Category: Science Fiction

Chat GPT helps out with my panels at Balticon

Space pirate ship run by artificial intelligence — generated by stable diffusion

I decided to ask Chat GPT to do some research for my panels at Balticon. It actually did a pretty good job, although being somewhat aware of its limits/strengths I was careful to phrase the prompts appropriately. The headlines are the prompts I gave ChatGPT; the text is its response. The prompts are taken from the panel titles, but modified a bit. Note there was a certain amount of finger-wagging from Chat-GPT when we got to space piracy!

How will generative AIs transform the world?

Generative AIs, such as language models, have the potential to profoundly transform the world across various domains. Here are several ways in which generative AIs may have a significant impact:

  1. Content Generation: Generative AIs can automate the creation of content across various mediums, including text, images, music, and video. They can assist in writing articles, generating marketing materials, designing visuals, composing music, or even creating realistic deepfake videos. This has implications for industries such as media, advertising, entertainment, and creative arts.
  2. Personalized Experiences: Generative AIs can tailor experiences to individual preferences and needs. They can help create personalized recommendations for products, services, and content based on user data and preferences. This can enhance user experiences in areas such as e-commerce, entertainment, education, and healthcare.
  3. Natural Language Processing: Language models and generative AIs can enhance natural language understanding and generation, leading to improved chatbots, virtual assistants, and customer support systems. They can enable more sophisticated conversational interactions, automate customer service processes, and assist in language translation.
  4. Research and Development: Generative AIs can accelerate research and development in various fields by assisting with data analysis, hypothesis generation, and experimental design. They can help scientists, engineers, and researchers process vast amounts of data, explore new ideas, and make discoveries more efficiently.
  5. Creative Collaboration: Generative AIs can facilitate creative collaboration between humans and machines. They can assist artists, designers, and writers by generating ideas, providing creative suggestions, or acting as co-creators. This opens up possibilities for new forms of artistic expression and collaboration.
  6. Decision-Making Support: Generative AIs can assist in decision-making processes by providing insights, analyzing complex data sets, and simulating scenarios. They can aid in strategic planning, financial analysis, risk assessment, and policy development, helping individuals and organizations make more informed decisions.
  7. Humanitarian Applications: Generative AIs can be utilized in humanitarian efforts, such as disaster response, public health, and poverty alleviation. They can assist in analyzing large-scale data to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and provide insights for effective interventions and resource allocation.
  8. Ethical Considerations: The emergence of generative AIs raises important ethical considerations. Issues such as bias in training data, privacy concerns, and the responsible use of AI-generated content need to be carefully addressed to ensure that the transformative potential of generative AIs is harnessed responsibly and ethically.

It’s important to note that while generative AIs have immense potential, they also come with challenges and risks. Ensuring responsible development, addressing biases, protecting privacy, and upholding ethical standards are crucial to harnessing the transformative power of generative AIs for the benefit of society.

How might the moral systems of alien civilitizations differ from our own?

When contemplating the moral systems of alien civilizations, we can only engage in speculative and imaginative thinking since we have no empirical knowledge of extraterrestrial life. However, considering the potential diversity of life forms and their unique environments, we can explore some ways in which their moral systems might differ from our own:

  1. Different Biological Basis: Aliens may have different sensory perceptions, cognitive abilities, and biological needs. These variations could shape their moral systems. For example, if an alien species lacks empathy or emotions as we understand them, their moral framework may not prioritize concepts like compassion or altruism.
  2. Cultural Relativism: Alien civilizations might possess vastly different cultures and value systems due to their unique evolutionary paths and social structures. Cultural relativism could lead to moral values that diverge significantly from ours, making it challenging for us to comprehend or relate to their ethical perspectives.
  3. Different Notions of Personhood: Aliens may have distinct concepts of personhood and the boundaries of moral consideration. They might have different criteria for determining moral worth, such as intelligence, consciousness, or other characteristics that we might not prioritize in the same way. This could lead to different ethical obligations and attitudes towards other beings.
  4. Non-Human-Centric Ethics: Earthly moral systems are often anthropocentric, prioritizing the interests and well-being of humans. Alien civilizations, especially those with more advanced intelligence, may have expanded moral considerations beyond their own species. They could extend moral consideration to other sentient beings, ecosystems, or even artificial intelligences they have created.
  5. Different Ethical Frameworks: Alien moral systems might be guided by alternative ethical frameworks that we haven’t conceived of or that differ significantly from our own. They might emphasize different ethical principles or philosophical perspectives that challenge or supplement our understanding of right and wrong.
  6. Alternative Priorities: The values and priorities of alien civilizations could be shaped by different challenges and environmental factors. They might prioritize sustainability, harmony with their ecosystems, or other objectives that differ from human-centric moral concerns.
  7. Technological Impact: Highly advanced alien civilizations might have overcome certain ethical dilemmas or developed unique moral perspectives based on their technological capabilities and experiences. For example, they might have resolved issues related to resource scarcity, population control, or interstellar travel, which could influence their ethical priorities.

