How do you survive a zombie apocalypse? Who are the best cats in science fiction? Is Judge Dredd no longer a parody?

These are some of the diverse questions being asked at this year’s Worldcon, one of the world’s largest science fiction conventions, in Glasgow.

Around 9,000 fans are expected in the city for the 82nd edition of the event. Over 900 panel discussions and lectures are planned over five days.

Organisers told BBC Scotland News that the diverse programme will also have a local flavour, including a discussion of authors Iain Banks and Alasdair Gray and the world premiere of Scottish opera Morrow’s Isle.

The congress, which begins on Thursday, will also feature the presentation of the prestigious Hugo Awards, which honor the best science fiction literature of the past year.

“It’s one of those rare occasions when the world comes to you,” says Tendai Huchu, a Zimbabwean-Scottish writer who is participating in several panels this year.

“There are so many panels going on. You can just stumble into things and who knows what direction you end up going in. It’s a great opportunity to meet other people, find out what’s going on, what trends are out there and just talk about work.”

Worldcon was first held in New York in 1939 and has welcomed many greats of science fiction and fantasy as guests or participants over the years. In 2024, Glasgow will host the event for the third time.

Unlike major comic cons, which often focus on celebrity guests and dealers selling collectibles, Worldcon focuses on the literary side of the genre, with discussions and lectures taking center stage.

“About 65% of participants will be listening to someone at any given time,” says Esther MacCallum-Stewart, chair of the 2024 meeting.

“I think 984 different things happen over the five days, and that doesn’t even include the things that are organized on the side.

“A lot of it is chosen by the community. We ask for suggestions for panels and people send in things they would either like to do or things they would like to see. It’s a really nice way to level the playing field in terms of the topics being discussed.”

The organizers’ commitment to ensuring fair conditions attracted worldwide attention earlier this year when Game of Thrones author George RR Martin wrote online that he had never received a response to the panels he proposed.

Instead, he was instructed to fill out the same forms as any other applicant.

However, the various discussion panels on the SEC campus cover a wide range of topics.

These can be very simple topics, such as discussions on the occasion of film anniversaries (such as the science fiction adventure “Stargate” and Sean Connery’s cult classic “Zardoz”), or the examination of serious topics, such as the development of artificial intelligence.

There are also more offbeat articles, from “Deliciously Evil: Villain Romances and Why We Love Them” to “The Many Legs of SF: Creepy Crawlies in Space” and “Best Cats of SFF,” which features a panel discussion about “their favorite cats.”

A major event on Thursday evening is “Morrow’s Isle”, a libretto by Scottish author Ken MacLeod about a secret scientific project on the Clyde, with musicians from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

“One of the things that was really important to us was to make sure this was a Scottish Worldcon,” adds Esther, who grew up reading science fiction greats such as Doris Lessing and Arthur C. Clarke.

“That’s why we have partnered with local groups like Glasgow University, we hold information sessions in libraries and have included Scottish language topics in our programme.

“There are pieces on Iain M Banks and Alasdair Gray and on the integration of Scots into science fiction writing. Worldcon hadn’t been in the UK for 10 years, so we had a wide range of ideas.”

According to Tendai, this also reflects how strong the current Scottish science fiction scene is.

“There’s a very strong community here, so this is a great time for Scottish science fiction,” he says.

“There are groups like the Edinburgh Science Fiction and Fantasy Group where writers meet regularly. They usually meet in the early stages of their careers and over time you see some of them getting their work published. It’s a great place (for writers).”

Last year, Worldcon took place in Chengdu, China. This decision sparked significant protests among authors and fans against the treatment of the Uighurs in the country.

Esther, professor of games studies at Staffordshire University, says organisers wanted to put inclusion at the heart of this year’s event.

“There’s a big trend in science fiction right now toward science fiction that’s very kind and very thoughtful,” she says.

“Someone like Becky Chambers is a good example. The themes of this World Con are caring, inclusion and imagination. We want people to feel welcome here.”