A Vision Of A New (Soggier) New York

In March, Ira and the Science Friday Book Club got a chance to talk with award-winning science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson about climate change, writing fiction, and his new book New York 2140.

[Kim Stanley Robinson Tackles How to Keep a Drowning City Afloat]

The event was standing room only, where New Yorkers lined up to hear about a potential soggier future that awaits.

As Robinson says, if we were in New York 2140, “we’d be underwater by now.” ?@strandbookstore #SciFriBookClub

— Science Friday (@scifri) March 20, 2017

Some authors object to terms like “science fiction” while others embrace the term. Ira asked Robinson why he proudly labels himself a science fiction author. Robinson’s reply: “I started writing science fiction because I grew up in California…science fiction is the best literature in describing what reality feels like.”.

“Writing science fiction is like wearing 3-D glasses at the movies,” says Robinson – future prophesy and present metaphor. #scifribookclub

— Science Friday (@scifri) March 20, 2017

Robinson reflected on the present world:

“We’re all coauthoring a science fiction novel right now. It’s called 2017 & things are getting weird”- Kim Stanley Robinson #scifribookclub

— Science Friday (@scifri) March 20, 2017

Science Friday  Education Manager Ariel Zych created an interactive activity to help the audience better visualize the realities of sea level rise in New York City. Based on data from the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), audience members were given rolled streamers, measured to lengths corresponding with projected flood levels in different New York City neighborhoods.

#SciFriBookClub does some science! We asked the audience to help us visualize what the NPCC thinks a Hurricane Sandy-style storm surge would do to New York in 2080 at The Strand (top left), Riverside Park (top right), Battery Park (bottom left) and the World Trade Center (bottom left).

A post shared by Science Friday (@scifri) on Mar 20, 2017 at 4:58pm PDT

Some areas fared better than others…

#SciFriBookClub does some science! 2080 storm surge predictions for the World Trade Center is 14 feet, or at long as those blue streamers. pic.twitter.com/ahWCZMl4ic

— Science Friday (@scifri) March 20, 2017

Huge thanks to Kim Stanley Robinson for joining the #SciFriBookClub, and to everyone who came out the the Strand Bookstore. We’ll see you next time!

Fun & games with Kim Stanley Robinson @strandbookstore He’s fantastic! @scifri

A post shared by Ira Flatow (@scifriguy) on Mar 20, 2017 at 6:01pm PDT

Want more? You can read an excerpt from the book and hear what Stan had to say on the show. Sign up for our newsletter below to find out about the next #SciFriBookClub or to attend an event.