It is important to approach these speculations with humility and an understanding that they are purely imaginative. Without concrete knowledge of extraterrestrial life, we can only engage in thought experiments and explore the potential diversity of moral systems that could exist in the vastness of the universe.

What are some famous mad scientists?

Throughout history, there have been several figures who have been portrayed or labeled as “mad scientists” due to their eccentricities, unorthodox experiments, or controversial beliefs. While the term “mad scientist” is fictional and not a formal designation, here are a few famous figures who have often been associated with the concept:

  1. Nikola Tesla: Tesla was an electrical engineer and inventor known for his groundbreaking work in alternating current (AC) power systems. He had an unconventional personality and ideas, often conducting experiments that were ahead of his time. Tesla’s eccentricities and claims, such as his ideas on wireless transmission of energy, contributed to the perception of him as a “mad scientist” in popular culture.
  2. Dr. Victor Frankenstein: Dr. Frankenstein is a fictional character created by Mary Shelley in her novel “Frankenstein.” He is portrayed as a scientist who creates a living creature through a controversial and unorthodox scientific experiment. Dr. Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge and his reckless actions have made him an iconic representation of the “mad scientist” archetype.
  3. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: These characters, created by Robert Louis Stevenson in the novella “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” depict a scientist named Dr. Henry Jekyll, who creates a potion that transforms him into the evil Mr. Edward Hyde. Dr. Jekyll’s attempts to separate his good and evil sides through scientific means result in disastrous consequences and exemplify the dangers of unchecked experimentation.
  4. Dr. Moreau: Dr. Moreau is a character from H.G. Wells’ novel “The Island of Doctor Moreau.” He is a vivisectionist who conducts unethical experiments on animals, attempting to create human-like hybrids. Dr. Moreau’s disregard for ethical boundaries and his disturbing creations have contributed to his portrayal as a “mad scientist.”
  5. Dr. Emmett Brown: Dr. Brown is a fictional character from the “Back to the Future” film trilogy, portrayed by Christopher Lloyd. He is an eccentric inventor who creates a time machine out of a DeLorean car. Driven by his scientific pursuits and often engaging in unconventional experiments, Dr. Brown embodies the archetypal “mad scientist” persona in a lighthearted and comedic manner.

It’s important to note that while these figures have become iconic representations of “mad scientists,” their portrayals are fictional and should not be confused with real-life scientists or their work. The term “mad scientist” is largely a literary and cinematic trope used to depict characters with eccentric, morally ambiguous, or ethically questionable scientific pursuits.

What are the economics of space piracy?

Space piracy, as a concept, involves acts of unauthorized aggression, theft, or disruption of space activities. While space piracy is primarily portrayed in science fiction, it is essential to recognize that real-world space activities are governed by international laws and treaties, and piracy is illegal and highly discouraged. Nevertheless, if we were to consider the hypothetical economics of space piracy in a fictional context, we can examine several factors:

  1. Motivation: Space piracy would likely be driven by economic motives. Pirates might aim to steal valuable resources, such as rare minerals, precious metals, or advanced technology from spacecraft or space stations. These stolen goods could be sold on black markets or to rogue entities for substantial profits.
  2. Cost of Operation: Space piracy would require significant financial resources. Pirates would need to acquire or build spacecraft capable of interstellar travel, equip themselves with advanced weaponry, establish bases or hideouts, and sustain their operations, including crew salaries, maintenance, and fuel costs. Funding such operations could come from illicit activities, extortion, or support from criminal organizations.
  3. Risk and Competition: Space piracy would be an extremely high-risk endeavor. Pirates would face potential confrontation with well-equipped defense forces, including national militaries or private security employed by space-faring organizations. The risk of retaliation and countermeasures would increase the cost and complexity of maintaining piracy operations. Additionally, competition among pirate factions might lead to conflicts over limited resources and territories, further straining profitability.
  4. Legal Framework: As mentioned, space activities are governed by international laws and treaties, such as the Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Agreement. These agreements establish principles of peaceful use of space, cooperation, and non-appropriation of celestial bodies. Engaging in space piracy would violate these legal frameworks, potentially leading to sanctions, legal actions, and international condemnation.
  5. Response and Defense: Space-faring nations and organizations would likely invest in robust security measures to protect their assets from piracy. This could involve employing armed security personnel, developing advanced surveillance systems, and implementing secure communication networks. The cost of defense and security could increase as a response to piracy threats, making it more challenging for pirates to succeed.

Considering the factors above, the economics of space piracy would likely be challenging. The risks, high costs of operation, legal implications, and the potential for strong defense measures by space-faring entities would likely limit the profitability and sustainability of space piracy activities. It is important to reiterate that space piracy is illegal, and international efforts are in place to ensure peaceful and cooperative exploration and utilization of space.

What are some good uses for acousto-optic devices?

Acousto-optic devices are versatile tools that harness the interaction of sound waves and light waves to enable a range of applications. Here are some good uses for acousto-optic devices:

  1. Laser Beam Control: Acousto-optic devices can be employed for precise laser beam manipulation. By applying an acoustic wave to a crystal or an optical fiber, the device can diffract, deflect, or modulate the laser beam’s intensity, frequency, or direction. This capability is valuable in laser scanning systems, laser printers, laser machining, and optical communication networks.
  2. Optical Spectroscopy: Acousto-optic devices find extensive applications in spectroscopy, where they facilitate the rapid tuning of light sources and the modulation of optical signals. They are particularly useful in time-resolved spectroscopic techniques, such as Raman spectroscopy, where they enable efficient filtering, wavelength selection, and signal modulation.
  3. Optical Signal Processing: Acousto-optic devices are utilized in various signal processing applications, including signal modulation, filtering, and frequency shifting. They can perform tasks like frequency analysis, convolution, correlation, and beam steering, making them valuable in areas such as radar systems, optical computing, and telecommunications.
  4. Fiber Optic Communications: Acousto-optic devices play a role in fiber optic communication networks. They can be employed as tunable filters, optical switches, and modulators to control the routing and modulation of optical signals within fiber optic systems. This enables wavelength division multiplexing, signal demultiplexing, and efficient signal processing in high-speed communication networks.
  5. Imaging and Holography: Acousto-optic devices are utilized in imaging systems and holography setups. They can control the properties of light, such as intensity, polarization, and phase, allowing for dynamic image formation, spatial light modulation, and holographic recording. These devices contribute to applications like laser displays, laser printing, and three-dimensional imaging.
  6. Laser Doppler Velocimetry: Acousto-optic devices are used in laser Doppler velocimetry systems to measure the velocity and flow characteristics of fluids. By splitting laser light into two beams and analyzing the Doppler shift caused by the moving particles in the fluid, these devices enable precise velocity measurements, making them valuable in fields such as fluid dynamics, biomedical research, and industrial flow monitoring.
  7. Optical Computing: Acousto-optic devices have been explored for their potential in optical computing systems. They can be used for optical switching, routing, and signal processing in all-optical computing architectures, offering the advantages of parallelism, high-speed operation, and potentially low power consumption.

These are just a few examples of the many good uses for acousto-optic devices. Their ability to control light using sound waves opens up possibilities in various fields, including photonics, telecommunications, imaging, and scientific research.

Light & Sound at Balticon 2023

I’m doing a talk on Light and Sound at the 2023 Balticon and four panels, all fun, as well. First my talk, then my panels with the reasons I gave to Balticon as to why I wanted to be on the panel.

