Boskone, the Boston-area SF convention that Kate and I go to every year, is the weekend after next. Once again, I'll be doing a few panels and one talk. For those who might be attending, or who care about this for some reason, here's my preliminary schedule:
Saturday10am Physics: What We Don't Understand
Geoffrey A. Landis
Mark L. Olson
Chad Orzel
Karl Schroeder
Ian Tregillis
In 1999 John Cramer wrote a column in Analog describing seven big
unsolved problems in physics (including the nature of dark matter,
the origin of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, and the origin of the
arrow of time). Today, in 2008, three of these problems have been
solved. We'll talk about the seven problems, the three which have
been solved, our current understanding of the rest, and perhaps add
some new problems to the list.
Saturday11am Quantum Physics: Many Worlds?
Chad Orzel
Sunday 11am Is Science Addicted to Randomness?
Greg Bear (M)
Jeff Hecht
Geoffrey A. Landis
Chad Orzel
Well, is it? If so, why? And when is "random" not so??
Sunday 12noon Global Warming: Facts and Myths, (and all that jazz)
Vince Docherty
James Morrow
Mark L. Olson
Chad Orzel (M)
Last year the sea ice grew, reversing a trend. Global warming is
proven, but how bad can it be, really? And would it be so terrible
to someday have no snow for Boskone?
This seems like a pretty fun slate of stuff. The Saturday morning talk is meant to be a quickie version of the recent discussions here, about what Many-Worlds really says, and how it's been (mis)used in science fiction. I'd give a more precise description, but I have yet to make one up...
So, anyway, that's my preliminary schedule. Comments and suggestions are welcome (I'll probably put up a separate thread asking for global warming information, because it's not my usual thing.)
Humanities & Social Science
Physical Science
Comments
Are these talks available on the internet or DVD for those of us that can't make it?
Posted by: apy | January 29, 2009 9:49 AM
See you there. Will SteelyKid be there?
Posted by: Brian | January 29, 2009 11:37 AM
SteelyKid may be with us Friday night--and depending on when we get in, how sleepy she is, etc., may make an appearance--but is currently planned to spend the rest of the weekend with her doting grandparents, 20 miles away.
These plans, of course, subject to change, as all baby-related plans are.
Posted by: Kate Nepveu | January 29, 2009 11:58 AM
Hope to see you there, Chad! I'm the lone member on a panel on Robert E. Howard. (gulp) Feel free to drop by.
:)
Posted by: John Farrell | January 29, 2009 5:49 PM
Cramer's "What We don't Understand in physics" alternate view column from ten years ago is here, for those interested: http://www.npl.washington.edu/av/altvw96.html
Posted by: Geoffrey A. Landis | February 1, 2009 10:35 AM