beamjockey | Entries tagged with cons

Here comes Capricon 37, this year again in the Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois. It begins Thursday, 16 February, and runs through Sunday, 19 February. I'm participating in a number of program items.

Thursday, February 16

Conventions in the Social Media Age
Birch A (1), 3:30pm - 5pm
Track: Fan Interest

Liz Gilio (moderator), Meg Frank, William Frank, Neal F. Litherland, Bill Higgins

Social Media has allowed us unprecedented access to each other. While in many ways this is a good thing, it also allows anonymity and negativity to enter what many fans consider safe spaces. Has online fandom changed cons? For better or for worse? Has social media filled a void that cons used to fill? Are cons even necessary any more?

Friday, February 17

What Keeps You in Fandom?
Willow (1), 1pm - 2:30pm
Track: Fan Interest
Division: Programming
Dexter Fabi (moderator), Val Hoski, Jessica Guggenheim, Jason Betts, Bill Higgins

Every year you go to the same conventions, or you keep looking for that one author's books, or you dress as that character in the show you like.... what keeps your fandom alive? And what keeps you participating in your fandom at large?

Introduction to Classic Movies
Willow (1), 8:30pm - 10pm
Track: Media
Division: Programming
Dexter Fabi (moderator), Frank Salvatini, Bill Higgins

What classic SF movies are MUST see, and why?

Saturday, February 18

Return to Jupiter: NASA's Juno Mission
Botanic Garden Ballroom A (1), 10am - 11:30am
Track: Science
Division: Programming
Bill Higgins (a solo talk)

Last summer, a new spacecraft arrived at Jupiter. Juno's mission is to orbit the giant planet, studying its powerful magnetic field, intense radiation belts, and the intricate interplay of particles and energies surging through nearby space. Bill Higgins reviews Juno's role in gathering more clues to the formation and evolution of Jupiter.

Writing "Real" Aliens
Botanic Garden Ballroom B (1), 11:30am - 1pm
Track: Writing
Division: Programming
Richard Garfinkle (moderator), Phyllis Eisenstein, Martin L. Shoemaker, Michael Coorlim, Bill Higgins, Natalie Silk

Why do so many aliens look or sound like humans with prosthetics on their faces? Why does human sexual morphism/beauty codes carry across all species? Why aren't there more bugs and blobs?

Kids Plan a Mission to Mars
Elm (1), 4pm - 5:30pm
Track: Kids
Division: Programming
Jason Palmer, Bill Higgins, Lisa Garrison

What would YOU do if you were planning a mission to Mars? What things do you think would be needed?

Once again, I'm heading to Novi, Michigan for the 2017 iteration of Detroit fandom's venerable convention Confusion-- this year named "Friendship is Confusion." I'm participating in three program events. Say hello if you encounter me there.

Fan Guest of Honor Induction
Saturday 1 PM
St. Clair Room

The Fan Guest of Honour Introduction and Induction is a traditional ConFusion event, wherein any attending Fan GoHs of years past welcome the new Fan GoH to the club.

(I was Moonbase Confusion's Fan Guest of Honor in 2007, the year after Chuck Firment and the year before The Roving Pirate Party. This year we'll be inducting Mark Oshiro.)

Return to Jupiter: NASA's Juno Mission
Saturday noon
Manitou Room

Last summer, a new spacecraft arrived at Jupiter. Juno's mission is to orbit the giant planet, studying its powerful magnetic field, its intense radiation belts, and the intricate interplay of particles and energies surging through nearby space. Bill Higgins reviews Juno's role in gathering more clues to the formation and evolution of Jupiter.

Pimp Your Mars Rover
Saturday 5 PM
Manitou Room

What would a vehicle need to traverse the unforgiving surface of Mars? A perfect panel for those interested in engineering the next buggy.
Panelists: Karen Burnham (moderator), Martin L. Shoemaker, Courtney Schafer, Bill Higgins

It's nearly time for the 74th World Science Fiction Convention, MidAmeriCon II, in Kansas City, Missouri. It runs from the 17th to the 21st of August at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Here are program items in which I'm participating. "Kansas City, here I come!"

WSH HH&O 1090x960

Jungian Mindscapes and Clement's Iceworld

Thursday 10:00 - 11:00, 2201 (Academic) (Kansas City Convention Center)

[I'm the second speaker in this academic session of two short talks.]

“The Red One” and Enduring Archetypes of Science Fiction’s First Golden Age:
The Jungian Mindscapes Campbell Inherited from the Writers of the Fin de Siècle
Charles Von Nordheim

The Search for Saar: Looking Back at Hal Clement's Iceworld with 21st-Century Science
William S. Higgins
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Some scientific aspects of Hal Clement's 1951 novel Iceworld are notable 65 years later. First, in 1951 not one exoplanet was known. Clement would live to see an abundance of new planets circling distant stars. Furthermore, rather than seeking Earth-like planets, one may search for worlds Clement's sulfur-breathing aliens might inhabit comfortably. The planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has identified at least one planet, Kepler 42c, where conditions approximate those of the imaginary world Saar. Second, in detail unusual for SF of its time, Iceworld explores a planet with remotely-operated spacecraft, anticipating the methods of the coming Space Age.