The extraordinary physics of Light and Sound

Light and sound have had a close relationship since the first stroke of lightning triggered the first sound of thunder. But it is only lately that science has entered the picture. From sonoluminescence (light emitted by imploding bubbles), to the use of the acousto-optic effect to use sound to control lasers, to polarons & plasmons (quantum particles which are strange hybrids of sound and light), we look at the science of sound and light as it is now — and how it might evolve in the future.

Pirates in Space

Kelly Freas cover for Astounding Science Fiction of a space pirate boarding a space ship, slide rule clenched between his teeth.
Kelly Freas and his Freas-booters; sliderule clenched in teeth!

Who can resist Pirates in Space? yes, the distances are great — and the need for an expert spaceship technician unavoidable — but a single lucky encounter might be enough to let you retire for life. And if the technical difficulties are likely to be great, the forces driving men & women to piracy may be just as great: greed, desperation, the desire for a new life, or just the odd spot of revenge will be as powerful in space as they have been on planet. Yo ho ho & a bottle of Venusian Blue Ruin!

Mad Science

As Niels Bohr put it: “We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question which divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct. My own feeling is that it is not crazy enough.” So how do we get to “crazy enough” how to “think outside the box” without crossing the boundary to madness? Many excellent examples may be found on each side of the divide! A great panel topic; I would be delighted to be on this panel!

The topic takes me back to a Philcon at the Adam’s West, many years ago. After one of my time travel or multiverse talks, I was in the elevator with a few of the attendees.

One of them said something like “great talk, but are you mad?”

“No, sane from an unexpected direction”

and another asked: “And the direction is?”

“North-north-west”

Alternative Moralities

The two poles of morality are the pro-social imperatives of society and the individual’s personal sense of right and wrong. Sometimes these two poles align, sometimes not so much. And if we have aliens & their own imperatives in the mix, not to mention new ways to order society and strange mind-spanning tech, then who knows how the gyroscope of good and evil will come to align? I think I will stop now. But I would be delighted to give this panel a spin, if the con gods will it!

How will generative AI transform the world?

I’ve been tracking the chat-GPT debates: I think we may be starting to get a sense of what generative AI is good for and where it creates some significant risks. But even its creators are amazed by the quality of the answers we are getting; in a strange way generative AI is giving a snapshot of the “mind of the human race” or at least the internet active part of it. And what does that mean?

Artificial Intelligence: Past, Present, & Futures

22 Artificial Intelligences (3 Real)

My Philcon artificial intelligence talk is at 1pm tomorrow at Virtual Philcon 2020. You can register for it here.

I’ve uploaded a PDF of the talk to slideshare. The Obama Deep Fake movie was too large to uploaded, so I just used a still for that. The PDF has the references as well as the sources of all the images in the splash page above.

There are 22 images, 3 “real”, the rest from various films & so on.

  • Talos — Jason & the Argonauts
  • The Mechanical Turk — popular chess playing fake (18th century)
  • Tik-Tok — Wizard of Oz
  • Robot Maria — Metropolis
  • Joe (transparent robot) — The Proud Robot
  • Roy Batty (replicant) – Bladerunner
  • R2-D2 & C-3PO — Star Wars
  • Terminator — Terminator
  • Rommie (ship avatar) — Andromeda
  • Android Gunslinger — West World
  • Commander Data — Star Trek Next Generation
  • Mecha — AI
  • Sonny — I, Robot
  • BB-8 — Star Wars
  • Eve & Wall-E — Wall-E
  • Asimo — Honda robot
  • Johnny 5 – Short Circuit
  • Sophia — The First Robot Declared a Citizen by Saudi Arabia (2016)
  • Janet — The Good Place
  • Ava — Ex Machina
  • Samantha — Her
  • Denise Virtual Assistant — NextOS (now Realbotix)

And I have a number of references. These should be useful starting points. One of the striking things about these is that all are from the last five years; and all but two from the two years. The field is moving that fast!

