You Read It Here First: When Science Fiction Drives Innovation
Sunday, February 22, 2026  12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Before rockets reached the Moon, Jules Verne launched one in print. Before cell phones and tablets, Star Trek gave us communicators and tricorders. From 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Karel Čapek’s R.U.R., which first imagined artificial intelligence and even coined the word “robot,” science fiction has been humanity’s rough draft for the future. This panel explores how imagination becomes invention—and what ideas today’s writers might turn into tomorrow’s technology.


Panelists:
K Anderson
H. Carter
B. Hendren
D. Rainbolt
JL. Yarrow *







2026-02-22 12:00:00 2026-02-22 13:00:00 America/Chicago You Read It Here First: When Science Fiction Drives Innovation Before rockets reached the Moon, Jules Verne launched one in print. Before cell phones and tablets, Star Trek gave us communicators and tricorders. From 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Karel Čapek’s R.U.R., which first imagined artificial intelligence and even coined the word “robot,” science fiction has been humanity’s rough draft for the future. This panel explores how imagination becomes invention—and what ideas today’s writers might turn into tomorrow’s technology. The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport 4545 W. John Carpenter Freeway · Irving, Texas, 75063 FenCon info@fencon.org
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