Kaffeeklatsch: Bill Higgins

Thursday 12:00 - 13:00, 2211 (KKs) (Kansas City Convention Center)

An hour of conversation with a few people who wish to converse with me. Attendees must sign up in advance Wednesday afternoon for the limited seating. Signup instructions are here. (I doubt actual coffee will be served.)

Other kaffeklatsch hosts in the same room at the same time—at different tables—will be Kathleen Ann Goonan, Brianna Spacekat Wu, and Christopher McKitterick.

Edison's Concrete Piano

Thursday 18:00 - 19:00, 2206 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Bill Higgins (Moderator), Dr. Jordin Kare, Allan Dyen-Shapiro, Howard Davidson, andyvanoverberghe

Even the greatest minds have some pretty strange ideas. In 1911, Edison decided to create a concrete piano. What other great, or extremely bizarre ideas have found their way to the US patent office? A look at the oddities that people have imagined.

Note: This panel has moved forward one hour from the original timeslot.

Where Science Fails

Friday 15:00 - 16:00, 2502B (Kansas City Convention Center)

Brother Guy Consolmagno SJ (Moderator), Bill Higgins, Anna Kashina, Dr Helen Pennington, Mr. Donald Douglas Fratz

Although scientists are supposed to follow the scientific method, sometimes that allow their human side to get ahead of them. What caused the crisis of replication in social psychology, the false alarm on cosmic inflation detection, or the announcement of cold fusion? How can these errors be avoided, and how do they damage the reputation of science?

Ask a Scientist

Saturday 15:00 - 16:00, 2210 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Mx Rachael Acks, Bill Higgins (Moderator), Dr. Claire McCague, Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, Dr. Geoffrey A. Landis

Do you have a pressing question about the earth's warming, worm holes, advances in communication technology, cloning? A panel of scientists in varied areas of expertise are here to answer your scientific queries. Answers will be timed out at five minutes each, so don't ask for a detailed explanation of General Relativity! Please keep questions brief and specific.

Fizz and Fuse, the Reactor Brothers

Saturday 16:00 - 17:00, 3501H (Kansas City Convention Center)

Dr. Jordin Kare, Bill Higgins

In this humorous ad-lib chat, Jordin Kare and Bill Higgins diagnose people's spaceship (and other SF) problems in the style of "Car Talk."

Playback from Pluto

Sunday 15:00 - 16:00, 2502B (Kansas City Convention Center)

Bill Higgins

There's a treasure at the edge of the Solar System, a data recorder aboard the New Horizons spacecraft, sending Earth several gigabytes acquired during last summer's flyby of Pluto. The excitement of the initial encounter still lingers. Downlinks in recent months continue to illuminate the mysteries of Pluto, and 2019 brings us all new data. What will we learn?

I'm attending Musecon 6 this weekend in the Westin Chicago Northwest hotel in Itasca, Illinois.

I'm on the program for a couple of items.

Return to Jupiter: NASA's Juno Mission
Friday 9:00 PM - 10:15 PM
Room: Carlyle

This summer, a new spacecraft arrived at Jupiter. Juno's mission is to orbit the giant planet, studying its powerful magnetic field, its intense radiation belts, and the intricate interplay of particles and energies surging through nearby space. Bill Higgins reviews Juno's role in gathering more clues to the formation and evolution of Jupiter.

MuseCon's Eternal Ukulele Summit - 2016 Edition
Sunday 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Room: Trafalgar

Lisa Golladay, Bill Higgins

We hold these truths to be self-evident: That your life with a uke is better than your life without one. That you can bring a uke or borrow a loaner. That all players are welcome at any skill level, including the ones who haven't started yet. And that anyone who thinks a blues progression in C is "too easy" isn't trying hard enough (we can fix that).

K and I are headed for Minicon 50 (yeah, fifty Minicons!) this weekend, 2 through 5 April. I love Minneapolis fandom and I love Minicon-- but this is the first time I've been able to attend in a few years. Here are the program items I'm doing. Can't wait!

