Climate Science

On Wednesday 8th of April, public rallies and other events are taking place around the world in support of greater funding for research into longer healthy lifespans. [The Fund Longevity website](https://fundlongevity.org/en/why/) makes the case as follows: ***Aging Is a Problem***: Aging kills around 110,000 people every day. It is the primary risk factor behind nearly all major non-infectious diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Beyond statistics, aging causes decades of frailty, pain, and loss of independence. It is the greatest source of human suffering that is being accepted as "normal". ***This Is Personal***: Everyone you love will age, suffer, and die because of it. So will you. If we had the ability to prevent this, choosing not to would be deeply unethical. If we can stop aging, we should. ***Stopping Aging Is Possible***: Aging is not a mystery or a force of nature. It is a biological process — and biological processes can be studied, modified, and treated. Over the past decades, scientists have identified many of the core mechanisms that drive aging at the cellular and molecular level. While our understanding is incomplete, it is already sufficient to begin developing real therapies. ***What Do We Mean by "Stopping Aging"?*** We mean treating aging as a medical condition. The goal is to restore and maintain youthful biological function — roughly equivalent to being in your twenties — for as long as you choose. This would prevent or reverse age-related diseases instead of treating them one by one. ***Is This Really Realistic?*** Yes. Thousands of scientists have publicly stated that aging is a solvable problem in the [Dublin Longevity Declaration](https://dublinlongevitydeclaration.org/). Research already shows that aging can be slowed, paused, or reversed in laboratory organisms. Some animals exhibit negligible aging or extreme longevity. Nature has already demonstrated that aging is avoidable — humans simply haven't applied these solutions to ourselves yet. ***Is It Difficult?*** Extremely. Reversing aging in humans will likely be more difficult than landing on the Moon. It will require entirely new biotechnologies and breakthroughs that don't exist yet. We will need to remove senescent cells, repair or replace damaged tissues, and solve many other problems we don't fully understand. This is one of the most difficult challenges humanity has ever faced, but just because it is difficult does not mean it is impossible. Many scientists agree that there are no fundamental laws of physics that prohibits stopping aging. Nature has done it in several animals already, like the hydra. ***What's Missing?*** Scale. Today, fewer than a thousand people worldwide are seriously working on solving aging — researchers, biotech founders, and advocates combined. That number needs to grow by at least 1000×. There is no major government agency dedicated to ending aging. Funding is fragmented. Regulation is outdated. Public urgency is nearly nonexistent. This will not change on its own. ***Why We Act***: Aging is the largest cause of death and suffering on Earth. Solving it requires a society-wide effort — scientific, political, and cultural. That's why we organize. That's why we demonstrate. That's why we demand action. Join us — and help make aging optional for humans and animals.\* == London Futurists gathering on 8th April == The arguments for greater funding for longevity science are strong - but at least a dozen arguments are often raised in opposition to such funding. In our gathering in *Ye Olde Cock Tavern* in Fleet Street, we'll take the opportunity to review these arguments - debating their merits, taking them apart brick by brick, and exploring what really lies behind these arguments. *Anyone who wishes to make a short presentation on this topic during this gathering should contact the organisers in advance.* == Schedule == 5:30pm: The room is available, for early get-togethers 6pm-6:45pm: Food is served; informal conversations 6:45pm-8:30pm: A number of interactive conversations, interspersed with opportunities to visit the bar 8:30pm: Informal networking == RSVP please == Registrations are capped at 45 people. *First-time attendees are welcome.* There's no charge to register or attend, but the pub will expect everyone to order at least one drink, and a reasonable number of attendees to [order some food to eat](https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern/menu?type=main+menu). Please order your food on your arrival, so that all plates can be set aside by 6:45pm to allow everyone to concentrate on the main discussion! == More about the venue == Ye Olde Cock Tavern, 22 Fleet Street, Holborn, London, EC4Y 1AA See [https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern](https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern) We'll be meeting in the room at the top of the stairs, though drinks should be ordered from the bar on the ground floor. \*\* Note that this is an in-person meeting, and there will be no remote access, sorry \*\*

Antoine Riard is, among other things, a contributor to both Bitcoin Core and the Lightning Network. In this event, he will share his expertise and knowledge about Ark: a technology that aims to help address some of Bitcoin's known limitations at scale. He will share its benefits, tradeoffs and his opinions. Don't miss this event, hosted at Cyphermunk House! Location: **9 John Street, Holborn, London, WC1N 2ES** Date: Wednesday 8th April 2026 Time: 18:30 Find more info and purchase a ticket (first timers are free) here: https://www.cyphermunkhouse.com/events

