EightSquared is the 2013 UK National Science Fiction Convention in Bradford - 29th March to 1st April.
Briefings and introduction to the kit for everyone working Tech at the convention. Newcomers very welcome: please come by, or ask someone working on Tech during the weekend. There will also be briefings on Saturday and Sunday at 9am.
Briefings and introduction to the kit for everyone working Tech at the convention. Newcomers very welcome: please come by, or ask someone working on Tech during the weekend. There will also be briefings on Saturday and Sunday at 9am.
A get-together for everyone wishing to help as a gopher at the convention, whether for your first or twentieth time. Feel free to come along and offer to help.
Welcome to the convention! Meet the committee and the guests, and get some helpful advice.To bring(none yet)
Freda Warrington reads from her recent work.
Do you remember when Eastercons were not just contested, but hotly contested? Mexicons? Albacons? We discuss a period of fanhistory when fandom was transformed in so many ways. With Kathy Taylor, John Jarrold, Mark Plummer, Joan Paterson and Mike Scott.
What’s it like running a small SF/F Press? Editors from some of our local publishers share stories about their business. Colin Tate (Clarion Publishing) moderates Bob Neilson (Aeon Press), Pete Crowther (PS Publishing), Donna Scott (Immanion) and Ian Whates (Newcon Press).
Faster than a speeding bullet, superheroes have escaped from comics to films and found a whole new audience! How have they changed in moving to Hollywood – is there a formula, when is it worth breaking, and what should be done next? CE Murphy moderates Michael Abbott, Susan Booth, Kin-Ming Looi and David Tallerman.
Your first Eastercon? Your first convention? Come along and find out what we're all about. With Alice Lawson, Steve Davies, Emily January, Ian McKenna and Pat McMurray.
Jaine Fenn and Cory Doctorow read from their recent work.
Yorkshire’s very own specialist publisher gets Eastercon underway with an event to launch new books by five of the UK’s leading SF and Fantasy writers. "Universes" by Stephen Baxter. "Starship Seasons" by Eric Brown. A Very British History" by Paul McAuley. "Martian Sands" by Lavie Tidhar. "Growing Pains" by Ian Whates.
Since Doctor Who first appeared, we’ve introduced colour television, videotapes and computers, though no time machines yet. Fans from throughout the programme’s history look at how it has (let’s face it) regenerated itself. With Tony Keen, Paul Dormer, Theresa Derwin, Sarah Groenwegen and Dominic Oliver.
Whether it’s role-playing games, chess, or virtual realities, games are a popular element of SF and fantasy stories. Why are they so useful to authors? Or are they just fun? Lee Harris moderates Chris Hill, Adrian Faulkner, Sarah Newton and Walter Jon Williams.
In advance of tonight’s show, members of Zulu Tradition talk about the Zulu culture and tradition. Moderated by Jacey Bedford.
NewCon Press has rapidly established a fine tradition of publishing short story collections by SF’s rising stars. This Eastercon sees the launch of "The Peacock Cloak" by Chris Beckett, "Across The Event Horizon" by Mercurio D. Rivera and "Microcosmos" by Nina Allan, and the joint launch with Solaris of Solaris Rising 2, featuring authors including Paul Cornell, Kim Lakin-Smith, Martin Sketchley, Adrian Tchaikovsky and Neil Williamson.
How does the landscape of Britain affect stories set in it? Where does the magic lurk, and how does it inspire writers? Sue Mason moderates Tiffani Angus, Anne Sudworth, Mike Shevdon and Freda Warrington.
Concerned by previous cases of harassment at conventions, Eightsquaredcon published a Code of Conduct in advance. Is this necessary? What are its effects? How extensive should it be? Simon Bradshaw, Vince Docherty, Fran Dowd, Emma England and Crystal Huff discuss.
New authors talk about starting out: how to get published, and what happens when you do. Bella Pagan moderates Adrian Faulkner, Naomi Foyle, Francis Knight, Emma Newman and Stephanie Saulter.
We live in a permanent technological revolution. Today, all our gadgets aspire to be a 4G smart phone with 3-d printing capability on Web 2.0 living in the cloud. What’s coming tomorrow? Alison Scott logs into the Wayforward machine with Tanya Brown, Nile Heffernan, Kin-Ming Looi and Brian Turner.