Inappropriate (Mis)uses of Astrophysical Matter
FRI 8:30 PM Krushenko's

Forget about using the universe for good! That's not the human way of doing things! Murder by black hole was used as a plot device by Larry Niven in his Hugo award-winning "The Borderland of Sol." Dominic Green postulated using a Penrose accelerator as a waste management "solution" in his Hugo-nominated story, "The Clockwork Atom Bomb." A discussion of the Pandora's Box aspect of particle physics and astrophysics within SF.
Chris Beskar
Bill Higgins
Larry Niven
Michael Kingsley

Almost There
SAT 4:00 PM Veranda 3/4

So, we don't have flying cars. What "technology of the future" is actually right around the corner? A discussion of technologies that we almost have licked including nuclear fusion, anti-gravity, cloaking devices, and teleportation.
Bill Higgins
Bill Thomasson
Chris Beskar
Ctein
Neil Rest
Tyler Tork

Battlefields of Tomorrow
SAT 7:00 PM Veranda 5/6

Powered and unpowered - a discussion of various battle armors in Sci-Fi and the corresponding reality of what is being fielded, under development, and what is to come. Also, find out about the real world development and deployment of lasers, particle beam weapons, rail guns and other directed energy weapons.
Bill Higgins
Chris Beskar
John Stanfield

[Looks like I'll need to get a quick dinner between about 5 and 6:30, or wait and have a late dinner after 8.]

Dawn of the Asteroid Belt: Exploring Vesta and Ceres
SUN 1:00 PM Edina

Asteroids are relics of the ancient Solar System. NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbited Vesta for a year. Now its ion thrusters have propelled it across the Asteroid Belt to Ceres, the largest asteroid, where Dawn has again entered orbit. Join Bill Higgins to explore Dawn's findings at Vesta and its plans for doing science at Ceres.
Bill Higgins

I don't think I've met Chris Beskar, but it looks like I'm going to be seeing a lot of him in the next few days...

Quoting from an announcement from Sasquan, the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention, to be held this August in Spokane, Washington:

From: Marah Searle-Kovacevic
Subject: Announcing new Special Guest!
Date: March 14, 2015 5:07:42 PM CDT

We are proud to announce that NASA Astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren is a Special Guest of Sasquan!

Dr. Lindgren will be participating in Sasquan while serving as a flight engineer on the International Space Station during NASA Expeditions 44 and 45. Yes, for the first time in Worldcon history, we will be in direct communication with a member of our community - out of this world!

[Full announcement here.]

Marah Searle-Kovacevic

Hospitality Division Head, Sasquan
Social Media Head, Sasquan

As one of the Usual Suspects where Worldcon space programming is concerned, I welcome Dr. Lindgren to the conversation. May he find his participation in our 76-year-long tradition as rewarding as we do!

Capricon is once again at the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling, Illinois this weekend, 12 through 15 February. And it will keep me pretty busy, conversing with some delightful people.

Re-starting the Manned Space Program
- Thursday, 02-12-2015 - 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm - Ravinia A
The shuttle program is gone, so what are we going to do next to get back into space? Will NASA be leading the charge, or private companies? Explore the state of re-starting the manned space program.
Chris Gerrib
Bill Higgins
James Plaxco (M)

Rise Up!
- Friday, 02-13-2015 - 11:30 am to 1:00 pm - River AB (Programming - Media)
Aerospace - balloons, zeppelins, airplanes, rocket ships. Fans remain fascinated with flight so let's get together and geek out about it!
Bill Higgins (M)
Emmy Jackson
James Plaxco
Henry Spencer

Rosetta and Ramifications: The Future of Robotic Space Missions
- Friday, 02-13-2015 - 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm - River AB (Programming - Media)
November 2014 saw new milestones in robotic space exploration with the Rosetta mission to comet 67P and the dramatic landing of the Philae probe on its surface. Observational science of Pluto has already commenced with the New Horizons probe that was sent to investigate the Kuiper Belt and will fly-by of the dwarf planet this July. Where do we fly to next, and what should the primary science objectives be for future missions? What new technology do we need to get there?
Bill Higgins (M)
Henry Spencer

Where in the Universe are We?
- Saturday, 02-14-2015 - 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm - Elm (Kids Programming)
Bill Higgins talks to us about outer space and where we, as Earth dwellers, fit into the universe.
Bill Higgins
Lisa Garrison-Ragsdale

Random Panel Topic
- Sunday, 02-15-2015 - 10:00 am to 11:30 am - Botanic Garden A (Special Events - Programming)
What happens to the panel ideas that get rejected? They are reborn here as random panel topics! Our panelists will choose a topic (at random, of course) and speak expertly on them for 5 minutes each. You'll be rolling on the floor with laughter!
Sondra de Jong (M)
Peter Heltzer
Bill Higgins
Mary Mascari
Mark Oshiro

Rocks & Rockets: Dawn of the Asteroid Belt
- Sunday, 02-15-2015 - 11:30 am to 1:00 pm - River AB (Programming - Media)
Asteroids are relics of the ancient solar system. NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbited Vesta for a year. Now its ion thruster is propelling it across the Asteroid Belt to Ceres, the largest asteroid, where this spring it will again enter orbit. Join Bill Higgins on an exploration of Dawn's findings at Vesta and its plans for Ceres.
Bill Higgins (M)

Capricon encompasses four holidays this year: Lincoln's Birthday, Friday the Thirteenth, Valentine's Day, and (according to Bob Trembley) Chelyabinsk Day. Reason to celebrate.