If you've been bouldering before and want to practise or get more into the sport then this is for you! We will help beginners with tips and always have an experienced coach on the meetup. Come along to join us for a social climbing session on Wednesdays. We have arranged £9.50 entry to City Bouldering on Wednesday evening if you come along with us as a meetup group! We will probably stay and have a drink there as they are extending the Happy Hour Beer offer - £5 a pint - until closing for attendees. you must RSVP by 6.30pm on the day of the event to get this discount. As we have to provide a list of names. You can always join if you don't you would just pay full price. if you don't have shoes you can rent them there on the day also.

To find the exact location see below: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HVp2iFd9JsNCyxWD9 London Fields, look for orange net-yellow ball. what's app group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/F9z9BkDWftFISNtoKaWEts?mode=ems_copy_t Enjoy playing in a socially mixed team, so please be positive and encouraging towards all players. Most importantly, this is a session to play some fun games and meet some nice people Please familiarise yourself with the rules of the game below ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLZ44KBWEbo

Our first 'class cultural trip' was really fun so I'm carrying on the series and we're going to keep exploring the British Museum. The idea is we'll meet in the cafe at the British Museum, and then choose which part of the museum we want to explore. We'll walk around it, stopping to look at things we find interesting. I'll help you with the vocabulary you need to talk about what you can see. At the end we'll go back to the cafe to summarise what we've learnt and do a little vocabulary test to see what you can remember from your visit! If you are late, don't worry too much, because we will stay in the cafe until everyone has arrived and then start exploring the museum. I hope to make 'cultural visit classes' to museums/ exhibitions/ galleries into a regular event so let me know which places you are interested in. I plan to choose places that have free entry. I need a minimum of 2 students to run this Meetup. Maximum 5 students so everyone gets a good chance to speak.

**Important:** Register on the [event website](https://www.aicamp.ai/event/eventdetails/W2026040809) is required for admission. **RSVP on meetup is turned off** Enjoy afterwork drinks and practical discussions on Apache Kafka, ClickHouse, PostgreSQL and much more. Enjoy a session designed for data engineers, architects and technical decisions-makers like you, who want to address the challenges they face in data-infrastructure. No high-level pitches but straight into practical discussions on how to build scalable, efficient open sourced-powered data platforms. **Why Attend?** * Connect with local data and tech professionals * Get practical insights into streaming, storage, and analytics with Kafka, Iceberg, PostgreSQL, and ClickHouse * Learn how to reduce operational overhead while scaling your data infrastructure performance * Bring your questions and challenges for direct discussions with Aiven experts **Agenda:** * 4:00pm\~4:30pm: Checkin, Food, Networking * 4:30pm\~6:00pm: Tech talks and Q&A * 6:00pm\~7:00pm: Happy hour, Open discussion, Networking * **Tech Talk: Context Is the New Infrastructure** **Speaker:** Stan Dmitriev (Aiven) **Tech Talk: Apache Kafka on Aiven** **Speaker:** Hugh Evans (Aiven)

Hi, join me every Saturday 12:00 pm for climbing at London Fields. All abilities welcome! we can wind down by grabbing a coffee or tea and maybe a cheeky cake from one one of the many amazing cafes in the area!

This is a **theatre** and **livestream** talk from the **Royal Institution of Great Britain.** Get a fascinating look at animal biology with a live dissection of an animal as part of a full afternoon of wonder for all ages. **ADVANCE BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS TALK.** **More details and booking instructions on the RI web site:** **[https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/animal-dissection-live](https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/animal-dissection-live)** **SUMMARY** Join **Ben Garrod,** from the **University of East Anglia,** and veterinary surgeon **Jess French** for a very special afternoon at the Ri, with a unique opportunity to find out about the workings of the body at a lion dissection. Across the course of the event, Ben, Jess and their team will dissect the animal in our Theatre, explaining the anatomy as they go, and revealing the fascinating facts it can tell us about our own bodies. During an extended interval, you'll have the opportunity to explore hands-on demonstrations and activities to learn even more about how animal biology works. This event is open to all ages. Ben and Jess are very experienced in presenting this to a younger audience, as well as adults, and we encourage everyone to attend. Attendees will be able to come and go as they please if they require a break during the long sessions. Those who are particularly squeamish may choose to sit further back in the Theatre. **Event timings:** **1:00pm – 2:30pm – Dissection Session 1** **2:30pm – 3:45pm – Interval with pop-up activities** **3:45pm – 5:00pm – Dissection Session 2** **Disclaimer: The animal died of old age and has been donated for the purpose of education. The specific animal is subject to change.** With thanks to University of East Anglia for making this event possible. This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online. **The livestream will go live around 6.50pm, and the talk will begin at 7.00pm. If you register but miss the livestream, the video will be available to you via the same link for two weeks after the event date.** For more information on livestreams, see the information below, or [visit our FAQs page](https://www.rigb.org/whats/faqs-ri-livestreams). Please use the event link you have been provided with. By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's [event terms and conditions](https://www.rigb.org/terms-and-conditions). You also agree to abide by [our code of conduct](https://www.rigb.org/about-us/how-were-run/our-code-conduct-ri-visitors), and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants.