Meet authors and get books signed!
Walter Jon Williams reads from his recent work.
Practical experience and observations on writing believable and interesting characters. Gillian Redfearn moderates Sarah Ash, Jacey Bedford, Gareth Powell and Ian Watson.
This panel examines the phenomenon of crossovers in fanfiction. Are there fandoms particularly suited to the crossover, or can you really cross any fandom with any other? Does the quality of writing rule all? Join in with the panellists in a celebration of one of fanfiction's unique features. With Tanya Brown, Rhodri James, Kate Keen and Marcus Rowland.
Clarion Publishing offer both new works and fiction that has gone out of print. This Eastercon sees them offer something of both by popular SF author Ben Jeapes. "Jeapes Japes" is a collection of rich and exciting stories that will delight the reader. "His Majesty's Starship" is a re-issue of Ben’s much-admired early novel. “One of the best first contact books in a long while,” according to Alastair Reynolds.
Two early children’s fantasy authors, both with strong ideologies. Sandra Unerman, Sarah Ash, Gaie Sebold, Marcus Rowland and Bridget Wilkinson examine them, their influences and their effects.
From Kwa-Zulu Natal to the world's stage, rekindling the spark of Zulu culture and heritage, through song, dance and drums.
It’s easy to miss good comics these days, with so much going past. Our panel recommend some personal favourites from all areas of the medium. With Stephen Aryan, CE Murphy, Alys Sterling and David Tallerman.
Two fine TAFF candidates, Theresa Derwin and Jim Mowatt, are standing to go to the Texas Worldcon. John Coxon interrogates them, and you can too! Remember, vote by 19th April.
Take one London. Add magical society hidden from most people. Mix in famous places from the city, and optionally garnish with police procedural. Why is this such a great recipe? With Paul Cornell, Roz Kaveney, Anne Lyle, Simon Morden and Mike Shevdon.
Late night filking sessions. Sing something genre-related.
Four amusing people are invited to talk for one minute without hesitation, deviation or repetition by the finest Nicholas Parsons impersonator a pint can buy.
Come one, come all to the Milliways silly games bonanza. The universe will explode for your pleasure and then the games will commence. We’ll be doing some Vogon recruitment so sharpen up your shouting and throwing humans out of airlocks skills. There’ll be Runaround, Vote With Your Bums, Towels of Hanoi and Disaster Area Stuntship.
Briefings and introduction to the kit for everyone working Tech at the convention. Newcomers very welcome: please come by, or ask someone working on Tech during the weekend. There will also be briefings on Saturday and Sunday at 9am.
Tai Chi Breathing exercises with Fiona Anderson. Start your day with these relaxing exercises, which have been popular at the last several Eastercons. Come and test tai chi for yourself. No special clothing required. If you want to see what tai chi is about, visit Fiona's website at http://www.taichiinstructors.co.uk.
If you have any requests, advice, complaints or thanks to give to the committee, this is a good time to do it. If you don’t tell us about a problem, we can’t do anything about it!
Small presses and independent author-publishers invite you to buy their books and chat about what they do, how and why. Come and meet Aeon Press, Aethernet Magazine, Clarion Publishing, Kzine, Mindjammer Press, Sharon Reamer and David Wake.
Practical experience and observations on how to edit, and how to be edited. Bella Pagan moderates Janine Ashbless, Naomi Foyle, Paul McAuley and Mercurio D Rivera.
An open discussion group on This Is Not A Game and its sequels. Bring your opinions. With Kate Keen, Mike Cobley, Chris Hill, Sarah Newton and everyone else in the room.
Liz Batty, Tracy Berg and Joan Paterson discuss how microbiology is used in genetics, medicine and elsewhere. Vince Docherty moderates.
Meet authors and get books signed!
Lee Hanson of the J B Priestley society re-introduces us to Bradford’s neglected early SF author, and discusses his inclusion of new technologies in his fiction, his interest in time theories, and his friendship with HG Wells.
Why stop at five senses? There are many other senses in the natural world, more available through technology, and even more in SF and Fantasy. Our panel explore. With Simon Ings, Dr Bob, Roz Kaveney, Paul McAuley, and Walter Jon Williams.
