Coser y Cantar (Sew and Sing)

Good science fiction does not dream up just the automobile, but the traffic jam, as writers Isaac Asimov and Frederik Pohl have argued. Putting the future in context—in its own imagined world—forces us to grapple with questions and consequences that could otherwise easily be glossed over (and often are). How we use fiction to fix our current “traffic jams”? Join Future Tense, Issues in Science and Technology for a conversation with leading science fiction authors, policymakers, and journalists about how imagining fictional worlds can inspire us to make better realities.

Competitive and recreational sports alike are changing faster than ever thanks to innovations ranging from helmets and footwear to ball tracking to adaptive wheelchairs. This accelerating pace of new technology is spurring debates about fairness, safety, and the importance of traditions. Join Future Tense, the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University, and the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation for a discussion that considers issues of competition and participation in sports, but also lessons for policymakers navigating technological change in other arenas.