I've attended every Windycon, but one, since Windycon 3. And I'm looking forward to Windycon 41, which starts tomorrow at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard, Illinois.

I'll be giving a talk Saturday afternoon; there's another panel I'd like to join, but I'll need to talk to Program Ops first.

The Alien in the Human Imagination

3:00 PM Saturday
Grand Ballroom GH
1 hour

Extraterrestrial life has yet to be found, but aliens have been lurking in the human mind for millennia. The idea that other worlds may have inhabitants of their own goes back to antiquity. Renaissance philosophers debated it. 19th century science suggested an inhabited Mars. Science fiction and the Space Age contributed new speculations and new data. Join Bill Higgins to become part of the "plurality of worlds" conversation.

Detcon 1 is the name of this year's North American Science Fiction Convention. Detcon will blossom in my old home town, Detroit, Michigan, from Thursday, 17 July, through Sunday the 20th. I've agreed to participate in a bunch of programming.

Physics, Mechanics, & Logistics of Flying Cars

Fri 10:00 AM -- Mackinac East
What would it be like if we DID have flying cars? What are the physical, technical, logistical, legal, and cultural factors we would need to consider? Are flying cars like cars or are they like planes? What will really make cars fly?

Bill Higgins (moderator), Mel. White, Erik Kauppi, Emmy Jackson

The Science of Hal Clement's Iceworld

Fri 12:00 PM -- Mackinac East
In Hal Clement's 1951 novel Iceworld, characters who breathe hot gaseous sulfur confront the mysteries of Earth, to them an unbelievably frigid planet. Among other things, the legendary master of hard SF foresaw robotic interplanetary exploration in a unique way. And now that astronomers know about thousands of extrasolar planets, does the homeworld of the sulfur-breathers lurk among them? Join Bill Higgins in exploring the chemistry, physics, and astronomy behind the classic story.

Bill Higgins

Where's my D@m! Flying Car?

Sat 12:00 PM -- Ambassador Salon 1
Science fiction vs. science reality: where did the future go wrong? We may have flying cars, but they're not the anti-grav vehicles that we really want! Humans have been experiencing long-term space flight for years now, but there are no colonies yet in orbit or on the moon. And where's my hoverboard?

Jonathan Stars (moderator), Douglas Johnson, Ian Randal Strock, Cindy A. Matthews (Cynthianna), Bill Higgins, Dr. Charles Dezelah, Dr. Nicolle Zellner

Annals of Michifandom

Sat 1:00 PM -- Nicolet B
From the Slan Shack and the propeller beanie to Detcon1, Michigan fans have contributed mightily to fannish history and lore. Join us for some rollicking multimedia time travel through fandom Michigan-style.

Dick Smith (moderator), Cy Chauvin, Tammy Coxen, Gregg T. Trend, Chad Childers, Rich Lynch, Leah A. Zeldes, Tullio Proni, Amy Ranger, Denice Brown, Pat Sims, Roger Sims, Todd R. Johnson, Fred Prophet, Bill Higgins, Tracy Lunquist

[I don't think Dick Smith has ever lived in Michigan, but he married into Michifandom, and he is greatly concerned with preserving fannish history. So he's a good MC for a two-hour review of the Wolverine State's many-faceted involvement with fandom. Should be fun.]

The Personal Replicator

Sun 11:00 AM -- Ambassador Salon 1
With the introduction of 3-D printers, we're well on our way to Star Trek's replicator. Before long, we'll have access to the alchemist's dream: the ability to manipulate molecules. What are the implications for the world economy? Do we face the possibility of wiping out poverty? What about intellectual property? We will have to answer these questions, and many more, much sooner than you think.

Jonathan Stars (moderator), Joshua Kronengold, Mel. White, Mike Substelny, Bill Higgins

This coming weekend, I'll be involved in a number of program items for Duckon 23, a science fiction convention held in the Westin North Shore Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois. They're also planning for a Zeusaphone performance by the Masters of Lightning at sundown on Friday (if it rains, Saturday).

The theme this year is "What If?"-- but isn't that the implicit theme of every SF and fantasy convention, ever?

Saturday, 7 June

2:00-2:55 P.M. Ravinia A
The Science of Hal Clement’s Iceworld--Special Science Presentation

The late Hal Clement, who often attended DucKon, was celebrated for weaving stories out of scientific fact. In his novel Iceworld, characters who breathe hot gaseous sulfur confront the mysteries of Earth, to them an unbelievably frigid planet. Among other things, the legendary master of “putting the science in SF” foresaw robotic interplanetary exploration in a unique way. And the new science of exoplanets sheds light. Join Bill Higgins in exploring the chemistry, physics and astronomy behind the classic story.

4:00-4:55 P.M. Con Suite
Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Party

Join Bill Higgins and friends as he and his helpers make fantastic, tasty ice cream the DucKon way!