Narrative games require stories to work, whether they are tabletop RPGs, LARPs or computer game. How do these stories differ from those in books and films? And how do you fix them when the encounter the enemy (or “player”)? Mike Cule moderates Ian McKenna, Emma Newman, Marcus Rowland and Adrian Tchaikovsky.
All comers welcome to a workshop to rapid-write fanfic. Tanya Brown and Kate Keen coordinate
There will be two-headed bears in the Cedar Foyer Bar. See the newsletter for details. Who do you think I am anyway, Deep Thought?
Meet authors and get books signed!
"Alexander Bogdanov, science fiction pioneer, philosopher, physician, Lenin’s friend and rival, explored the idea of automating society. The West calls this cybernetics and it fuels consumer culture. But in the Soviet Union, Bogdanov’s philosophy was discredited and suppressed. With pictures, video, short readings, and no small amount of handwaving, I'll explain why Bogdanov, not Wells, is the true founder of modern sf.” A talk by Simon Ings.
An open discussion group on Edward James’s The Origins of France: From Clovis to the Capetians 500-1000. Bring your opinions. With Tony Keen, Shana Worthen, Sandra Unerman and everyone else in the room.
Anglophone writers and books by westerners still dominate the bookshelves, but Japan, China and India (to take three examples) also have thriving sff traditions. The panel look at the trends outside the Anglophone and western worlds. Rochita Loenen-Ruiz moderates Aliette de Bodard, Stephane Marsan, Sarah Newton and Gillian Redfearn.
How do we handle communication in the age of the internet? Are our monkey brains unable to cope with the breadth of the conversation on Twitter? (Lord MacAlpine gave a lot of people a nasty shock recently.) Can we have privacy, and can we keep our online identities separate from our normal lives – or is that a troll’s charter? Do we all work for Facebook now? Including Daisee Chain, Adrian Faulkner and Farah Mendlesohn.
Ian Whates and Ira Nayman read from their recent work.
There’s a lot more to urban fantasy than tattooed women hunting supernatural beings in the USA. Our panel explore the boundaries of the genre, and its metaphors.
What are the relationships between critical reception and award shortlists? The panel will focus primarily on this year's lists.
Let’s not waste time: we should get on with solving the problems facing us in five or ten billion years’ time (crashing galaxies, red giant Sun, possible gamma bursts…). If we make it that far, what will our civilisation have grown into? Will we be ready when the stars go out? Our panel, include Stephen Baxter, Stephanie Saulter and Ian Watson, look to the future.
Guest of Honour Anne Sudworth talks about her paintings.
Come and learn how to do theatrical improv with David Wake and Dawn Abigail.
Guest of Honour Freda Warrington is interviewed by Anne Wilson.
There was more to watch in the 70s than Blake’s Seven and that Doctor chap. Our panel dig up some oldies, some of them golden, some of them Steel. Dev Agarwal moderates Malcolm Davies, Dave Lally and Inamac.
Whether established by governments or corporations, the first stage of humanity's presence on Mars is likely to be a research/exploration camp. The question is, at what point would such a pilot project become a colony, and what principles would underlie a suitable constitution? Mike Cobley and Ian Sales endeavour to get close to the answer.
Stephanie Saulter and Gareth Powell read from their recent work.
Dr Louise Livesey, of Ruskin College Oxford, presents her talk "A Highly Political Act: speech, silence, hearing and sexual violence
Practical experience and observations on shaping and narrating your story and plot. Marcus Gipps moderates Nina Allan, Tony Ballantyne, Gary Gibson and Sharon Reamer.
Where are the mothers in our depictions of future societies and fantasy worlds? Very often absent or ignored. Our panel looks at the depictions of motherhood and asks what more we can do. Terry Jackman moderates Aliette de Bodard, Chris Beckett, Mike Cobley and Rochita Loenen-Ruiz.
Watch the season premiere "The Bells of St John" in the company of your peers.
Meet authors and get books signed!
Death has never been so painful. Bring your favourite badly-written death scene, or write your own, and read it aloud before a wincing audience. Prizes for the best. Kari Sperring and Kate Keen run the chamber of death.
