Bart Ehrman

I have admired Bart Ehrman’s writing for more than a decade.  I remember how profoundly reading Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great reminded me of how little I had really understood about the scriptures.  For me, Bart Ehrman took over from there.  I recalled reading his 2014 masterpiece How Jesus Became God, which made it clear that the modern Western Interpretation of the Holy Trinity differs significantly from the earliest impressions of Jesus, and moreover that the notion of humans intermingling with deities has a long and checkered history.  He also made it clear that the Resurrection, perhaps the cornerstone of Modern Christianity, is highly suspect, based on burial traditions at theme.   I have been trying to work out a time to record a podcast with Bart for some time, and was fortunate that his schedule opened up recently, following the publication of his newest book, Armageddon:  What the Bible Really Says About The End.  This book provides a detailed analysis of the Book of Revelations, and describes how perhaps the most iconic modern interpretation of End Times, The Rapture, is a modern mythological invention and is itself not even scriptural.In our dialogue we explored Bart’s own intellectual adventure from fundamentalist youth to Biblical Scholar, from true believer to skeptical historian.  We then explored some of the most enlightening aspects of his writing.  It was a fascinating, entertaining, and informative discussion, and one that I hope will be widely viewed.  I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

I have admired Bart Ehrman’s writing for more than a decade. I remember how profoundly reading Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great reminded me of how little I had really understood about the scriptures. For me, Bart Ehrman took over from there. I recalled reading his 2014 masterpiece How Jesus Became God, which made it clear that the modern Western Interpretation of the Holy Trinity differs significantly from the earliest impressions of Jesus, and moreover that the notion of humans intermingling with deities has a long and checkered history. He also made it clear that the Resurrection, perhaps the cornerstone of Modern Christianity, is highly suspect, based on burial traditions at theme. I have been trying to work out a time to record a podcast with Bart for some time, and was fortunate that his schedule opened up recently, following the publication of his newest book, Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says About The End. This book provides a detailed analysis of the Book of Revelations, and describes how perhaps the most iconic modern interpretation of End Times, The Rapture, is a modern mythological invention and is itself not even scriptural.In our dialogue we explored Bart’s own intellectual adventure from fundamentalist youth to Biblical Scholar, from true believer to skeptical historian. We then explored some of the most enlightening aspects of his writing. It was a fascinating, entertaining, and informative discussion, and one that I hope will be widely viewed. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Bart Ehrman: Revelations about Revelations...and more

Martin Rees

This is part two of the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees.  The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don’t).   Martin’s thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however.   Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges.  He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us.  I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast. I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring.  As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is part two of the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees. The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don’t). Martin’s thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however. Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges. He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us. I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast. I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring. As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Martin Rees: If Science is to Save Us, Part 2

Douglas Murray

I have to say that Douglas Murray reminds me in several ways of my late friend Christopher Hitchens.  It is not merely that they are both English, eloquent and well-read.  Douglas doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and pulls no punches when necessary. But he is otherwise charming, thoughtful, and willing to enter into respectful intelligent conversations on many topics.  Both Douglas and Christopher have been journalists covering dangerous parts of the world, which has helped shape some of their views.  Douglas is more conservative, Christopher was in some ways more liberal, but their deep reserve of knowledge combining literature and current events makes listening to either one of them compelling. I first got to know Douglas through his marvelous book, The Madness of Crowds, a take-off on Charles Murray’s 1841 classic Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, which was “A distillation of some of the most humiliating, terrifying, and confusing things humans have done in collectivity”… treating things like alchemy, haunted houses, and the crusades.  Douglas’ book discusses modern craziness, cutting with surgeon-like skill to the heart of issues related to gender, race, identity politics, and of course free speech.    The Madness of Crowds was followed more recently by The War on The West, which took up where the former book left off, dealing with issues ranging from postmodern attacks on the western Canon, attacks on modern science, and more recent ‘Critical Race Theory’ related attacks on modern western society.  I discussed all of these issues with Douglas, but was very pleased to be able to bookend the dialogue, front and back, with a discussion of poetry.  He writes a weekly column for Free Press on the virtue and joy of committing great poems to memory, and while I have a limited appreciation and tolerance for poetry in general, there are a few poets, T.S. Eliot, and Rainer Maria Rilke in particular, who I greatly enjoy.  It was a pleasure to listen to Douglas recite some favorite lines, and to discuss these sublime subjects with him before and after we dropped down into the muck that comprises the modern culture wars.  I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

