2008 DRAGON*CON SCIENCE
TRACK SCHEDULE
** some panels/times might change **
| Friday 08-29-2008 | Return to top | ||
| 1:00pm Welcome to the Science Track - Opening Rant by jonnyX – |
jonnyX, your weekend cruise host and track director, fills you in on all the temptations of the 2008 Science Track! Decide if he's any crazier this year than in past years. He's been very good so we're letting him out of his padded room. Be kind to him. | |
| 2:30pm Chernobyl and Three Mile Island: The Facts, Not the Fiction by Patick Mason |
Meltdown! A factual look. | |
| 4:00pm Intro to Radiation - From Tool to Terror by Richard "Hawk" Altstatt |
We've all learned to fear it...but what is it? With an expert in radiation environment and effects, explore radiation from Galactic cosmic rays to neutrons and the uses of radiation from nuclear reactors to weapons of mass destruction. | |
| 5:30pm Science Based Medicine: Spotting the Quacks, Charlatans and Those Elixer of Life Salesmen by John Cmar, M.D., |
Physicians save lives and they learn to do so by many years of training in a variety of sciences. Hear how to tell the difference between which Doctor and/or medicine is real and which Witch Doctor will take your money - and maybe your life! | |
| 7:00pm Are Humans Still Evolving? by Dr. C. Kevin Barrett |
Has our technology eliminated the prospect of further evolution? Surprising answers about what is evolving and why. | |
| 8:30pm Emerging Infectious Horrors! by John Cmar, M.D. |
What new viral apocalypse or creeping deaths are keeping the CDC busy while we are partying at Dragon*Con? Come hear the latest about infectious horrors, both old and new, and what's being done about them. | |
| 10:00pm "POLITICAL" Science by Richard "Hawk" Altstatt |
Global Warming, Evolution, Nature versus Nurture. These theories are controversial and challenged by groups claiming that science supports their (questionable) theories. Let's talk why they're controversial and why it seems limited to the USA! | |
| Saturday 08-30-2008 | Return to top | ||
| 10:00am PARADE!! by Mad Scientists & |
Come one, come all! Come see the terrors, um, no, can't say that. Um. Come see the technology that Mad Scientists and Evil Geniuses are bringing to the streets of YOUR hometown!! | |
| 11:30am Optimizing the Effects of Nuclear Weapons - More Bang for Your Evil Buck! by Dr. Jan Osburg |
Everybody and their evil brother wants nukes these days. But just having one does not make you an evil genius, just like having a basketball does not turn you into Michael Jordan. So come and learn what you need to know about nuclear weapons effects! | |
| 1:00pm The Science of Dune by Dr. Kevin Grazier |
Is the ecology of Dune realistic? Could humans really evolve as Herbert suggests? Which of Herbert's inventions have already come to life? Other topics covered will include the physics, chemistry and psychology of the Dune universe. | |
| 2:30pm The Science of Q: Helping Mr. Kiss-Kiss Go Bang Bang! by Dr. Jan Osburg |
"Like the shark, he looks for trouble, that's why the zeroes double..." and when he finds it, whiz-bang gadgets let 007 quickly kill the bad guys and segue to the kiss-kiss part. But what gear is fantasy, and what can you buy for your own covert ops? | |
| 4:00pm Who Wants To Be A SUPER VILLAIN?? by Richard Altstatt |
Do you think nefarious thoughts? Do you plot illegal ways to bring yourself wealth and power? Are you Evil? Do you have a really cool super villain costume??!! See if you can be crowned 'SUPER VILLAIN' and be recognized at our annual Evil Geniuses Recruiting Session & Bake Sale. **Costume Contest** | |
| 5:30pm Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow: 6th Annual Recruiting Session, Membership Drive and Bake Sale by Richard "Hawk" Altstatt |
Members of the professional association for the working Evil Genius discuss various methods of taking over the world for fun and profit, avoiding common mistakes and the design of secret lairs. See the newly crowned 'SUPER VILLAIN'. Evil Geniusy things abound! | |
| 7:00pm Earth: The First Two Billion Years by Richard Jakiel |
Covers the formation and early evolution of the Earth starting from the solar nebula, the catastrophic creation of the Moon, the era of massive bombardment, the formation and evolution of continents, atmosphere and oceans, and the beginning of life. | |
| 8:30pm Neanderthals: Our Fun Furry Friends from the Late Pleistocene - Fact and Fiction by Dr. C. Kevin Barrett |
Neanderthals, portrayed in popular media as everything from mentally inept, cannibalistic sub-humans to culturally sophisticated foragers. Who and what is a Neanderthal, and what science tells us about their appearance and how they lived? Discuss the misconceptions, physical, archaeological and genetic evidence, concerning the last hominid species sharing the planet with Man. | |
| 10:00pm The Science and Fine Art of Makin' Booze (in Spaaaaaace!!!) -or- Attack of the Beer Snobs, part II by James P. Kinney |
Analysis and tasty discussion of grain-based zymurgy and the challenges of extending the techniques for a space going society. | |
| Sunday 08-31-2008 | Return to top | ||
| 10:00am Worst Case Scenario - Attacks on Nuclear Facilities by Patrick Mason |
What kind of defenses exist for our nuclear facilities? How are they guarded? What would happen if TERRORISTS tried to seize nuclear material? Curious? Scared? Come find out! | |
| 11:30am Superhero Powers: Fantastic Fantasy versus Physical Reality by Dr. John Bradford |
A fun and lively presentation on the "reality" versus fantasy aspects of your favorite superheroes. We will examine the physics and engineering of various characters and their abilities. | |
| 1:00pm The Science of Michael Crichton by Dr. Kevin Grazier |
His books are full of science & technology; thrilling fiction or is there real world plausibility in any of it? Alien viruses, human genetics, time travel, nanotech, and, dinosaur cloning?! It's all in Critchton's head, but here you can discover the science, if any, within the fiction of his mind-blowing novels | |
2:30pmHow to Make Things Better: The Crisis in Science Education and What *YOU* Can Do About It by Jeff Medkeff |
Discover five simple things that anyone - no matter their education level or training - can do to insure that science education in their community is as good as it can be.
