Upcoming appearances!
Awesome Con 2019: A Science Fiction, Fantasy, TV, Fandom con in Washington, DC. I’ll be with my, brilliant, fantastic Science News colleague Tina Saey doing Future Con, the science-focused portion of the event (room 144).
Saturday, April 27:
9:00 PM – 9:45 PM
CRISPRing Our Way to GATTACA
It’s only been 16 years since the Human Genome Project finished (and 22 years since GATTACA). But genetics is now rocketing forward so fast that sci-fi can’t even keep up. Scientists now have CRISPR — a way to edit single letters of a cell’s DNA. They’ve CRISPR’d bacteria, mice, dogs and…babies. Yes. Babies. But how does CRISPR work? How reliable is it? And where should humanity draw the gene-editing line? Just because we COULD get to GATTACA or generate some X-men…should we? This panel will bring together scientists bioethicists, science writers and sci-fi fans to talk about what gene editing is, how it works and what it could learn from science fiction.
Sunday, April 28:
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Should You Really Get Your DNA tested?
More than 15 million Americans have spat into tubes or swabbed the inside of their cheeks to have their DNA tested by companies claiming to be able to uncover your ethnic ancestry, reveal the risk of developing genetic diseases or even recommend a diet, exercise regime or wine based on your genes. But there are side effects to finding out about that secret second cousin. Police even used relatives’ DNA, available for free on the Internet, to track down the Golden State Killer suspect and other rape and murder suspects. People are left with many questions surrounding this technology. How do the tests work? How accurate are they? Just what do you give a company when you give them your DNA? Are the police going to start investigating me (or my family) if I get my DNA tested? We will bring together science journalists and a bioethicist to help answer these burning questions and more.
BOTH of these will be recorded for Science For the People (the podcast I host. You know the one. If you don’t, you should. Subscribe we are so nerdy and fun!). Come one, come all, come out! Talk nerdy to us.
Tina and I will also both be working the “meet a scientist” table as well! I’ll be there on Friday, April 26, and she’ll take a turn on Sunday, April 28. Ask us absurd questions, and we’ll give you scientific answers.