  • Miller 2019 – The Artist in the Machine
  • Mitchell 2019 – Artificial Intelligence
  • O’Neil 2016 – Weapons of Math Destruction
  • Pickover 2019 – Artificial Intelligence
  • Scharre 2018 – Army of None
  • Shane 2019 – You look like a thing and I love you
  • Tamboli 2019 – Keeping Your AI under Control
  • Trask 2019 – Grokking Algorithms

2020 Philadelphia Science Fiction aka Philcon

Philcon runs from about noon this coming Friday (11/20/2020) till early evening Sunday (11/22/2020). It is, inevitably, virtual this year. With that said, they are going to a lot of trouble to make it as live & immediate as possible. And are clearly much helped by the benefit of earlier virtual conferences this year. For instance, the program participants were invited to training sessions to check out their setups & make sure they knew how to present on Zoom & Discord. I found mine helpful. Thanks Syd Weinstein & crew!

I have my schedule as well:

 Joy in SciencePlaza 1Science & TechnologyPanelFri 8:30 PM
What about Science first drew us in to it?

Remembering our sparks of inspiration. Recountings and tall tales of our best discoveries and why they continue to inspire us. With Carl Fink (moderator), John Skylar (the invariably intelligent!), Tom Purdam (always witty & knowledgable), and myself.

Artificial Intelligence: Past, Present, FuturesPlaza 1Science & TechnologyTalk by John AshmeadSat 1:00 PMDuration: 00:50
Artificial Intelligence — Too late to escape it, but too soon to panic.

From Oz’s Tik-Tok to the Mechanical Turk, from Neural Nets & Genetic Algorithms to Chess & StarCraft, from fighting the Coronavirus to flying Killer Drones, from Facial Recognition to Fakes, Deep Fakes, & Anti-Fakes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere today. How did it start? What do we mean by AI? What are the basic AI techniques? How is it being used? What are the benefits? 

Drift Compatible: The Science of Neural Interface TechnologyPlaza 1Science & TechnologyPanelSat 4:00 PM
Plug in, tune out, or control the world — your call

What can be done with current technology? Are we going to be piloting mechs with our minds before the decade is out? With the ever charming & erudite Catherine Asaro, Rebecca Robare (one of the filk), and myself (as moderator). For me, a nice follow-on to my Arificial Intelligence talk!

Dust to DirtPlaza 1Science & TechnologyPanelSun 4:00 PM
OK, we’re on Mars. What an Expanse of possiblities? Red, Blue, or Green?

 The practical considerations of building a city on Mars, from the habitat to the technology of living on an inhospitable world. I’m moderating based on my talk of a few years back, Mars or Bust! And have Robert Hranek (who has already scared me with his level of preparation), Premee Mohammed (who has scared me with her Lovecraftian Beneath the Rising and who is basically the advance team for Mars), and Tobias Cabral (who I’ve shared many panels with & who is not at all scary — meaning no offense!) to put questions to!

Artificial Intelligence: Past, Present, & Futures

I will be presenting a talk on Artificial Intelligence: Past, Present, & Futures at the 2020 Capclave (virtual). That’s this coming Sunday from 1:30 to 2:25. Capclave is running Saturday & Sunday.

Virtual, yes, but they have rather a good line up of former guests of honor, kaffleklatsches, talks, panels, and so on. I’m looking forward. As to my talk:

Artificial Intelligence: Past, Present, Futures (Ends at: 2:25 pm)
Participants: John Ashmead (M)
From Oz’s Tik-Tok to the Mechanical Turk, from Neural Nets & Genetic Algorithms to Chess & StarCraft, from fighting the Coronavirus to flying Killer Drones, from Facial Recognition to Fakes, Deep Fakes, & Anti-Fakes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere today. How did it start? What do we mean by AI? What are the basic AI techniques? How is it being used? What are the benefits? risks? and how should we manage AI going forwards?

Philcon 2019 — Recap

Ultimately my “Time dispersion in quantum mechanics” is an attempt to answer Gisin’s question

Got some great questions during my talk at Philcon: lots of stuff I had not considered before. If quarks are high-energy beasts, and if high-energy means short time, and if short time means increased effects of time dispersion, shouldn’t you look at impacts on quark calculations. Should & will! And what of quantum computing: would dispersion in time provide additional bandwidth for quantum computing? Very probably! Not to mention additional insight into the bugaboo of the quantum computing, decoherence.