Because of the timing, there cannot be a “Not the Clarke Awards” panel this year. Instead, our panel of reviewers will recommend and discuss their personal best books from last year. Chris Hill moderates Paul Cockburn, David Hebblethwaite, Francis Knight and Sandra Unerman.
Steampunk draws on the speculative fiction of the nineteenth century. If you’re writing a steampunk story, what Victorian social values do you use, and which do you throw out? And which might sneak in when you aren’t looking? Fiona Anderson moderates Chris Butler, Mike Cobley, Philip Palmer and Leisel Schwarz.
EightSquaredCon is one of several major conventions around the world that will simultaneously be announcing the 2013 Hugo Award Shortlist.
As technology changes, the law and society struggles to keep up. Jennifer Delaney, Simon Bradshaw, Carolina Gomez-Lagerlöf, Sarah Groenewegen and Adrian Tchaikovsky look at some of the recent problem areas.
Spokane 2015 is a bid for the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention, hopefully to be held in Spokane, Washington State, US, in August 2015. Come and learn what the Con Committee have to offer, besides a huge community of active fans, world-class authors and artists, an easy-to-use convention center, hotels within an easy walk, a downtown location with restaurants, shops, museums and more nearby. Oh, and perfect summer weather, apparently.
What’s so special about our Mirror Ball? Firstly, we have live music from goth duo Witching Hour. And secondly, this is a Mirror Mirror Ball – come as your counterpart from a parallel dimension! With an interval disco courtesy of Jaine Fenn (or possibly her mirror universe double).
Recent apocalypses have been a disappointment, but what would happen if there was a guaranteed, proven end-of-the-world coming in five years. What would happen to society? X, Y and Z discuss the consequences.
Late night filking sessions. Sing something genre-related.
Fan, author, voice of Red Dwarf’s toaster and the first person to be ejected from the Magic Circle in 85 years, John Lenahan is one of the UK’s most sought-after magical entertainers; we’re very fortunate to have a performance from him for our Saturday night.
Our nominated DJ whips up more wicked beats for dancing to. At least, I think that’s what the young people call them these days.
Anyone who is up at 1am on Saturday night gets to travel in time to 2am without experiencing the intervening hour. Best experienced with one of those radio-controlled clocks where it suddenly jumps forward an hour.
Briefings and introduction to the kit for everyone working Tech at the convention. Newcomers very welcome: please come by, or ask someone working on Tech during the weekend. There will also be briefings on Saturday and Sunday at 9am.
Tai Chi Breathing exercises with Fiona Anderson. Start your day with these relaxing exercises, which have been popular at the last several Eastercons. Come and test tai chi for yourself. No special clothing required. If you want to see what tai chi is about, visit Fiona's website at http://www.taichiinstructors.co.uk.
If you have any requests, advice, complaints or thanks to give to the committee, this is a good time to do it. If you don’t tell us about a problem, we can’t do anything about it
Small presses and independent author-publishers invite you to buy their books and chat about what they do, how and why. Come and meet Aeon Press, Aethernet Magazine, Clarion Publishing, Kzine, Mindjammer Press, Sharon Reamer and David Wake.
A service of worship in celebration of Easter, one of the principal festivals of the Christian year, intended to be accessible to Christians of all traditions, and to those exploring their faith. Open to all.
The Loncon Exhibits team talk about what they are doing, and how you can help. May include knitting. With Farah Mendlesohn and her crack team.
There are plenty of kick-ass young heroines these days, but their mentors are nearly always male. Where are the older women in genre fiction, and why aren’t they written about, or put on TV, more? Caroline Mullan moderates Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, Ian Sales, David Tallerman and Freda Warrington.
This is the bidding session to determine the 2015 Eastercon. Come and vote, or even present a bid.
First Session: Prepare to be inspired. We pay homage to the global TED Talk phenomenon with our own TED-style presentations on big ideas. Three of our finest will rhetoricise for 15 minutes on a topic of their. No panels, no questions, no gimmicks; just great people on inspiring topics.
