The Future And You
Ideas and opinion about the future based on verifiable facts of today.
 
The Future And You--June 26, 2013

Twelve diverse interviews from ConCarolinas 2013.

Gathered from locations throughout the Hilton Hotel in Charlotte NC during the weekend of ConCarolinas, these interviews provide trends and insight into what is happening behind the scenes in a wide variety of professions, interests, enthusiasms and fields. This collection is partly intended give you a sense of what is likely to come in the future, but also to provide you with a feel for the flavor of the annual convention.

Our guests today in the order in which they appear:

Kandyse McClure (a regular on Battlestar Galactica for 4 years, she recently appeared as Dr. Clementine Chasseur in the original series Hemlock Grove).

Jason Carter (best known for his role as the Ranger Marcus Cole on the series Babylon 5, he has also appeared on 3rd Rock from the Sun, Angel, and Charmed).

Timithy Zahn (Hugo Award winning author of 10 Star Wars Extended Universe novels).

Stuart Jaffe (author and podcaster). 

John G. Hartness (author and poet). 

Logan (fan and performance artist).

Gale Z. Martin (author and podcaster).

Glenda Finkelstein (author and independent film-maker).

Stage Slave Gavin (a theatrical performer who was promoting the movie The Gospel According to Booze, Bullets and Hot Pink Jesus. For the sake of promotion, he was in full-body hot-pink makeup as "Hot Pink Jesus").

Taylor Gibbson (an artist who was sitting under a sign which read "Cartoonify yourself").

Roy Mauritsen (writer and fine artist).

Sarah L. Covert (writer, editor, and publisher at SheNeverSlept.com).

Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 26, 2013 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 104 minutes].

ConCarolinas is one of the sources for the many science-oriented discussion panels which have graced this show over the last seven years. It is a multi-genre multi-media convention which covers all manner of speculative fiction: science fiction, fantasy and horror. It hosts a variety of fandom related events and guests, including gaming, discussion panels, costume events, music events like Klingon Karaoke, a charity auction, SCA events, fan groups like the 501st Stormtroopers, Starfleet, and Klingon Assault Group, and something different every year.

Direct download: TFAY_2013_6_26.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 12:50am EDT

The Future And You--June 19, 2013

James Maxey (author), Anthony Thomas (programmer), Jim Craig (planetarium director) and myself are today's speakers.

Topic: Transhumanism.

Subtopics: is transhumanism inevitable?, computers hardwired into the human brain, artificial red blood cells, nootropics (smart drugs), augmentation as a personal choice verses as a product of social coercion, Marshal Brain's short story Manna, prenatal surgery, eugenics, should we slow down the rate of human augmentation?, life extension, google glass, the human connectome project, and having all of your organic cells replaced with artificial cells which accurately mimic living cell as described in your host's transhumanist novel Plague at Redhook.

Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 19, 2013 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 65 minutes] This panel discussion was recorded before a live audience at the SF&F convention ConCarolinas in Charlotte NC on June 1, 2013.

Direct download: TFAY_2013_6_19.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 11:15pm EDT

The Future And You--June 12, 2013

Dr. Robert E. Hampson (neuroscientist, writer and public speaker) is today's featured guest.

Part 3 of our 3 part exploration of: How memories are stored in the human brain. 

Subtopics include: The Blue Brain Project, The Human Connectome Project, President Obama's BRAIN Initiative, Artificial Intelligence, Alzheimer's disease, Trends in Teaching Methods used in Colleges, Distance Learning, Prosthetics for the Brain, and the problem of obsolescence of brain prosthetics which might require replacement and thus suffering through a second session of brain surgery.

Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 12, 2013 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 44 minutes] This interview was recorded using Skype on May 26, 2013.

Dr. Robert E. Hampson is a researcher in the field of "neuroscience" –the structure and function of the brain.  After receiving his doctorate in Physiology and Pharmacology from Wake Forest University in 1988, his research focus has been on the hippocampus (a brain area involved in the processing of short-term memory) and in the prefrontal cortex (an area responsible for behavior and decisions involving memory).  His laboratory work includes the study of: 1) nerve cell function, 2) behavioral mechanisms, and 3) detection of the patterns of neural activity, underlying learning and memory in rodents, nonhuman primates and humans.  These studies have required the development of computer models of neural activity patterns associated with processing of memory, investigation of drugs that alter memory function, examination of the effects of sleep and sleep deprivation on cognitive (memory) processing, and comparative studies of memory across different animal species.  Dr. Hampson is also part of a multi-university team working to develop a "neural prosthetic" capable of restoring memory by connecting between different regions within the brain.

Dr. Hampson's interest in public education and brain awareness has also led him to serve as a member of the Science and Entertainment Exchange (a service of the National Academy of Science) which supplies subject matter experts to the entertainment industry, and from there to the field of Science Fiction.  Writing science fact and fiction blogs and articles as "Tedd Roberts," he also gives public talks on science fiction for SF conventions, student and civic groups, and writes nonfiction articles for Baen Books.

Direct download: TFAY_2013_6_12.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 11:07pm EDT

The Future And You--June 5, 2013

Dr. Robert E. Hampson (neuroscientist, writer and public speaker) is today's featured guest.

Part 2 of our 3 part exploration of: How memories are stored in the human brain. 

Subtopics include: recording electrical activity deep inside a living human brain; common misinterpretations of the goals of brain research; deep brain stimulation (a treatment for Parkinson's disease); pharmaceuticals for brain research, and ways in which the Internet has forced peer-reviewed scientific journals to change. One such change has been the adoption of a new form of peer-review known as "open-review"--a wild and woolly free-for-all.

Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 5, 2013 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 37 minutes] This interview was recorded using Skype on May 26, 2013.

Dr. Robert E. Hampson is a researcher in the field of "neuroscience" –the structure and function of the brain.  After receiving his doctorate in Physiology and Pharmacology from Wake Forest University in 1988, his research focus has been on the hippocampus (a brain area involved in the processing of short-term memory) and in the prefrontal cortex (an area responsible for behavior and decisions involving memory).  His laboratory work includes the study of: 1) nerve cell function, 2) behavioral mechanisms, and 3) detection of the patterns of neural activity, underlying learning and memory in rodents, nonhuman primates and humans.  These studies have required the development of computer models of neural activity patterns associated with processing of memory, investigation of drugs that alter memory function, examination of the effects of sleep and sleep deprivation on cognitive (memory) processing, and comparative studies of memory across different animal species.  Dr. Hampson is also part of a multi-university team working to develop a "neural prosthetic" capable of restoring memory by connecting between different regions within the brain.

Dr. Hampson's interest in public education and brain awareness has also led him to serve as a member of the Science and Entertainment Exchange (a service of the National Academy of Science) which supplies subject matter experts to the entertainment industry, and from there to the field of Science Fiction.  Writing science fact and fiction blogs and articles as "Tedd Roberts," he also gives public talks on science fiction for SF conventions, student and civic groups, and writes nonfiction articles for Baen Books.

Direct download: TFAY_2013_6_5.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 11:34pm EDT