[Another source says this happens at 5 PM. I don't know which to believe. Check when you get to the con. I also don't know who the friends are. I trust the concom will be coming up with suitable utensils and ingredients.]

9:00-9:55 P.M. Ravinia E
Hey, Hollywood, You Ruined My Book

Have you ever loved a book so much that you just couldn’t wait for the movie? And then when it finally came out, it left a lot to be desired. Come and share your tales of dismay and horror at what Hollywood did to your favorite book.
(Rebecca L. Frencl, David Gerrold, Bill Higgins, Jeffrey Liss, Virginia Massetti (M))

10:00-10:55 P.M. Ravinia A
Are We Ready For The What If?

What do we do when the future comes and we are not ready for it? How do we prepare ourselves for the future advances and reactions?
(John Higgins, Bill Higgins)
[Yes, there is a local fan named John Higgins. No relation so far as I know.]

Sunday, 8 June

12:00-12:55 P.M. Ravinia E
Evolution of Battlefield Weapons

From swords to laser pointed guns, many of us are fascinated by the variety of weapons developed in history to the present. What are the next models of military or home defense? Will the manufacturers go to phasers some day?
(Walt Boyes, Lee Darrow (M), Chris Gerrib, Roland J. Green, Bill Higgins)

There's a new con in Chicago. Chi-Fi has postponed their first full-weekend con until March 2015, but for a taste of what's to come, they've organized Chi-Fi 0, a one-day event this Saturday, 29 March, from 3 PM to 3 AM at the Palmer House Hilton downtown. Events cover science fiction, gaming, cosplay, concerts, elements of the Bristol Ren Faire, fannish diversity, and much more. They even have SMOFfing: a panel on "Con Harassment Policies: Nuts and Bolts."

And a Higgins talk. According to the schedule for Chi-Fi 0, I'm speaking Saturday night at 10:30. I thought it might be fun to tell the attendees what I know about a beloved symbol of paleofuturism.

I Know Where Your Jetpack Is: The Rise and Fall of the Bell Rocket Belt

10:30 PM
Grant Park Room

The cry "Where's my jetpack?" is often heard in the 21st century. Long ago, seen on TV, at the World's Fair, and at the Olympics, the Bell Rocket Belt delighted millions and became an icon of the Space Age. After this "jetpack," descended from X-plane technology, made its first flight in 1961, Bell Aerospace struggled and failed to find a market for it—but a handful of enthusiasts have built new rocket belts and are flying them today.

I'm looking forward to the event, and hoping it's a success. (And it's a chance to deploy my rarely-seen Livejournal rocket belt icon.) See you downtown...

I would like to borrow a baritone ukulele for a brief performance late Saturday night at Boskone. (My travel plans to Boston make it impractical to bring my own uke.)

If you know anyone who might be willing to loan me a baritone uke, please spread the word.

I could manage with another kind of uke, but I am best at playing a baritone.

If no uke at all is available, I'll cope.

Please contact me through higgins at fnal dot gov, or find me at-con (here's my schedule), or reach me through Boskone's programming people.

Edited to add: A kind family has come through with a uke. All is well. (Except for the part where a giant snowstorm headed for Boston threatens to delay my flight Thursday afternoon.)

I'll be at Capricon 34 this weekend in Wheeling, Illinois, doing a few panels and a talk.

Time Travel without Technology
- Friday, 02-07-2014 - 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm - Willow

While most time travel seems to involve a technological breakthrough, sometimes, as with Matheson’s Bid Time Return or Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, characters manage to move through time either through force of will or natural phenomenon. How is this time travel different from the more traditional type?
Walt Boyes (M), Roland J. Green, Bill Higgins, Ken Hite, Matt Mitrovich

By the Light of the Chinese Moon
- Saturday, 02-08-2014 - 10:00 am to 11:15 am - Botanic Garden B

On December 14, China became the third country, and the first in 37 years, to soft land on the Moon. Is this the start of a new space race or has the US conceded the Moon to China? Will other countries join them?
Dermot Dobson (M), Bill Higgins, Jeffrey Liss, Jim Plaxco, Henry Spencer

Weird Patents
- Saturday, 02-08-2014 - 11:30 am to 12:45 pm - Botanic Garden A
A look at some of the weird ideas for which people have filed, and received patents.
Dermot Dobson, Bill Higgins, Ruth Pe Palileo (M)

Vandals of the Void: Damaging Meteorites from Chelyabinsk to Chicago
- Saturday, 02-08-2014 - 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm - Botanic Garden A

A window-shattering shock wave injured 1100 Russians and startled the world one year ago. Meteoric violence is rare, but it can be devastating-and meteorites have assaulted Chicagoland at least twice. Bill Higgins reviews the Chelyabinsk blast, reveals our local impacts.