I have to say that Douglas Murray reminds me in several ways of my late friend Christopher Hitchens. It is not merely that they are both English, eloquent and well-read. Douglas doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and pulls no punches when necessary. But he is otherwise charming, thoughtful, and willing to enter into respectful intelligent conversations on many topics. Both Douglas and Christopher have been journalists covering dangerous parts of the world, which has helped shape some of their views. Douglas is more conservative, Christopher was in some ways more liberal, but their deep reserve of knowledge combining literature and current events makes listening to either one of them compelling. I first got to know Douglas through his marvelous book, The Madness of Crowds, a take-off on Charles Murray’s 1841 classic Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, which was “A distillation of some of the most humiliating, terrifying, and confusing things humans have done in collectivity”… treating things like alchemy, haunted houses, and the crusades. Douglas’ book discusses modern craziness, cutting with surgeon-like skill to the heart of issues related to gender, race, identity politics, and of course free speech. The Madness of Crowds was followed more recently by The War on The West, which took up where the former book left off, dealing with issues ranging from postmodern attacks on the western Canon, attacks on modern science, and more recent ‘Critical Race Theory’ related attacks on modern western society. I discussed all of these issues with Douglas, but was very pleased to be able to bookend the dialogue, front and back, with a discussion of poetry. He writes a weekly column for Free Press on the virtue and joy of committing great poems to memory, and while I have a limited appreciation and tolerance for poetry in general, there are a few poets, T.S. Eliot, and Rainer Maria Rilke in particular, who I greatly enjoy. It was a pleasure to listen to Douglas recite some favorite lines, and to discuss these sublime subjects with him before and after we dropped down into the muck that comprises the modern culture wars. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Douglas Murray: From Poetry to Free Speech

Andrei Linde

Andrei Linde is one of the world’s leading cosmological theorists, and is the father of much of Inflationary Cosmology.   After Alan Guth developed the original idea of Inflation, Linde, who had been active in this area while working in Moscow, realized a way to make a workable theory out of it, resolving a major problem, called the ‘Graceful Exit’ problem.  After that, he made the striking realization that Inflation is inevitable, even in relatively simple theoretical models, and moreover that Inflation will in general be eternal, spawning an infinite number of ‘pocket universes’, as Guth calls them, over an infinite amount of time.  While there is much talk about multiverses in the context of string theory, it is the Inflationary Multiverse that is most well motivated, and is currently the most widely accepted picture of the global structure of space and time at the present moment. Andrei is not only an incredible creative scientist, he is a charming fellow.  I have enjoyed my interactions with him since I first met him, about 40 years ago.  He is one of a handful of leading Russian scientists who were snapped up by the US after the fall of the Soviet Union.   Since arriving in the US he has helped lead a vibrant program in Cosmology and String Theory at Stanford University.   I was very excited to finally be able to have a dialogue with Andrei for The Origins Podcast.  His teaching schedule precluded doing something each time I had reached out to him in the past, so I felt very fortunate when the stars aligned, or at least his teaching schedule and my recording schedule aligned.  What resulted is a fascinating conversation with a remarkable scientist, and a lovely conversationalist.  We discussed his own experiences in Russia and then again after emigrating, as well as Inflation, Multiverses, and the state of modern cosmology.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Andrei Linde is one of the world’s leading cosmological theorists, and is the father of much of Inflationary Cosmology. After Alan Guth developed the original idea of Inflation, Linde, who had been active in this area while working in Moscow, realized a way to make a workable theory out of it, resolving a major problem, called the ‘Graceful Exit’ problem. After that, he made the striking realization that Inflation is inevitable, even in relatively simple theoretical models, and moreover that Inflation will in general be eternal, spawning an infinite number of ‘pocket universes’, as Guth calls them, over an infinite amount of time. While there is much talk about multiverses in the context of string theory, it is the Inflationary Multiverse that is most well motivated, and is currently the most widely accepted picture of the global structure of space and time at the present moment. Andrei is not only an incredible creative scientist, he is a charming fellow. I have enjoyed my interactions with him since I first met him, about 40 years ago. He is one of a handful of leading Russian scientists who were snapped up by the US after the fall of the Soviet Union. Since arriving in the US he has helped lead a vibrant program in Cosmology and String Theory at Stanford University. I was very excited to finally be able to have a dialogue with Andrei for The Origins Podcast. His teaching schedule precluded doing something each time I had reached out to him in the past, so I felt very fortunate when the stars aligned, or at least his teaching schedule and my recording schedule aligned. What resulted is a fascinating conversation with a remarkable scientist, and a lovely conversationalist. We discussed his own experiences in Russia and then again after emigrating, as well as Inflation, Multiverses, and the state of modern cosmology. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Andrei Linde: Inflation, Multiverses, and all that, from Mr. Eternal Inflation