Would you enjoy a relaxed evening with fellow Science Fiction and Fantasy fans? If so, we’d love to meet you. Our next gathering takes place on **Saturday 11th April from 6pm** at **The Mad Hatter**, just by Blackfriars Bridge. Drop in, say hello, and join us for a drink. We’re a long‑running group that’s been meeting since **1998**—long before meetup sites existed. Over the years we’ve hosted celebrity meet‑and‑greets, attended conventions together, run role‑playing games, organised cinema trips, LARPs, and plenty more. These pub meetups are all about socialising and connecting with other Sci‑Fi and Fantasy enthusiasts. To help break the ice, we’ll be running a fun **team quiz at 8.30pm**. There’s no fee to attend—just pay for whatever food or drink you order at the venue.

**✨ Muslim Speed Dating via Zoom – Connect with London Singles Tonight!** This Muslim online speed dating version intentionally pushes for wider variation in cadence, emphasis, and section order. It is designed to feel less templated from one generation to the next. **⚠️ Heads up — RSVPing here isn't enough.** Register via your age group link below and complete the quiz. Limited capacity. **Choose your age range to sign up:** - ⚡ **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=409.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingMuslim&city=London&groupurlname=society-of-muslim-singles-meeting-daily&ar=18-32&face_v=7.0) - 💡 **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=409.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingMuslim&city=London&groupurlname=society-of-muslim-singles-meeting-daily&ar=30-46&face_v=7.0) - ✨ **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=409.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingMuslim&city=London&groupurlname=society-of-muslim-singles-meeting-daily&ar=40-58&face_v=7.0) - 🌍 **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=409.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingMuslim&city=London&groupurlname=society-of-muslim-singles-meeting-daily&ar=55+&face_v=7.0) --- Genuine conversations with real Muslim locals — all from your living room. It's simple: complete a short personality quiz, jump on Zoom, and meet Muslim singles in London in guided one-on-one rounds. Matches shared afterwards. 🎯 **Especially useful for:** - Muslim singles in London who want to meet people from home - People re-entering the dating scene after a break - Anyone curious about Muslim speed dating in a relaxed setting - Muslim locals in London after personality-matched dates - Busy professionals who don't want to waste evenings **How the event unfolds** 1. **Choose your age group** – Register through your link above. 2. **Take the personality quiz** – We use it to match you with compatible singles. 3. **Get on Zoom** – Join the call and your host will guide you through. 4. **Meet your matches** – Rotate through quick chats with compatible Muslim singles in London. 5. **Get matches** – Mutual matches revealed after the event. 📌 **What to know** - **Format:** Virtual on Zoom – hosted and structured - **Location:** Anywhere you're comfortable – no venue, no commute - **Host:** Experienced host running the evening - **Vibe:** Casual, easy-going conversations with Muslim singles in London **Frequently Asked Questions** **How long are the chats?** A few minutes each — enough to get a feel for someone. **Do I need experience?** No. The host guides you through everything. --- ✨ Register, take the quiz, and connect with Muslim singles in London tonight. 🥰 ✨ 🎲 **Variation notes** - A wider swing in voice, pacing, and shape. - Different tone. Same event. Much less predictable. - Less samey, more alive.