In the 1960s, the New Wave of SF introduced sex, drugs and experimental formalism to SF. SF has never been the same since: but nor is it a continuation of the New Wave style. Our panel ask what SF has kept from the New Wave, what it has dropped, and what it should be bringing back. With Jo Fletcher, Farah Mendlesohn and Chris Priest.
When the protagonist of Justine Larbalastier’s Liar was whitewashed in the cover art, both the author and the internet were outraged and the cover was eventually changed. Yet characters of colour are still all too often absent or elided. How can we work to challenge this and why does it happen? Caroline Hooton moderates Dev Agarwal, Aliette de Bodard, CE Murphy and Stephanie Saulter.
One SF writer noted that 'if you read Nature long enough, your dreams will start to carry footnotes to other dreams'. Dr Henry Gee has been on the editorial team of Nature for a quarter of a century. His talk will give you the inside story on what goes on inside the leading international journal of science.
Alan Garner has been writing fantasy novels for over fifty years: both his work and the genre have changed enormously in that time. The panel look at his works and his influence on the field. With Sarah Ash, Jacey Bedford, Sue Mason, Tibs and Freda Warrington.
Lee Harris challenges authors to produce short themed fiction to a very tight deadline, and then read it out. Paul Cornell, Cory Doctorow, Roz Kaveney and Emma Newman scribble, and Donna Scott entertains while they write.
Francesca Barbini runs a writers’ workshop for young adults. Please ask at Registration if you wish to register for this.
Two gothic writers who shaped multiple genres. Our panel including Kate Solomon, Theresa Derwin, John Lenahan, and Sara Townsend examine them, their influences, and their effects.
Practical experience and observations on writing believable and detailed environments. Darren Nash moderates Chris Beckett, Aliette de Bodard, Simon Morden and Gaie Sebold.
The great cities of fiction: Trantor, Cities in Flight, Ankh-Morpork. Who lives in them, how do they work, how do you write them? With Ian Whates, Jacey Bedford, Jaine Fenn, CE Murphy, and Walter Jon Williams.
Fans who have been reading Young Adult books since before the term was invented recommend early examples of the field, however they were marketed. Pick up some suggested books for YA readers of all ages.
Modern science fiction and fantasy authors, including Kameron Hurley, Elizabeth Bear, Trudi Canavan and Paul Cornell include LGBTQ characters in their work. What does this mean to readers? How does it compare with the limited portrayal of gender and sexuality in many classic genre works? Join us for a moderated round-table discussion with readers and authors.
Guest of Honour Edward James is interviewed by Kari Sperring.
Television is pumping out genre shows faster than ever, and many are gone in one season or less. Dev Agarwal, Emma England, Roz Kaveney, Ian McKenna and Peadar O’Guilín discuss recent shows and try to work out which ones will make it to syndication and which ones will, sadly, be forgotten by 2015. They may even try to divine the minds of TV executives.
Guest of Honour Walter Jon Williams is interviewed by Roz Kaveney.
As seen in PR2: bring some of your poems to perform, on any subject, rhymed or unrhymed. A read-around, chaired by Chris Morgan. Definitely no critical comments.
The Satellite 4 Team test your knowledge of Life, the Universe and Everything in this light-hearted space and science fiction quiz. Come and join in this star-studded display of out-of-world knowledge or universal ignorance. Fun! Tears!! Shameless plugs for Satellite 4!!! All Welcome.
Young Adult readers recommend some of the latest good books in the field. Pick up suggested books for YA readers of all ages.
People who knew or were inspired by Patrick Moore discuss his life and works. Includes a talk from long-time collaborator Dave Hardy, and contributions from Dev Agarwal, Stephen Baxter, Vince Docherty and Jaine Fenn.
Epic Fantasy has a reputation for conservatism. Our panel storm the barricades to liberate it from Divine Right and nostalgia. Juliet McKenna moderates Kate Keen, Francis Knight, Gaie Sebold and Adrian Tchaikovsky.
Mike Shevdon and Emma Newman read from their recent work.
The prime exponent of pulp adventure and the creator of existential horror, two contemporaries who were both hugely influential. Phil Nanson, Brian Ameringen, Janine Ashbless, Sarah Newton and Sara Townsend examine their works, their influences and their effects.
