Name: Dead Things & Zombie Kings
Start: 2026-05-19T18:30:00
End: 2026-05-19T21:00:00
Location: Vintage Bar

From the careful preservation of natural history collections to parasites that turn living creatures into something out of a horror film, this evening explores how scientists study the strangest corners of the natural world. Discover why museums and biological collections matter, how they are built and maintained, and then dive into the bizarre field of neuroparasitology, where worms, fungi, viruses, and other parasites manipulate animal behavior in ways that feel disturbingly zombie-like.

Creating & maintaining natural history collections: how & why?

Arianna Kuhn ( Illinois Natural History Survey)

Still Brewing

Neuroparasitology: The new field of science that studies real-life zombies

William C. Beckerson (Assistant Professor at Lake Forest College)

Viruses that increase risky behavior, worms that drive grasshoppers to drown themselves, barnacles that trick crabs into raising parasitic brood, and fungi that hijack insect brains—the natural world is full of parasites that manipulate behavior in ways eerily similar to zombie movies. In this talk, we explore the emerging field of neuroparasitology and how it’s uncovering the mechanisms behind these mind-controlling organisms, including the famous “zombie ants” that inspired The Last of Us.

[{"lat":41.8691251,"lon":-87.6635353,"title":"Vintage Bar","html":"<div class=\"location-tooltip\">\n    <h6>Events at Vintage Bar<\/h6>\n\n    <address class=\"mb-1\">1449 W Taylor St, IL 60607<\/address>\n\n    <div class=\"mb-3\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?daddr=1449+W+Taylor+St%2C+IL+60607\" target=\"_blank\">\n            Get directions <i class=\"fa fa-external-link\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <ul class=\"lt-events\">\n        \n        <li>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pintofscience.us\/event\/mini-brains-big-questions\">\n                <span class=\"lt-event-name\">Mini Brains, Big Questions<\/span>\n                <span class=\"lt-event-date\">(18 May 2026)<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        <li>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pintofscience.us\/event\/dead-things-and-zombie-kings\">\n                <span class=\"lt-event-name\">Dead Things &amp; Zombie Kings<\/span>\n                <span class=\"lt-event-date\">(19 May 2026)<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        <li>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pintofscience.us\/event\/built-by-biology\">\n                <span class=\"lt-event-name\">Built by Biology<\/span>\n                <span class=\"lt-event-date\">(20 May 2026)<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n        \n    <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","zoom":15,"icon":"https:\/\/www.pintofscience.us\/assets\/Topics-Subsite-5\/topic-earth-map__ScaleWidthWzMwXQ.png"}]

Other Chicago (IL) events

Other Vintage Bar events

20 May

Chicago (IL)

Built by Biology

18 May

Chicago (IL)

Mini Brains, Big Questions