Robots! Lasers! Dinosaurs! Geeky Fun Abounds at Future Con

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Do you harbor a fondness for space robots and lasers? Are you

intrigued by fossils of dinosaurs that once roamed Antarctica, or have you pondered the presence of extraterrestrial life or the genetics of magical ability? If so, you might be ready for Future Con.The new three-day celebration of science and science fiction and where they intersect, launches today (June 16) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., co-presented by Awesome Con and Smithsonian Magazine. Live Science will be on site to bring you geeky highlights from some of the panels and people featured at the event's debut. [Science Fact or Fiction? The Plausibility of 10 Sci-Fi Concepts] As part of Awesome Con, also known as "Washington D.C.'s Comic Con," according to the event website, Future Con will feature panels and guests that showcase cutting-edge science and technology on Earth and in space, and that explore how science influences fiction, movies, comics and television. Future Con kicks off by welcoming Col. Chris Hadfield. The Canadian astronaut transfixed and delighted millions of social media followers with videos that he filmed during his time on board the International Space Station, showing the details of everyday life in microgravity. Hadfield will co-host a special Future Con taping of the science and pop culture talk show "StarTalk Live!" along with writer and actor Scott Adsit, known for his roles in the television shows "Veep" and "30 Rock," and as the voice of the helpful robot Baymax in the film "Big Hero 6." The other guests include astronomers, NASA engineers and paleontologists, featured on panels that offer a tantalizing glimpse of the research driving lunar exploration, artificial intelligence and cybernetic enhancements. Attendees will also get a glimpse of the scientific underpinnings of the ideas that fuel science fiction stories, ones that sometimes predict the technologies that become a part of everyday life. Future Con runs from June 16 to June 18. View the full program on Future Con's website, and check back with Live Science all weekend for Future Con updates!