William Shatner

I first met William Shatner a little over 19 years ago when we were filming a TV inspired in part on my book, The Physics of Star Trek.  The show was ultimately titled, How William Shatner Changed the World.  I am not sure what I expected when I met Bill, but what I got was something completely different.  After a brief period during which I felt a bit like I was being auditioned, and which I passed after we filmed a scene in which I was required to use a teleprompter to spout a long series of Star Trek technobabble, we settled in to begin to discuss the world, and I fell a bit in love. Bill reminded me in many ways of my Uncle, who had long been my favorite relative, and the patriarch of our rather small family.  His humor, his confidence, his energy, and his curiosity emerged from the crumbling armor he had originally amassed to potentially protect from him what he may have expected to be a pestering nerd.  (And which, for all I know, I may have been).  As the days wore on (I think we spent 3-4 together in total), we began to talk about science and the world, and I was impressed not just with Bill’s intense curiosity and enthusiasm, but his native intelligence.  Once again, I guess I had not been prepared for that. A decade later, and perhaps seven or eight years ago, we spent a week on a Star Trek Cruise together.  He of course was the headliner, and I gave some science lectures, and ended up doing two programs on stage with him—one on the program, and one more impromptu.  While perhaps billed as a dialogue, the provided an opportunity for Bill to pepper me with questions about all things physics, trade jokes, and overall have a blast.   I suspect that is the norm.  He invests everything he gets involved in with the same joy, and charm. So, I was over the moon, when after discussing the possibility of doing The Origins Podcast for over 2 years, Bill finally, in a weak moment, I assume, agreed.  It took about 30 seconds for the same sense of fun and joy to take over, a deep friendliness to be transparent, and for Bill to basically take over.  From there, I held on to my chair and just tried to enjoy the wild ride.  It was fun, and informative.  I had 5 pages of questions to ask him, and I managed to sneak in about 3 or 4 questions.  Instead the conversation went wherever it went—most often to questions about the Universe—and it was one of the most enjoyable 90 minutes I have spent in awhile.    It also gave me a chance to reconnect with Bill, and I don’t plan to wait another decade before doing it again.  I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.  As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

I first met William Shatner a little over 19 years ago when we were filming a TV inspired in part on my book, The Physics of Star Trek. The show was ultimately titled, How William Shatner Changed the World. I am not sure what I expected when I met Bill, but what I got was something completely different. After a brief period during which I felt a bit like I was being auditioned, and which I passed after we filmed a scene in which I was required to use a teleprompter to spout a long series of Star Trek technobabble, we settled in to begin to discuss the world, and I fell a bit in love. Bill reminded me in many ways of my Uncle, who had long been my favorite relative, and the patriarch of our rather small family. His humor, his confidence, his energy, and his curiosity emerged from the crumbling armor he had originally amassed to potentially protect from him what he may have expected to be a pestering nerd. (And which, for all I know, I may have been). As the days wore on (I think we spent 3-4 together in total), we began to talk about science and the world, and I was impressed not just with Bill’s intense curiosity and enthusiasm, but his native intelligence. Once again, I guess I had not been prepared for that. A decade later, and perhaps seven or eight years ago, we spent a week on a Star Trek Cruise together. He of course was the headliner, and I gave some science lectures, and ended up doing two programs on stage with him—one on the program, and one more impromptu. While perhaps billed as a dialogue, the provided an opportunity for Bill to pepper me with questions about all things physics, trade jokes, and overall have a blast. I suspect that is the norm. He invests everything he gets involved in with the same joy, and charm. So, I was over the moon, when after discussing the possibility of doing The Origins Podcast for over 2 years, Bill finally, in a weak moment, I assume, agreed. It took about 30 seconds for the same sense of fun and joy to take over, a deep friendliness to be transparent, and for Bill to basically take over. From there, I held on to my chair and just tried to enjoy the wild ride. It was fun, and informative. I had 5 pages of questions to ask him, and I managed to sneak in about 3 or 4 questions. Instead the conversation went wherever it went—most often to questions about the Universe—and it was one of the most enjoyable 90 minutes I have spent in awhile. It also gave me a chance to reconnect with Bill, and I don’t plan to wait another decade before doing it again. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Boldly going where no podcast has gone before: William Shatner; Wonder, Awe, and Questions, Questions... 

This is the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees.  The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don’t).   Martin’s thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however.   Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges.  He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us.  I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast.   This is the first release, and I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring.  As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees. The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don’t). Martin’s thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however. Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges. He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us. I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast. This is the first release, and I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring. As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Martin Rees: If Science is to Save Us, Part 1