This panel has been cancelled. Jeff Medkeff has passed away. | |
| 2:30pm The Battle over Evolution; Why are We *Still* Arguing About Darwin in the 21st Century? by by Dr. C. Kevin Barrett |
Next year, it will have been 150 years since the publication of "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection" and yet, despite natural selection being one of the most tested scientific theories, it meets strong opposition in our classrooms. Why is the public willing to accept less well-supported scientific propositions, but gives Darwin the cold shoulder? The problem isn't just religion. | |
| 4:00pm Build Your Own Quantum Computer for Fun and Profit! by Dr. Stephen Granade |
Quantum computers may be like artificial intelligence and fusion: always ten years away. But just in case, come find out how quantum computers work, why people are interested in them, and how you can build your own. | |
| 5:30pm A Bloody, Burning, Painful Death . . . Is Coming for You! by Dr. John Cmar |
Viral hemorrhagic fevers are among the most horrible infections to die from. What different kinds are there? What makes them so nasty? And, I've got nothing to worry about here in the USA... right? RIGHT? ***** GRAPHIC PICTURES, NOT FOR CHILDREN ***** | |
| 7:00pm The Return of Strange but True Scientific Research: Inspired by the IgNobel Prizes and the Annals of Improbable Research by Dr. Jason Schneiderman |
Elephants on acid? Glow in the dark kittens? Fainting goats? Hamsters on Viagra?! The world of scientific research includes many strange and fascinating phenomena. Come and be amused and perhaps a bit enlightened about what the strangest areas of research have to teach us. | |
| 8:30pm ArcAttack Tech Talk and Live Demo by ArcAttack |
An elaborate ruse to stall for time while ArcAttack (yes, the singing tesla coils) gets ready for The 1st Annual Mad Scientist's Ball!! which officially begins somewhere around 10pm, but go ahead and wander on over early. You can ask the guys questions while they set up their gear. | |
| 10:00pm THE 1ST ANNUAL MAD SCIENTIST'S BALL by ArcAttack & |
Alright all you Mad Scientists and Evil Geniuses, this is YOUR night! Grab a body, yours or someone else's, living or dead, and drag it on down! Plot destruction and domination all night long while dancing your butt off to the thundering techno-mayhem that is ArcAttack! ArcAttack t-shirt wearers get special goodies at the door. Steampunk goggles admired; Labcoats encouraged; all other clothing optional. Wannabes welcome. **ArcAttack T-shirts will be sold during show** | |
| Monday 09-01-2008 | Return to top | ||
| 10:00am Room Closed While Recuperating From Ball Panelists: all sleeping |
SHHHH. Most people are still sleeping off the effects from the Mad Scientist's Ball and the rest are still off partying somewhere. You don't want to wake anyone up because the consequences could be ugly! Go to the Space Track next door; they're awake over there. | |
| 11:30am The Nuclear Renaissance - How Long Until We Make It Out of the Dark Ages? by Patrick Mason |
Nuclear Power, finally finding acceptance in the eyes of the general public, is on the cusp of a Renaissance. Lets hope it happens soon or we're all gonna be left in the dark. | |
| 1:00pm Science, Technology and Critical Thinking: How to Build the Next Generation of Scientists by Dr. Jason Schneiderman |
What's a child's favorite subject? Science. By high school, it's their least. How do we reverse the USA's decreasing number of qualified scientists and engineers? We must retain the child's interest in science and technology and teach them critical thinking. | |
| 2:30pm The New Brain Science: Separating the Truth from the Hype by Ginger Campbell, M.D. |
What will happen when you can copy your brain? If your original body dies in an accident, would a "restored you" really be a "you?" Why or why not? What if you restore a physical copy of yourself before you die? What is the potential for abuse? | |
| 4:00pm TRACK WRAP–UP AND BLAME: Comments, Criticisms, Requests and Death Threats by jonnyX and Science Track groupies |
Tell jonnyX what you liked, would like to see next year, and/or how he screwed everything up. By the end of Con he's always a gibbering wreck so the pool won't take bets any more. Pat him on the head, tell him he did a good job (lie if you must) and you'll see him next year. It's time for him to go back to his padded room. | |
Space Track 2008 Schedule
Space Track 2007 Schedule
Science Track 2007 Schedule
Space & Science 2006 Schedule
Space & Science 2005 Schedule
Space & Science 2004 Schedule
Space & Science 2003 Schedule