The Boskone folks have kindly invited me to Boston for their famous convention on the weekend of Valentine's Day. And now they have put their program schedule online. A list of items sorted by panelist is also available, if there are particular people you are eager to see.

Unfortunately, K won't be able to attend. Nevertheless I am really looking forward to this con; I'm also planning to hang around Massachusetts for the following week. Here's my schedule.

Paleofutures

Friday 18:00 - 18:50

The new term "paleofuture" describes a future that never was - a prediction made in the past which hasn't panned out and never will. Which foreseen futures have subsequent events rendered impossible? Which are plausible still? What histories, worlds, discoveries, and technologies could (or could not) yet come true? And for extra credit, what are our own predictions of things to come?

Elizabeth Bear (M), Bill Higgins, James Patrick Kelly, Beth Meacham

The Science of Hal Clement's Iceworld

Friday 20:00 - 20:50

In Hal Clement's 1951 novel Iceworld, characters who breathe hot gaseous sulfur confront the mysteries of Earth, to them an unbelievably frigid planet. Among other things, the legendary master of hard SF foresaw robotic interplanetary exploration in a unique way. Join Bill Higgins in exploring the chemistry, physics, and astronomy behind the classic story.

Bill Higgins
[A brand new talk, especially for Boskone, on Hal Clement's home turf.]

Boskone Meet the Guests & Art Show Reception

Friday 21:00 - 22:00

Connoisseurs and philistines alike: welcome! Come meet our special guests while enjoying a feast for the eyes that is the Boskone Art Show. Join us in the Galleria to enjoy refreshments -- and refreshing conversation.

Bill Higgins, Jane Yolen, Seanan McGuire, David Palumbo, Bill Roper, Ginjer Buchanan

[I've heard Boskone's art show is very good. This'll be a great opportunity to get a look at it in my otherwise busy weekend.]

Kaffeeklatsche with Bill Higgins

Saturday 11:00 - 11:50

[Simply conversation with other fans. Sign up and let's chat!]

Welcome to Fermilab: Particles Beneath the Prairie

Saturday 13:00 - 13:50

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a fascinating place, full of mile-long machines, giant assemblies of intriguing apparatus, underground beams of mysterious particles, and a herd of buffalo. Take a tour and hear a few stories from Bill Higgins's 35 years in the accelerator business.

Bill Higgins

Interview with Science Speaker Bill Higgins

Saturday 14:00 - 14:50

Join us for a lively discussion as former Special Guest Guy Consolmagno interviews Boskone's current Hal Clement Science Speaker, Bill Higgins. Bill is a radiation safety physicist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago. As a longtime member of fandom, he writes and speaks about the crossroads where science, history, and science fiction meet. Other topics that may come up include spaceflight, astronomy, physics, and maybe even some weird aviation.

Guy Consolmagno (M), Bill Higgins

The Year in Physics and Astronomy

Saturday 17:00 - 17:50

An annual roundup of the latest research and discoveries in physics and astronomy. Our experts will talk about what's new and interesting, cutting-edge and speculative: the Higgs, solar and extrasolar planets, dark energy, and much more besides.

Mark L. Olson (M), Bill Higgins, Guy Consolmagno, Jeff Hecht

[This will require some homework!]

The Dark Universe

Sunday 11:00 - 11:50

What are dark matter and dark energy? What is this dark universe that coexists alongside the cosmos we can see and feel? How apropos is George Lucas' description of The Force? (Obi-Wan Kenobi speaks of "[A]n energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.") Is there something in this idea that might reveal mysteries that keep eluding us -- and do we really want to find out?

Mark L. Olson (M), Bill Higgins, Elizabeth Bear, Guy Consolmagno

[This will also require homework. Where did I put that Dark Energy file I compiled when I... oh, right. I haven't blogged about that adventure yet.]

Vandals of the Void: The Chelyabinsk Meteor Strike of 2013

Sunday 13:00 - 13:50

One year ago, a window-shattering shock wave injured 1400 Russians and startled the world. A 20-meter asteroid had exploded in the sky above Chelyabinsk. Join Bill Higgins and Guy Consolmagno for a look at what scientists have learned about this striking event.

Bill Higgins, Guy Consolmagno

[I couldn't resist the opportunity to juice up my Chelyabinsk talk by drafting my favorite meteorite expert.]

Hal Clement was one of the great science fiction writers, and an enthusiastic participant in programming at SF conventions. His talent in explaining and speculating about science, which fans experienced in reading his fiction and hearing him at cons, reminded us that he must have been very good at his vocation as a high school science teacher.

The New England Science Fiction Association writes:

After his death, NESFA decided to honor him by establishing the Hal Clement Science Speaker as a memorial. Each year we bring someone who shares his wide interest in science combined with a love of science fiction to speak at Boskone.

I am pleased to say that I have been invited to be Hal Clement Science Speaker at Boskone 51, 14 through 16 February 2014, in Boston.

