“The Science of Severance”: Dent Panelists Will Explore the Boundaries of Memory and Identity at San Diego Comic-Con 2025
Illustrated by Jasmina El Bouamraoui and Karabo Poppy Moletsane, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Join us for a mind-bending exploration of neuroscience, technology, and the future of human consciousness
We're thrilled to announce our upcoming panel, “The Science of Severance: Exploring Identity, Memory, Technology, and Beyond,” is coming to San Diego Comic-Con 2025.
When Science Fiction Meets Science Fact
Apple TV+'s hit series Severance has captivated audiences with its chilling premise: a world where memory and identity can be surgically divided, creating two distinct selves within one body. But how far is this concept from reality? Our expert panel will explore the scientific plausibility behind the show's central conceit and examine the real-world technologies that are pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible.
The concept of divided consciousness isn't new to popular culture and comic books. From Moon Knight’s fragmented personalities to Doom Patrol’s Crazy Jane and Wolverine's manipulated memories, comics have long explored themes of fractured identity. What makes Severance particularly compelling is how it grounds these fantastical concepts in seemingly plausible medical technology.
Meet Our Distinguished Panelists
We've assembled an extraordinary group of experts who will bring both scientific rigor and accessibility to the complex topics Severance raises:
Dr. Nicole Dudukovic - Director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program and Teaching Professor in the Clark Honors College and Psychology at the University of Oregon, author of the influential Psychology Today piece “Could 'Severance' Ever Become Reality?”
Dr. Allison Komiyama - Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Biology from Stanford University, with deep expertise in neurotechnology and medical devices. Dr. Komiyama brings particular insight into brain-computer interfaces and emerging innovations that will soon reach the market.
Dr. Sean D. Lavine - Professor of Neurological Surgery at Columbia University and Chief of the Cerebrovascular Division at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Interestingly, Dr. Lavine reveals that the producers of Severance actually contacted his office during the show's development to discuss the scientific feasibility of their premise.
This panel will be moderated by Susan Karlin, who is a regular contributor to Fast Company and is based in Los Angeles.
What We’ll Explore
Our panel will dive deep into several fascinating areas:
The Science of Memory Partitioning: Is it theoretically possible to surgically separate work and personal memories?
Identity and Consciousness: What happens to the self when memory is divided?
Brain-Computer Interfaces: How close are current technologies to the fictional severance implants?
Ethical Implications: What are the profound moral questions raised when corporate interests can redefine the boundaries of personhood?
Real-World Applications: Beyond the fictional premise, what legitimate medical applications might similar technologies serve?
Beyond Entertainment: Real Stakes
While Severance provides compelling drama, the technologies it depicts touch on very real scientific frontiers. As brain-computer interfaces advance and our understanding of consciousness deepens, the ethical questions posed by the show become increasingly relevant. Our panel will examine not just what's scientifically possible, but what should be permitted when technology can fundamentally alter human experience.
Part of a Larger Scientific Conversation
This panel continues our tradition of bringing serious scientific discussion to Comic-Con, following successful panels like our '“Science of Avatar” presentation in 2023. We believe that science fiction serves as a crucial testing ground for exploring the implications of emerging technologies before they become reality.
The exploration of consciousness, memory, and identity technology that we'll undertake in our Severance panel represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking discourse that defines our work at Dent the Future. These same themes - the intersection of cutting-edge science with human experience - are central to our annual Dent The Future conference, where we gather technologists, innovators, and thought leaders to explore "ideas from the edges that redefine what's possible at the center."
Just as our Comic-Con panels examine how fictional technologies might reshape human experience, our September conference in Santa Fe brings together the people actually building tomorrow's breakthroughs. Whether we're discussing the ethics of memory manipulation at Comic-Con or the future of consciousness at Dent The Future, we're committed to having the important conversations before the technology arrives.
The discussion promises to be both intellectually rigorous and accessible, perfect for anyone fascinated by the intersection of neuroscience, technology, and storytelling.
Don't Miss This Unique Opportunity
Panels like this are what make Comic-Con special – the chance to engage with cutting-edge science through the lens of the stories we love. Whether you're a neuroscience enthusiast, a Severance fan, or simply curious about the future of human consciousness, this panel offers a rare opportunity to explore these profound questions with leading experts in the field.
This is one of several panels we're presenting at Comic-Con 2025. We're also hosting “Inside the Hacker's Mind: Cybersecurity, Culture, and the Code Behind the Chaos” featuring DEF CON Black Badge winner Alethe Denis, exploring how real-world cyber threats echo through pop culture. Also on the docket is “Secrets from the Spy Museum: Real-World Espionage Technologies & Techniques.”
Join the Conversation
Want to connect with our speakers and the broader Dent community? We're hosting our annual private SDCC speaker reception on Thursday night, July 24th—request your invitation here to join fellow attendees, panelists, and technology innovators for an evening of deeper discussion.
For those interested in continuing these conversations beyond Comic-Con, we invite you to request an invitation to Dent The Future 2025, our annual conference in Santa Fe this September, where leading voices in science, technology, and innovation gather to explore the ideas that will shape our collective future.
We hope to see you there for what promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of memory, identity, and the very nature of what makes us human.
These panels are organized by Dent the Future as part of our ongoing mission to explore the intersection of science, technology, and popular culture at San Diego Comic-Con.