Join us for a relaxed social evening for our hiking community! Whether you’ve joined us on past walks, or are simply curious about coming along, this is a great chance to meet fellow hikers and group leaders in a friendly setting. Catch up with people you’ve shared the trail with, swap stories and welcome new faces who are thinking about joining future hikes. We’ve reserved a private area upstairs in a welcoming pub, just a short walk from Waterloo Station. Food and drinks will be available, with a special discount on food for our group, so come along, unwind and enjoy a sociable evening with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. **Date**: Thu 9 Apr **Time**: From 5.30pm **Location**: Upstairs in The Thirsty Bear https://maps.app.goo.gl/2DSmSpnZy9Uu1m9s9 [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/AAAhiking) \| [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AAAHikingUK/reviews) \| [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@aaahiking) \| [Trip Adviser](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d19994843-Reviews-AAA_Hiking_Outdoor_Group-London_England.html) \| [TicTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@aaahiking) \| [Website](https://www.aaahiking.co.uk/)

Welcome back to *No, Really: What Is to be Done?*, our deep-dive series on Lenin, Leninism, and the theory of the revolutionary party. You may be wondering when and if we're ever actually going to read WITBD itself, the actual text. Rest assured we will. For now, we're going to keep on psyching ourselves up with another one of the foundational documents of Leninism, one which feels grimly relevant right now: *Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.* Find the text here: [https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/) Feel free to read as much as you like, but we'll focus on the **Preface and Chapters 1, 3, 6, 7 and 8. These are:** [I. CONCENTRATION OF PRODUCTION AND MONOPOLIES](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/ch01.htm) [III. FINANCE CAPITAL AND THE FINANCIAL OLIGARCHY](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/ch03.htm) [VI. DIVISION OF THE WORLD AMONG THE GREAT POWERS](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/ch06.htm) [VII. IMPERIALISM AS A SPECIAL STAGE OF CAPITALISM](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/ch07.htm) [VIII. PARASITISM AND DECAY OF CAPITALISM](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/ch08.htm) It's often claimed that Lenin's identification of imperialism as capitalism's "highest stage" is a textbook example of Marxist hubris. How can capitalism have reached its highest stage in the year 1916, when Lenin was writing? Surely technofeudalism, or neocolonialism, or monopoly corporatism - take your pick - represents a higher stage? Without giving too much away, let's say this much, at least by way of starting a debate: the confronting truth is that capitalism did indeed reach its highest stage with the exact kind of monopolist, oligarchic, feudalistic (when *Imperialism* was published, literal crowned heads still ruled much of Europe by decree), militarised imperialism Lenin describes in this work. If that suggests that nothing has really changed in the 100+ years since, except perhaps to get worse, it's because nothing has. A century of "progress" and we haven't progressed at all. Still wage slaves, still debt peons, still cattle for a rapist ruling class. And it all still runs on the blood and oil of the Global South. So let's not kid ourselves: *Imperialism* is as relevant today as when it was written. Don't believe me? Join us and see for yourself! We'll discuss Lenin's framework of analysis, his concrete conclusions and strategic recommendations and break down whether we think these insights are applicable to our times in all their brutality. Take care and happy reading! \-\-\-\- A bit about the *NRWITBD* series: [Fade in] The year is 2026. Picture this: industrial-scale war on multiple continents. Cities in ruins, millions dead and millions more made refugees - starvation, disease, mutilations, deportations, pogroms, genocides, dispossessions. Across every land, a working class on its knees before an ever-shrinking class of oligarchs with an ever-growing pile of treasure, weapons and slaves - determined to pit brother against brother in endless wars for resources that can only end when the whole earth is a toxic wasteland. And what they call "peace" is not much better. This is the brutal present, a [Second Gilded Age,](https://fortune.com/article/gilded-age-coming-back-layoffs-pay-inequality-labor-unions-ceos-billionaires-worker-pay/) but we could travel back a hundred years and describe more or less the exact same scene. In the century since Lenin lived and walked the earth, less has changed than the eternal optimists - Panglossian techno-liberals like Steven Pinker and the other intellectuals of the Epstein class - would like us to think. Really, we're back where it all began in the *First* Gilded Age of the late 19th and early 20th century: on the outside looking in, asking the age-old question: what is to be done? Things are really getting quite bad. No, really - what is to be done!!? In our gatherings of late, we've been tinkering around the edges of a few answers. Prior Lenin readings as well as our exploration of the Yan'an Forum and our whistle-stop tour through the last twenty years of street protests with Vincent Bevins have given us some things to chew on. Now there's been a clamour from plenty of regulars, as well as a few newcomers, that we continue to pull at the vital thread that seems to be running through all our discussions and see where it might lead us: namely, the revolutionary theories of Lenin. This will be a series of readings running every other Thursday night in Whitechapel. With *No, Really: What is to be done?,* we'll be taking a deep dive into revolutionary Marxism with a read-through of texts like Lars Lih's *Lenin rediscovered: what is to be done? in Context,* non-standard biographies like Carter Ellwood's *Non-Geometric Lenin: Essays on the Development of the Bolshevik Party 1910-1914* as well as some articles, essays and discussion prompts which most readers likely won't have encountered before.

