LosCon Support Services

for: Jane Shevtsov

Scheduled as of 0000-00-00 00:00:00

8647. Alien Cultures: Creating the Other
Moderator: Kory Vance

"What do we love so much about aliens? Is it the wonder that somebody might completely removed from our context, introducing us to new, unthinkable possibilities? Or do we seek more relatable qualities, delighting in camaraderie among the cosmos? This panel explores these questions to offer insight on constructing fictional worlds where aliens are key players.
Lauren Cipollo, Larry Niven, Jane Shevtsov, Kory Vance
FRI 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm, La Jolla A

8799. Taking the Earth's Temperature: The Impact of Climate Change
Moderator: Melora Larson

Putting specialized cameras and other sensors in Earth orbit allow us to keep an eye on the health of plants and cities around the globe. There are several currently orbiting missions (ECOSTRESS, EMIT, OCO-3 and more) and some planned follow-on missions that are keeping an eye on the surface temperatures around the globe, the carbon and methane emissions around the globe, and the movement of dust around the globe. What these missions have taught us, and what more we can learn from the planned missions will be discussed.
Tad Daley, Melora Larson, Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Alfred Nash, Jules Rivera, Jane Shevtsov
SAT 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm, Los Angeles A

8833. What Does Science Fiction Tell Us About the Geopolitics of Space Settlement?
Moderator: Tad Daley

Once human beings do start making permanent settlements off the surface of Planet Earth -- perhaps on the moon, perhaps on other celestial bodies, perhaps aboard self-sustaining space stations -- the political and social relationships with other human beings could go in any number of directions. Will these settlements have their own laws and constitutions and wholly govern themselves? Will they be subject to the laws and governance of nations back on Earth? If so, which nations? How about the present United Nations? How about a hypothetical future Federal Republic of Earth? What if some of the settlements start engaging in acts of aggression against other settlements, or even against Earth? And what does the long legacy of science fiction tell us about how these eventualities could or should unfold?
Krys Blackwood, Tad Daley, Bino Gopal, Jane Shevtsov, Gerald Nordley
SUN 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm, La Jolla A