Last month saw a large asteroid pass closer to the Earth than the Moon, and a smaller one hit the ground in Russia. How long before we have a serious space accident? Is there anything we can do to stop it, or is it not politically important? Jen Delaney moderates John Coxon, Jaine Fenn and Sharon Reamer.
It’s two hundred years since the Brothers Grimm first published their folk tales. What were they doing, and what was in the stories? How have those stories been reused since, and can we get at what they were like before? Tanya Brown moderates Carolina Gomez-Lagerlöf, David Hebblethwaite, Theresa Derwin and Anne Sudworth.
Marion Pitman and David Murphy read from their recent work.
Paul Cornell and Donna Scott present the 2013 BSFA Awards, followed by an update on Loncon 3, the 2014 UK Worldcon
An open discussion group on Elfland. Bring your opinions. With Kari Sperring and everyone else in the room.
Do you have superpowers? Real ones? Then go out there and rob a bank or save the world! If not, come to this panel, and Sabine Furlong, Rhodri James, Alison Scott and Peter Wareham (all real fake superheroes!) will invent powers and an alias for you, and warn you about even stupider heroes in the comics.
Two groundbreaking early female SF authors. Tanya Brown, Caroline Mullan, Bob Neilson and Ian Sales examine them, their works and their effects.
In the west, we now live in a highly sexualised culture and teenagers are surrounded with images, ideas and expectations about sex. YA SFF presents challenging ideas about race, society and culture yet often offers a rose-tinted version of life-long love and relationships. Is honesty about sex the last frontier in YA? What do readers what and what difficulties and barriers do writers face in writing truthfully about sex for teenage readers? Anne Wilson moderates Janet Edwards, Rhodri James, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz and Paeder O’Guilin.
DC’s “New 52”, Marvel’s “Marvel Now”: it seems as if the publishers of superhero comics always need to be reinventing themselves, but always as the same thing as before. Michael Abbott, Liz Batty, Susan Booth and Roz Kaveney ask if this is healthy, or if there’s an alternative they’ve missed.
Long the backbone of fandom, how are fanzines changing in the twenty-first century as technology changes beneath them?
NEW ITEM: An additional opportunity to get items signed by our Author and Artist Guests of Honour.
Jane Austen with zombies was just the beginning. Our panel put characters and ideas into stories that they’ve never been seen in before, and try to convince you that this one will actually work.
How does science fiction work in a gaming environment (video, board or RPG)? Does the science and setting have to take second place to the rules? Are there games with SF good enough that it should be seen elsewhere too? John Dallman moderates Dr Bob, Jaine Fenn, Gareth Kavanagh and Kin-Ming Looi.
Bid on silly things to support TAFF, GUFF and other fan funds. Tease your friends into outbidding you, and then laugh at them. All in a good cause.
Late night filking sessions. Sing something genre-related.
Anything could happen in the next half-hour, and in the half-hour after that, because it’s a sort of "Whose Tweet Is It Anyway" and "We Can Make It Up For You Wholesale". Our brave Impronauts are taking a trip to Planet Not without the aid of a script! Following the Doctor’s example, we’re making it up as we go along. Come and be our companions. Captain Dawn Abigail and the Landing-in-it Party perform with David Wake as Clive Anderson.
Tai Chi Breathing exercises with Fiona Anderson. Start your day with these relaxing exercises, which have been popular at the last several Eastercons. Come and test tai chi for yourself. No special clothing required. If you want to see what tai chi is about, visit Fiona's website at http://www.taichiinstructors.co.uk.
If you have any requests, advice, complaints or thanks to give to the committee, this is a good time to do it. If you don’t tell us about a problem, we can’t do anything about it!
There are more and more “geek” characters on TV and film these days, and in books as well. Sometimes they’re science fiction fans, and sometimes they are just impossibly good at computers. Which of the descriptions is realistic, which insulting, and which unduly flattering? With DougS, Tracy Berg, Anna Feruglio Dal Dan, Phil Dyson and Pat McMurray.
Gerry Anderson died last December, but his influence endures. His many TV programmes are discussed by Margaret Austin, Tony Keen, Mark Slater and David Wake.
