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Check out our
Dispatches
from the 2001 AAAS Conference
!
Every year, the American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) gathers together
an international assortment of scientists, educators, and journalists
to discuss the hottest topics in science, technology and society.
With more than 125 multidisciplinary sessions featuring 500 speakers,
this year's meeting in Anaheim, California will focus on "Challenges
for a New Century." The challenge for a multimedia team from
the Exploratorium is to give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse of
this gigantic meeting.
We'll roam the hallways
and backrooms of the convention center, snapping pictures and
taping fascinating conversations. We'll hunt down the fun and
quirky science and we hope to snag interviews with a famous
scientist or two. What we won't do is cover all the news that most
of the newspaper, magazine and television reporters are chasing.
Where the pack of journalists goes, we'll head the other
way--unless we decide to show you how a science press conference
works. Like the best vacations, we don't know exactly what we're
going to do, we'll just go to the places that seem most
interesting and fun. We'll be sending back "postcards"
everyday to the Exploratorium website, so you can follow along on
our science expedition to Anaheim.
Here's just a taste
of some of the action:
From obscure findings to the latest headline-grabbing research,
there's something for everyone at AAAS. Some featured topics this
year include the latest research on earthquake prediction; what
science has to say about postponing aging; emerging diseases in
the ocean; and perspectives on dreaming. There are sessions on
perception and illusions, virtual communities (including a talk on
why on-line relationships are real), and one titled "Science
is Fun!" Nobel Prize winner Leon Lederman will talk about how
Hollywood blows it when it comes to portraying scientists on TV
and in the movies.
Speaking of Hollywood,
since it's just across town, best-selling author and scriptwriter
Michael Crichton (of Jurassic Park and ER fame) was invited to speak
to the scientists (who along with the science writers will want
to know his secret for writing block buster novels and movie scripts).
Eric Haseltine, from Disney's Imagineering, will discuss the technology
of special effects and movie making and Bill Nye, the science guy,
is slated to make an appearance.
On
to First Dispatch
© 1999
The Exploratorium
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