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)

Main Library, Meeting Room 3B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

The global Azure community is coming together again, and Columbus is officially on the map. View the session lineup and speakers at [Global Azure Columbus 2026](https://coazure.github.io/cbus-global-azure-2026/) On **Saturday, April 18, 2026**, the Azure Columbus Meetup, DevOps Meetup, and Code and Coffee Meetup are hosting our local edition of Global Azure 2026. This is a free, community-driven event packed with learning, networking, and all things Microsoft Azure. Whether you’re building modern cloud-native apps, experimenting with AI agents, deploying containers, automating infrastructure, or just beginning your Azure journey, this event is for you! **What to Expect** * Engaging technical sessions * Real-world Azure architecture & cloud-native patterns * AI, agents, automation, and modern DevOps * Food and drinks (because learning burns calories) * Time to connect with fellow engineers, architects, and cloud enthusiasts **Who Should Attend?** * Software engineers (any language, any stack) * Cloud architects * DevOps engineers * Data professionals * AI explorers * Platform builders * Anyone who loves solving hard problems with great tools If you build, deploy, automate, scale, monitor, or optimize in Azure, you’ll feel right at home. **Why Global Azure?** Global Azure is a worldwide community event where Azure user groups host learning sessions on the same day across the globe. It’s grassroots. It’s technical. It’s practical. And it’s powered by people who genuinely love sharing what they’ve learned. And yes, it’s free to attend!

**Caller: Kim Thompson** **Band: Full Moon Country Dance Orchestra** **Clinton Heights Lutheran Church** **15 Clinton Heights Ave, Columbus, OH 43202** WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING? Picture the Grand Ball scenes like you’ve seen in period films such as “Pride and Prejudice”, where the dancers are lined up in long lines, across from each other. That’s English Country Dancing, the predecessor of contra dancing. Now, add moves like “swing your partner” and “do-si-do,” like you’ve seen in square dancing. Set it to fabulous, high energy, live music with fiddles, guitars, percussion and more, alá “Riverdance.” Finally, set the whole scene down in the middle of Woodstock, with a hip, groovy atmosphere, a bit of tie-dye, and hints of counter-culture attitude. THAT’s Contra Dancing! Wear cool and comfortable clothes (you will get warm) and clean shoes that won't mark up our nice wood floor. Be sure to come for the beginner's lesson from 7:30 - 8:00, followed by dancing 8:00 - 10:30. All dances are taught; we will help you learn! Beginners always welcome, no need to bring a partner. Cost is $10.00 adults, $5.00 ages 12-26. Under 12 free. Free parking in church lot. For more information contact me or check out our website: [www.bigscioty.com](http://www.bigscioty.com/) Please bring your own refillable water bottle.

Let’s try this popular Italian restaurant in Reynoldsburg. This is the menu: https://scaliristorante.com/#4e468054-0235-43e2-81c2-44e061341e9e

Bienvenue! Columbus French Conversation group invites you to our Saturday morning French conversation club. Expect a casual and welcoming atmosphere in which to learn french! I will bring my laptop so we can look up new vocabulary as needed! The venue is a beautiful French restaurant so you can really get into the zone :)

The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI One does not simply build reports on OLTP data. Join us on an epic journey from the depths of raw, normalized tables to the shining halls of a well-modeled star schema fit for Power BI greatness. We will demystify the differences between OLTP and OLAP, walk through star schema vs snowflake (and why Power BI has a clear favorite), and show you the compression differences between normalized and columnar storage that will make you never look at an OLTP model the same way again. We will cover the different types of dimensions, when to use them, and how to handle Slowly Changing Dimensions without losing your mind. You will leave knowing exactly how to identify a bad model, how to convert OLTP data into a clean star schema, and how to forge relationships that rule them all. Whether you are a data wizard, a curious hobbit, or somewhere in between, your models will never be the same.