Small presses and independent author-publishers invite you to buy their books and chat about what they do, how and why. Come and meet Aeon Press, Aethernet Magazine, Clarion Publishing, Kzine, Mindjammer Press, Sharon Reamer and David Wake.
Two British SF authors who examined the future in detail, one optimistically and one pessimistically. Fiona Anderson, Paul Dormer, Edward James, Caroline Mullan and Ian Whates examine them, their influences, and their effects.
Make a small tweak to society, or technology, or fashion, and how big a change can it make? Our panel explore other possible places we could have got to: some plausible, some less so. Shana Worthen moderates Colin Fine, Naomi Foyle, Phil Nanson and Sharon Reamer.
Second Session: Be inspired again! Three more of our finest deliver 15 minutes talks on their chosen topics.
How do you fund space exploration, particle accelerators and other costly scientific endeavours? Why do countries do this, and why are corporations taking an interest? How does academia make its fund-raising media-savvy? With John Coxon, Tracy Berg John Dallman, Anne Lyle and Simon Morden.
Roz Kaveney and Janine Ashbless read from their recent work.
Sian Martin is Anne Robinson. Are you the Strongest Link? If you think you might be, please sign up at Registration
Guest of Honour Anne Sudworth is interviewed by Juliet McKenna.
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Countless movies have formed our impression of a Roman city – all gleaming marble and tall columns. But were all Roman cities alike? What’s the difference between an amphitheatre and a Colosseum? Tony Keen takes you through the ancient streets, and tells you what you could expect to see in Rome or Londinium.
Readers of fantasy are familiar with the typical barbarian: muscled, semi-naked, well-equipped in terms of weapons but a bit short of the grey matter. Where do our stereotypes come from? What were the original barbarians who invaded and settled much of Europe in the first millennium AD really like? Professor James's last single-authored book was "Europe's Barbarians" (Longman, 2009).
In the year 2000, the Clay Institute offered $1,000,000 for the solution to seven different problems on the frontiers of mathematics. Which problems, why, and what progress has been made? With Michael Abbott, Nicholas Jackson and Susan Stepney.
A discussion of the serious issues facing Eastercon today, including how to retain expertise, the financial risk to committee members, the lack of central organisation, problems with electronic payments, and even its timing. Run by Juliet McKenna of Eightsquaredcon and Michael Davidson of Satellite 4.
All comers welcome to workshop to rapid-write fiction to a chosen theme. Tanya Brown and Kate Keen coordinate.
Fresh from television! Michael Abbott puts four teams of two through their paces. We polled fans on trivia questions, and the aim is to guess the answer the fewest of them gave. Teams of two welcome: please sign up at Registration.
Eastercons began for thirty people in nice suits, and now look at them. Our panel of all ages talks about the way they have changed, and famous and infamous Eastercons of the past. Alice Lawson prods the memories of Fran Dowd, Sue Mason, Ian McKenna and Peter Wareham.
On the internet, one or two people can put a comic together and get it to an audience. The quality is… mixed. Our panel introduce some of the best, and discuss the limitations of the medium.
2014 sees the World Science Fiction Convention return to the UK. LonCon3 in the Excel Centre, London will offer the biggest genre gathering in the British Isles for decades, drawing fans from across Europe and beyond. Join the team for tea and cake and updates.
Dispatches from the fannish frontier: our Fan GoH, Edward James, is celebrating his 50th year in fandom. Our panel recall fannish events, productions. anecdotes and tall tales from the 60s to the present day.
One last feedback session. As well as the Eightsquarecon committee, Satellite 4 will have representatives present. This is your chance to make suggestions for what they should do for 2014.
Popular wisdom asserts that there is a divide between "pure" and "applied" mathematics, with the former being studied for its own sake, and the latter because it's "useful" in some way. In this talk, Dr Nicholas Jackson hopes to show that things aren't quite as simple as that, by looking at ways in which some apparently abstract branches of mathematics have turned out to have important applications in chemistry, physics and biology.
It’s nearly over! Say goodbye in style. Prizes may be awarded. Speeches will be short.
Nina Paley's film is an animated retelling of the Indian Epic Ramayana, focusing on the relationship between Rama and Sita. With blues songs from the 1920s, modern Indian perspectives and some of Nina's own story. It is also awesome.
