaders can learn how their work can produce a change for good at The United Way of King County in Seattle; 4:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10.
- Fundamentals for Startups: Want to Build a Startup? Why Everyone Has the Tools and Tech for Success: A talk about utilizing strategies you might not think of at CoMotion Labs at the University of Washington in Seattle; 12 to 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11.
- Partner Power Hour: Learnings from Before, During and After Coding School: A talk about experiences throughout a coder’s career at Code Fellows in Seattle; 12:15 to 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11.
- IEC Founder Friday: Selecting Startup Investors & Advisors: A presentation about strategies to surround your startup with the best people at WeWork in Seattle; 4:30 to 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11
- Felicia Day: Embrace Your Weird: A reading by Felicia Day of her new book at University Temple United Methodist Church in Seattle; 7 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct 11.
- DubHacks 2019: A collegiate hackathon focused on tech for good at The University of Washington in Seattle; Saturday, Oct. 12 and Sunday, Oct. 13.
- Candidate Night Out: An event where tech leaders and enthusiasts can speak with the Seattle City Council at The Pacific Science Center in Seattle; 5 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14.
- Flynn Coleman: A Human Algorithm Reading: A reading by Flynn Coleman about her new book at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park; 7 to 9 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14.
- FullConTech: An event where tech leaders meet with other industry stakeholders to discuss working together for social change at Microsoft Building 33 in Redmond; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15.
