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