I am grateful for this honor, especially because I've always wanted to attend Boskone. Boston is a great city that I always love to visit. So I'm really looking forward to Valentine's Day.

Musecon 3 is nearly upon us and the program is now available. I'll be at the Westin Chicago Northwest, in Itasca, Illinois, participating in a couple of items:

Todd and Bill Provide Endless Amusement

Sat, August 3, 4:30pm – 5:45pm
Carlyle Room
Todd Johnson, Bill Higgins

Endless Amusement is a book, published in 1820, containing 400 scientific demonstrations, experiments, tricks, and projects for young readers. Join Todd Johnson and Bill Higgins for Regency-era fun, as they try out a couple of the saner suggestions. Merely discussed will be the ones our hotel would not allow (plenty of recipes for fireworks) and the ones that are rather dangerous ("DISSOLVE 100 grains of mercury by heat, in an ounce and a half of nitric acid...")

Ukulele Summit
Sun, August 4, 9:00 am – 10:15 am
Lakeshore Room
Lisa Golladay, Michael Blake, Bill Higgins, Bryan Peterson

Four strings and the truth. Bring a uke, borrow a uke, teach a song or learn some new ones. Absolute beginners welcome; also blazing hipsters, guitarists who seek the light, and those of us for whom vaudeville never died (you know who you are).

(Yes, Lisa, I know who I am.)

Duckon 22 has been kind enough to invite me to be Science Guest of Honor next weekend, 28 through 30 June, in Wheeling, Illinois.

Here's the current draft of the Duckon program.

My events (in addition to Opening Ceremonies and Closing Ceremonies):

8 PM Friday: Classic SF/Fantasy/Horror

What makes War of the Worlds memorable? Our panelists will share their lists of famous and not so known pieces of literature they would definitely keep on their shelves and pass down to the future generations. Even though these “treasures” were written more than forty years ago or older, they are still enjoyable today and beyond.

10 AM Saturday: Curiosity’s Journey Continues: NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Rover

The Mars rover Curiosity brought a sophisticated toolbox of instruments to study the surface of the Red Planet—including one that can fire a laser pulse to vaporize a rock, then capture its spectrum.
Join Bill Higgins to review what Curiosity has taught us during 11 months of exploring a region in Gale Crater where water once flowed.

(Curiosity keeps exploring; I keep talking about her.)

10 AM Sunday: Vandals of the Void: Damaging Meteors from Chelyabinsk to Chicago

A window-shattering shock wave injured 1400 Russians, and startled the world, a few months ago. Meteoric violence is rare, but it can be devastating—and meteors have assaulted Chicagoland at least twice. Bill Higgins reviews the Chelyabinsk blast, reveals our local impacts, and examines whether we can fight back against our asteroidal foes.

(This is a new talk I cooked up out of fascination with the Chelyabinsk incident.)

11 AM Sunday: Beauty of Science

Many times science and art often intertwine. There is a natural beauty everywhere from geological formations in Mammoth Cave, to streaming light emissions of the Northern Lights. Some art has to be discovered and science will be the tool to reveal them. Join our panelists as they share some examples of how they see beauty in scientific discoveries.

Times may well change; this schedule is not final, so check with Duckon once the con begins for the latest schedule.

Needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to the weekend!

I'll be at Capricon 33 in Wheeling, Illinois this weekend, having attended thirty-two Capricons previously.

Science Reporting Sucks Rocks
Friday, 02-08-2013
11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Botanic Garden A

Correlation is not causation! Every day, the news butchers articles about health, climate change, and technological advancements. Science literacy continues to suffer in the US. Why does this happen? How can we prevent it?

Dr. Lisa Freitag
Bill Higgins (Moderator)
W. A. (Bill) Thomasson
Dr. Michael Unger

Nerdvana: Big Bang Theory's Impact on the Perception of Fandom
Friday, 02-08-2013
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Birch A

Love it or leave it, everyone seems to be watching the Big Bang Theory. The shows fan community reaches beyond whom we would expect to be interested. Are they laughing at us or with us?

Jerry Gilio (Moderator)
Liz Gilio
Bill Higgins
Mary Anne Mohanraj

Curiosity on Mars Slideshow
Friday, 02-08-2013
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
River AB
Curiosity is on Mars and there's more out there than Marvin the Martian. Come feed your curiosity with the latest from Curiosity.

Bill Higgins

Higgins and Silver Talk
[This really could have used a better title...]
Friday, 02-08-2013
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Bill Higgins and Steven Silver discovered a joint affection for Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, a collection explaining the background of common sayings. In this wide-ranging discussion, the two use randomly selected entries to guide their conversation.

Bill Higgins
Steven H Silver

AI Vision: Early AI vs. Current Technology
Saturday, 02-09-2013
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Botanic Garden A
Humankind has been dreaming of thinking machines for centuries. History, philosophy, mechanics, computing, and human imagination feed this dream. What has been and what will be?

