Jim Craig (planetarium director), James Maxey (author), Chris Berman (author), Justin Chung (artist), Emlee Vassilos (actress), Terry W. Erwin II (author), and me: Stephen Euin Cobb (author, futurist and your host) are our featured guests. 

Topic:  When Did Science Become a Bad Word? 

Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 7, 2011 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 37 minutes]. This is the first half of a panel recorded on June 4, 2011 in Charlotte NC at the SF&F convention ConCarolinas.

Jim Craig is the director of the James H. Lynn Planetarium at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia NC. He is a lifelong science fiction fan and has given presentations on the history of science fiction. He is an outspoken activist for science education, critical thinking, skepticism and free thought. In 2006 he was allowed to name a crater on Mars.

James Maxey is the author of the superhero novel Nobody Gets the Girl as well as the Dragon Age fantasy series which includes the novels Bitterwood,Dragonforge, and Dragonseed. Set a thousand years in the future, after the fall of our modern civilization, in a world dominated by the intelligent dragons we created through genetic engineering. Humans are reduced to slaves, and the remnants of long forgotten nanotechnology make the world a wondrous place of magic.

Chris Berman is the author of Red Moon and Star Pirates.

Justin Chung is an artist, illustrator, and creative consultant. He was Artsit Guest of Honor for 2011 at ConCarolinas.

Emlee Vassilos is an actress who is co-staring (as Lily) in the soon to be released zombie horror movie A Few Brains More, which is the sequel to Fist Full of Brains. She has also performed in Destiny Road, Renee, and the TV movie Trinity Goodheart.

Terry W. Erwin II writes novels, short stories and articles. His novels include: Blood Sword and Flank Hawk.   

Stephen Euin Cobb is an author, futurist, magazine writer and host of the award-winning podcast The Future And You. He is also a artist, essayist, game designer, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of the Lifeboat Foundation. Three years a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine, he has also become a regular contributor at Robot Magazine, H+ Magazine, Space and Time Magazine: and has written for Digit, Grim Couture and Port Irismagazines. His novels include: Bones Burnt Black, Plague at Redhook andSkinbrain.

Special Announcement: Today, December 7th (aside from being "A date which will live in infamy," thanks to the bombing of Pearl Harbour) is my mother's 76th birthday. Happy Birthday mom!

News Item: The World Future Society has issued a call for inventions and innovations from breakthrough startups, who will compete in the second annual Futurists:BetaLaunch expo in Toronto next July. Futurists:BetaLaunch serves as a technology expo where engineers, designers, and others can present their inventions to the 1,000 futurists expected to gather for the Society’s annual conference. Also in attendance will be venture capitalists such as Moon Express founder Naveen Jain and Lightspeed Venture Partners. All inventors selected to present their inventions at F:BL will receive a complimentary registration to the WorldFuture 2012 conference ($750 value). Deadline for entry is March 15, 2012.