I also liked that the audience really picked up on why I centered the investigation on falsifiability: I wasn’t trying to prove that there is dispersion in time, I have presented a way to prove there is not. Falsifiability is what makes science science.

I have uploaded the Keynote, PowerPoint, and PDF versions of the talk.

My panels were, as usual, interesting.

Hildy Silverman did a great job moderating Dystopia Now! she kept the discussion focused & moving. Fellow panelist Hakirah D’Almah, a journalist with a focus on the Middle East, was particularly trenchant. Hard to find the bright side of Dystopia, but I think we did. 1984 is a deeply optimistic work: by writing it (Orwell’s last, he died shortly after completing it) Orwell helped us avoid it.

I will admit the Evolution of Mars panel, while interesting, drifted a bit (Wild Marses I Have Known would have been a more accurate description).

I was happy to be the moderator on Looking for Life in our Solar System: the great thing about being a moderator — especially when you are the least qualified person the panel — sit back & let your fellow panelists — Earl Bennett, Dr. H. Paul Shuch, John Skylar — do the heavy lifting. Which they did very well!

And I was also moderator on The Blurry Line between Cutting Edge and Pseudoscience. The panel was right after my talk, so made a nice seque. The best question came from an audience member: how do I tell, when I see stuff on the web, what level of credibility to give it? Just asking that question is the first step. The panelists suggested credentials of the author, links to it, and my personal favorite: does the author find the good in his/her opponent’s arguments, recognize the weak spots in his/her own?

Mars or Bust! The Theory and Practice of Travel to Mars — At Philcon tomorrow

NASA Mars Travel Poster The annual Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention (Philcon 2018) starts today & continues thru Sunday. I’m doing a fun science talk: Mars or Bust! tomorrow at 5pm

Sat 5:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two—Mars or Bust! The Theory and Practice of Travel to Mars

Why do we want to go? How do we get there? How do we live there? What might we find? What are the dangers: radiation, low gravity, dust, our fellow humans? Is there life on Mars now? Was there once? and did our own evolution actually start on Mars?

And I’m doing six panels besides:  Mars, Mars, Mad Scientists, Black Holes, Star Trek versus Star Wars, and Evil Tech.   Seems to be aimed generally in a pretty sinister direction!  War planets, mad scientists, all-devouring black holes, death stars versus battle-cruisers, and generally evil tech.  Curious.  I hope Philcon programming knows that I’m largely opposed to evil.

John Ashmead (mod)

    • Fri 7:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two—Black Holes Explained! (3073)

      What they are, what they are NOT, why it’s A Bad Idea to confuse a black hole with a wormhole, and how to use them in scientifically accurate ways in your writing.

Dr. Valerie J. Mikles (mod), Bob Hranek, John Ashmead, Jay Wile, Peter Prellwitz

    • Sat 12:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two—The Depictions of Technology in Star Wars and Star Trek (3108)

      How do these universes differ in the ways they depict their tech? How did the history of each world affect the invention and uses of medical devices, weaponry, methods of transportation, and robotic beings?

Jeff Warner (mod), John Ashmead, Inge Heyer, Jay Wile, Anna Kashina, Glenn Hauman

    • Sat 2:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two—The Moon, The Stars, and Mars: The Ethics of Colonizing Space (3121)

      How do we expect to change the galactic landscape in an ethical way, and what can we do as humans to decrease our impact on it? What does it mean to establish human settlements on worlds not our own? A discussion of space travel, space colonies, and morality.

Jazz Hiestand (mod), John Ashmead, Inge Heyer, Tom Purdom, Tobias Cabral, Joseph Haughey

    • Sat 5:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two—Mars or Bust! The Theory and Practice of Travel to Mars (3122)

      Why do we want to go? How do we get there? How do we live there? What might we find? What are the dangers: radiation, low gravity, dust, our fellow humans? Is there life on Mars now? Was there once? and did our own evolution actually start on Mars?