Peter de Jong
James Dobbs (Moderator)
Bill Higgins

Riverworlds: The Latest on Mars and Titan
Saturday, 02-09-2013
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Botanic Garden A

Dried river beds on Mars? A mini Nile on Titan? Interesting. We want to learn more.

Bill Higgins
Jeffrey Liss
Jim Plaxco (Moderator)

The program schedule for Immortal Confusion, next weekend's SF convention in Dearborn, Michigan, is available.

Thrill to Confusion's stellar lineup of guests! See James Nicoll and Charlie Stross in the same hotel!

Here's a list of events I have been asked to participate in, all on Saturday, 19 January. Which turns out to be kind of a busy day.

Science Advice For Show Business
2:00p Saturday
Huron Room
What does that science advisor for your favorite show do, and how do we popularize science and include better science in every form of mass media?
Bill Higgins (Moderator), Jennifer Ouellette, Karl Schroeder

Will The Real Fan GoH...
5:00p Saturday
Fairlane Room
Fan Guest of Honour Introduction/Induction is a traditional ConFusion event wherein all the previous ConFusion Fan GoHs who are in attendance welcome the new Fan GoH to the club.
James Davis Nicoll, Jeff Beeler (Moderator), Leah Zeldes Smith

[I suppose if they've invited a Canadian again, he gets to be "Fan Guest of Honour." I was merely "Fan Guest of Honor." In other news, it will be nice to see Leah attend a Confusion again.]

Mars: Before One Small Step for Man
7:00p Saturday
Allen Park Room
Discuss past and current Mars missions with members of the Curiosity, Pathfinder, and Opportunity mission teams, and talk about potential future manned missions with our visionary panelists.
Bill Higgins, Geoff Landis (Moderator), Karl Schroeder, Nilton Renno

[Dr. Renno is a collaborator on Curiosity's REMS "weather station," Dr. Landis participated in the Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover missions, and Karl Schroeder is a very sharp hard-SF writer.]

Physics Of The Buffyverse
8:00p Saturday
Huron Room
How does the Hellmouth complement String Theory? Our Science GoH Jennifer Ouellette wrote a book trying to answer that question and many more. Come for a live discussion and bring your most vexing questions.
Bill Higgins, Connie Trembley, Jennifer Ouellette (Moderator)

Capricon 32 is almost upon us. I find myself participating in panels with some exciting people. Also, I offered to give my Grote Reber talk, and Capricon agreed. Here's my schedule.

One panel has been canceled: "In Search of the Higgs Boson," formerly scheduled for Thursday 6:30 pm.

How the Contraption in Reber's Yard Brought the Galaxy to Wheaton
Friday, 02-10-2012 - 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm - River AB (Programming - Media)
Bill Higgins

Radio sources in the sky were discovered in the 1930s, but nobody studied them until Grote Reber of Wheaton, Illinois tackled the problem. In his spare time, and on a shoestring budget, Reber assembled in his mother's backyard an enormous electronic contraption that would change astronomy forever. Eventually, radio astronomy would blossom into an important new discipline-- but for nearly a decade Reber was the only radio astronomer on Earth.

Pluto Is Still a Planet in Illinois
Friday, 02-10-2012 - 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm - Birch A
Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Bill Higgins (Moderator), Jim Plaxco, Steven H Silver

Pluto got demoted. (We blame Neil DeGrasse Tyson). But here in Illinois, it's still a planet. Why are we still so invested in the classification of this distant object?

Does It Matter If Science Fiction Authors Are Bad at Predicting the Future?
Friday, 02-10-2012 - 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm - Willow
Cory Doctorow (Moderator), Bill Higgins, Kristine Smith, Gene Wolfe

Sure, we get some things right, like flip phones or going to the moon, but SF authors also get a LOT wrong when they predict the future. Does it really matter? What is the value of the exercise of making predictions?

Brother Guy and Bill Higgins Talk about Science Stuff
Sunday, 02-12-2012 - 10:00 am to 11:30 am - Botanic Garden A
Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Bill Higgins

Brother Guy and Bill Higgins are fascinating. Hear them discuss fascinating things...about SCIENCE!

[Disclaimer: The Capricon committee's words, not mine. Make up your own mind about just how fascinating I may be. This is not the most informative of panel descriptions, but at least it has the virtue of brevity.]

Fanzines for Fun and Non-Profit
Sunday, 02-12-2012 - 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm - Elm
James Bacon, Bill Higgins, Steven H Silver, Dick Smith, delphyne woods, Leah Zeldes Smith (Moderator)

Join us as we explore the vibrant world of fanzines. One of Science Fiction and Fantasy fandom's oldest means of communication, analysis, and community building, fanzines continue to flourish as they adapt to our changing times.

I think this is going to be a fun weekend.

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Eponymously Yours, W. Skeffington Higgins

Entries tagged with cons

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