Three presenters share a topic they are NERDY about while the audience shares a drink. We are well into the Nerd Nite Melbourne 2026 season, and for this show, we will be diving head-first into: native bees, rabies, and concrete. From Australia’s unsung pollinating heroes and the world’s most metal infectious disease, to the shockingly dramatic history of the grey stuff holding civilisation together, this lineup is making science feel a little unhinged (in the best way). So come for the facts, stay for the banter, and leave with at least three new niche obsessions and an urge to plant bee-friendly flowers, rewatch every zombie movie ever made, or stare suspiciously at the nearest footpath. Be there. Be Square Doors 7pm for 7:30pm Show Clancy Lester Everything you DON'T know about bees Description: European Honeybees get all the glory, but they’re just one species in a cast of thousands. Native bees showcase wild diversity, incredible shapes and colours, and strange behaviours that make each species a tiny evolutionary experiment. Some burrow underground. Some sleep in flowers. Some “buzz” flowers to shake pollen loose. Most don’t even make honey. Meanwhile, all of them are quietly propping up our ecosystems and food systems. These unsung heroes aren’t background insects, they’re specialist pollinators, agricultural allies, and indicators of environmental health. Yet most of us couldn’t name a single one. This talk dives into the strange and spectacular world of native bees. How they live, why they matter, and what’s at risk if they’re ignored. Bio: Clancy is a young everyday aussie that absolutely loves native bees and everything nature. He is a doggies supporter (AFL), he love grapes, sunny days, Indigenous knowledge and his dog hotch. He hates tax bludging mining and companies, single use plastics, and windy days. Zoe Rumble Why Rabies is the Coolest Disease Description: In the battle for the grand title of ‘coolest disease’, infectious maladies face steep competition. From the undead antics of viruses, to the protein-bending pranks of prions, to the batches of bacteria that leave our measly cells powerless against everything from bloat to botulism - only one can reign victorious. One disease has captured our collective imagination for millenia, inspiring everything from zombies, to werewolves, to vampires. Please, join us, as we explore the wonders and brilliance of man’s best friend’s worst enemy… Rabies. Bio: Zoe is a veterinary nurse with a zealous passion for all things medical science. When not fending off a bite to the face from her beloved canine patients, you can find her wrangling rabbits, attempting to convince her students that medical jargon is fun, or regailing the surgical team with the fascinating history of handwashing - or perhaps the reason behind our sterile drapes being blue. With a focus on anaesthesia and lagomorph medicine, she has juggled general practice nursing with exotics medicine for the last five years, and is halfway through a teaching qualification that she plans to weaponize in the fight for gold standard rabbit care. Socials: @zoe_isnt_a_unique_name (IG) Jeremy Turnbul Everything you never wanted to know about concrete Description: Concrete is the most used human-made material on Earth. Every single second, we produce almost 1000 tonnes of it. It's underneath us, around us, and holding everything up—and most of us have walked straight past it our entire lives. Scratch the surface though, and it gets fascinating fast. A French gardener's flowerpot obsession changed the shape of every city in the world. Half the population still thinks about the Roman Empire every day. And somewhere in the world right now, someone is stealing a beach. Concrete is why. Bio: Jeremy works in public health policy, a role that has absolutely nothing to do with concrete. He has a long-standing habit of becoming intensely, and sometimes unreasonably, interested in very specific things. Not the Crusades—just the Seventh Crusade. Not shipwrecks—but the Titanic in particular. It was probably inevitable, then, that at some point he would become obsessed with concrete. Not in a “I love footpaths” way, but in a “this unglamorous substance underpins civilisation” way. When he’s not disappearing down Wikipedia rabbit holes, he does enjoy more human pursuits, such as board games, fantasy sports, and the kind of video games where you sneak around looking in bins for loot. VENUE INFO Shows are Standing unless clearly stated. Check Ticket Type when purchasing. Howler Bar & Grill The kitchen will be serving a full menu from 5pm (Tues - Fri) and 2pm (Sat - Sun) till late including vegan and vegetarian options. You can view the delicious offerings available by clicking here. Booking are not essential but recommended here. Accessibility Howler is Accessible. Both Garden and Theatre are 100% accessible for patrons including a central restroom and easy curbside access for car services. This venue accepts companion cards. Simply purchase your ticket and contact Moshtix to arrange access for your Companion. Parking A park and ride, council operated carpark is located immediately outside of Howler's doors. Public Transport Howler is conveniently located just a two minute walk from both the Route 19 Coburg tram (stop 21), and Jewel train station on the Upfield line. Bicycle We adjoin the Upfield Bike Path and have many designated bike parks on site.