Apocalypse Zombies with OG Hostess Liz P!

This event is a group discussion about the indicated media & questions below. Come prepared for our Meetup by listening to the media before joining!

Join Lynn this month in welcoming guest hostess: Liz!
We welcome a most special guest hostess for our August Meetup as Liz is one of the original founders of FWWSS! This goes back to 2018. Yes… pre-COVID and before Winehaus, even before Central Market! She is a bio major from Ohio University and works in medical artificial intelligence and robotics. She is a beautiful mom of one and is always on the go!

Liz picked a popular science topic - one that always has a high interest from our members: Zombies!

Ready for a night that’s a little weird, wildly interesting, and totally undead? Listen to the "Conduct Science Podcast: Apocalypse Zombies" — it’s all about the real science behind zombie-like behavior in nature (yes, there are actual zombie ants 😳) and whether a zombie apocalypse could technically ever happen to us. Then join us to discuss!

🧟‍♀️ Expect:
- Thought-provoking conversation
- Parasitic fungi (the fun kind)
- Laughter, wine, and a few “OMG, what?!” moments
- And yes, we may make survival plans… just in case.

RSVP if you're in — the more brains, the better.

The Conduct Science Podcast: Apocalypse - Zombies (62 minutes)
https://conductscience.com/csp-apocalypse-zombies/?srsltid=AfmBOopppBqDD2IEI6A8vQRkXg_vb-EltIoepsx9NBHvaXXDJX6i5L6H&utm_source=chatgpt.com

Questions to prompt Discussion:
🧠 1. “Could a real-life ‘zombie virus’ like the one in ants or fungi ever affect humans? Why or why not?”
This draws from the podcast’s coverage of parasitic fungi (like Ophiocordyceps) and lets people explore biological limits, ethics in biotech, or disease evolution.

🔬 2. “If a zombie outbreak did happen, would it be more likely to originate from a virus, parasite, or lab-made pathogen?”
A great way to explore virology, synthetic biology, and real-world disease origins (think rabies, toxoplasmosis, or CRISPR experiments gone wrong).

🧬 3. “What actual diseases or organisms today are the most ‘zombie-like’ in their effects on hosts?”
Pushes the group to recall or research things like rabies, prion disease (mad cow), or parasitic mind-control in nature.

🏙 4. “Based on what we know from the podcast, what part of the world would be best or worst to be in during a zombie outbreak—and why?”
This can dive into public health, geography, infrastructure, and population density—plus survival strategy fun.

🔄 5. “Do you think the human brain could ever be hacked or manipulated in a way that mimics zombie behavior?”
Open discussion on neurobiology, AI, behavioral science, and how little we actually understand consciousness and control!

Regards,
Elizabeth

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Important notes for all attendees:

1st and most important:
Welcome and thank you for joining us at our MeetUp!

2nd. Do the homework!
This event is a group discussion about the media and is not a group listen party. Be sure to have listened to/read the materials BEFORE joining us. It will help you stay in the loop!

3rd. Food & Beverage
Wine, beer and Topo Chico are available at the bar! Meals are not served at Winehaus but sometimes charcuterie boards are available. You are welcome to bring your dinner or order delivery from a local business and eat during the discussion!

4th. A typical meetup looks like this:
We start with an icebreaker question and introductions around the table, often with gentil banter about the icebreaker or uproarious laughter (hey, it happens!), then the hostess throws out questions to incite conversation!

Note: We do our best to stay on topic and ensure everyone is able to share, but we recognize there are times when great contributions may not make it into the discussion. If you have something you really want to say and need an outlet to do so, please join our Discord server and participate virtually as well as in person! Click here to Join FWWSS on Discord.

5th. No one is obligated for any length of time. Sometimes the discussion ends around 8:00 and sometimes we talk past 9:00.