Genius Bot: Chat with 'Einstein' Via Facebook Messenger

Enjoy a conversation with an Albert Einstein chatbot at the March for Science in Washington, D.C. (Image credit: i360)

On April 25, National Geographic Channel will launch its first scripted television show, "Genius," about the life of Albert Einstein. But before that happens, the channel is also planning for the famed scientist to make an appearance — of sorts — just in time for the March for Science this weekend in Washington, D.C.

A chatbot on Facebook Messenger allows users to engage in a text exchange with "Albert Einstein," exploring details of his life and accomplishments, and discovering his perspective on the March for Science, which is taking place in the nation's capital (and elsewhere across the globe) on April 22. [2017 March for Science: What You Need to Know]

A sample conversation shows the chatbot replying to questions, making jokes about Einstein's hair, and sharing a GIF of Einstein (played by actor Geoffrey Rush in the television show) turning to the camera and sticking out his tongue.

The real-life Einstein would likely have supported the march, which invites scientists and nonscientists alike to rally in a show of support for the sciences. In Einstein's famous essay "The Common Language of Science" — recorded in 1941 as a radio address to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, and published in 1954 in an anthology of his writings called "Ideas and Opinions" — he described science as a shared language that plays an important role in shaping critical goals for the benefit of people and nations around the world.

National Geographic is installing a free Wi-Fi network for March for Science participants, which they can access after viewing short scenes from the "Genius," as well as a "Genius"-themed tent that offers charging stations and provides a sneak peek of footage from upcoming episodes.

Mindy Weisberger is a senior writer for Live Science covering general science topics, especially those relating to brains, bodies, and behaviors in humans and other animals — living and extinct. Mindy studied filmmaking at Columbia University; her videos about dinosaurs, biodiversity, human origins, evolution, and astrophysics appear in the American Museum of Natural History, on YouTube, and in museums and science centers worldwide. Follow Mindy on Twitter.