John Ashmead (mod)

    • Sat 6:00 PM in Plaza III (Three)—Our Fascination with Mars (3061)

      Since the days of H.G. Wells, Mars has figured greatly in SF. How have SF views of Mars changed as our understanding of the planet grew. Why does it still matter today?

Jazz Hiestand (mod), John Ashmead, Michael D’Ambrosio, Paul Levinson, Tobias Cabral

    • Sun 10:00 AM in Crystal Ballroom Two—The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Current Technology Trends (3107)

      What’s the hottest tech about to change our world? Join us to discuss the promise, threat, and some things people usually don’t want to talk about.

Bob Hranek (mod), John Ashmead, Earl Bennett, Charlie Robertson, John Skylar

    • Sun 1:00 PM in Plaza II (Two)—The Myth of the Mad Scientist (3078)

      Despite a long history in fiction of solo geniuses making the ultimate breakthroughs in their basement labs, collaboration is necessary for scientific advancement. So why do we glorify the loner scientist trope? Can we make collaborative science feel equally heroic? How do we portray science being done realistically while still meeting the needs of the story?

Jim Stratton (mod), John Ashmead, Aaron Feldman, Anna Kashina, Alan P. Smale, Tee Morris

Practical Telepathy at Capclave 2018

 

Why are mind waves always blue or green?

I’m doing my Practical Telepathy talk at Capclave tomorrow 9/29/2018 (Saturday) at 12:00 pm:

Practical Telepathy: the Science and Engineering of Mind-to-Mind communication. (Ends at: 12:55 pm) Washington Theater

From van Vogt’s Slan to Willis’s Crosstalk, telepathy has been a staple of science fiction. But what are the real world chances of reading another person’s mind? With MRI & PET scans we can see what images a person is thinking of, with brain implants we can help the blind to see, and — the way the science is going — we are only a half-step away from direct mind-to-mind communication. Nothing to worry about here!

I have the latest version up on Slideshare.

Then I am doing two panels:

Saturday 7:00 pm: Even Hard SF uses FTL

What science is taken for granted in SF and can it really happen? What new scientific discoveries are more likely than others? What science is underused in SF?

I’m on with Catherine Asaro and David Bartell for that.

Sunday 11:00 am: What Do We Do With Sentient AI

Can your toaster have the right to vote? (Only if it is a Brave Little Toaster!)

I’m moderating with moderatees: Mark Laporta, Edward M. Lerner, James Morrow

Linux & StarGates – Open Source meets Open Stars

Linux & Stargates

The talk has been rescheduled:  it is now April 4th, 2018, same place:  University of the Sciences, same time:  7pm.

Some new stuff:  thanks to the 7th observation of a gravitational wave, the speed of gravitational waves is now known to be the speed of light.  And researchers have built a carillion using black hole frequencies as the pipes.

I’ll be doing my StarGates talk at the Philadelphia Linux meeting at the University of the Sciences this coming Wednesday.

Why StarGates & Linux?

  1. Both are really cool.
  2. Both take us to the limits of the possible.
  3. And both let us push the limits of the possible another half-step beyond where it is.

As to #1, if you are reading this the odds are you are already current with the cool of each.

And #2 goes without saying:  Linux is an amazing work, putting the most powerful general purpose operating system in the hands of the open source community, in the hands of the world.

But #3 — extending the limits of the possible — is what I will be focusing on in my presentation:  by asking questions about the impossible, we can extend the reach of the possible:  get our grasp a bit closer to our reach, as the saying goes.

So March 7th, at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, at 8pm, great if you can make it, and if not, have your imagination hop over & have a look.

To infinity and beyond!

Tux & StarGates from Linux-Lovers

Practical Telepathy: the Science & Engineering of Mind-Reading

By The U.S. Printing Co., Russell-Morgan Print, Cincinnati & New York. – This image is cropped and color-balanced from the copy published by the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, uncompressed archival TIFF version (17 MB), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3590811

I’ve just posted the slides from my Philcon 2017 talk Practical Telepathy:  the Science & Engineering of Mind-Reading:

Talk went well:  SRO & the audience & I definitely on the same wavelength!  As it were…

So slides now up, some great references on the last slide, & any questions/comments please let me know!

Thanks!

John

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