Richard Dawkins

Lawrence Krauss Onstage

Lawrence Krauss

On Nov 15th and 16th, 2022, The Origins Project Foundation hosted their first public events in North America at the beautiful Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, AZ (we had hosted an event in Iceland in September during our Greenland-Iceland Travel Adventure).  There was no better way to begin this new series than with a dialogue onstage with Richard Dawkins, and that was the substance of our first night’s event.  As all those who have followed us will know, Richard and I have done many dialogues together, onstage and online, and so it was important that this dialogue be new and different.  Richard had just published a new book entitled “Books do Furnish a Life”, which is a compilation of essays he had written about other scientists and writers, and also transcripts of dialogues he had had with numerous people, including me.   I decided this new book would provide a wonderful opportunity to jump off in new directions, and it turned out to be just that.  The response from the audience and from those who had seen many of our previous dialogues was very positive, and we came off stage feeling like it was one of the best public conversations we have had.   I hope those of you who watch it, or listen to it, here will agree. Following our 90 minute dialogue onstage we asked for questions from the audience, and after an intermission, we answered many of these.  This Q&amp;A will be offered as an exclusive post for Critical Mass paid subscribers, to thank you for your support of our efforts.   It will remain behind the Critical Mass paywall for 1 month, and then will be released to the general public.  I hope all of you enjoy this conversation, and Richard’s remarkable enthusiasm about science and writing, and his insights about the world.   In a future post, we will release the video record of the second night’s conversation, a panel discussion with leading physicists about the current state of cosmology. Finally, later this month we will open our newest travel adventure, a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Island, for booking for the general public.  Critical Mass subscribers will have an advance opportunity to book one of the 36 berths on this voyage.  Stay tuned.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

On Nov 15th and 16th, 2022, The Origins Project Foundation hosted their first public events in North America at the beautiful Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, AZ (we had hosted an event in Iceland in September during our Greenland-Iceland Travel Adventure). There was no better way to begin this new series than with a dialogue onstage with Richard Dawkins, and that was the substance of our first night’s event. As all those who have followed us will know, Richard and I have done many dialogues together, onstage and online, and so it was important that this dialogue be new and different. Richard had just published a new book entitled “Books do Furnish a Life”, which is a compilation of essays he had written about other scientists and writers, and also transcripts of dialogues he had had with numerous people, including me. I decided this new book would provide a wonderful opportunity to jump off in new directions, and it turned out to be just that. The response from the audience and from those who had seen many of our previous dialogues was very positive, and we came off stage feeling like it was one of the best public conversations we have had. I hope those of you who watch it, or listen to it, here will agree. Following our 90 minute dialogue onstage we asked for questions from the audience, and after an intermission, we answered many of these. This Q&amp;A will be offered as an exclusive post for Critical Mass paid subscribers, to thank you for your support of our efforts. It will remain behind the Critical Mass paywall for 1 month, and then will be released to the general public. I hope all of you enjoy this conversation, and Richard’s remarkable enthusiasm about science and writing, and his insights about the world. In a future post, we will release the video record of the second night’s conversation, a panel discussion with leading physicists about the current state of cosmology. Finally, later this month we will open our newest travel adventure, a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Island, for booking for the general public. Critical Mass subscribers will have an advance opportunity to book one of the 36 berths on this voyage. Stay tuned.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss Onstage at the Orpheum Theater, Nov 15, 2022

John Preskill

John Preskill is the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Physics at Caltech, a title many physicists would cherish.  He is widely known in the field for his work as a theoretical physicist spearheading the field of Quantum Computing, where he is Director of Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, but his expertise and contributions span a far broader spectrum of topics. His background is in theoretical particle physics, gravitation, and cosmology. As a graduate student, his seminal work on the cosmological implications of magnetic monopoles in Grand Unified Theories helped lead Alan Guth to develop his theory of Inflationary Cosmology, in part to resolve a cosmological conundrum John first elucidated.   Since that time, John has explored condensed matter systems and the physics of black holes, made a famous bet with Stephen Hawking, and coined the term “quantum supremacy”, to describe a metric that might reveal the first time a quantum computer resolved a problem that a classical computer could not resolve in a feasible human timescale.   As Director the Caltech Institute, John leads one of the most vibrant programs exploring quantum information and quantum computation, and I was happy to have the opportunity to connect again with my old friend and colleague to discuss this rapidly evolving field, about which so much is written in the popular press, and which may impact on all of our lives in the 21st century. In our discussion we tried to separate the wheat from the chaff, to discuss the future of the field, its current state, and challenges and opportunities.  In addition, we discussed his own scientific career and the physics areas that have excited him, and what helped drive him to become a physicist in the first place.  It was a fascinating discussion and I am sure you will be both entertained, and enlightened. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

John Preskill is the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Physics at Caltech, a title many physicists would cherish. He is widely known in the field for his work as a theoretical physicist spearheading the field of Quantum Computing, where he is Director of Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, but his expertise and contributions span a far broader spectrum of topics. His background is in theoretical particle physics, gravitation, and cosmology. As a graduate student, his seminal work on the cosmological implications of magnetic monopoles in Grand Unified Theories helped lead Alan Guth to develop his theory of Inflationary Cosmology, in part to resolve a cosmological conundrum John first elucidated. Since that time, John has explored condensed matter systems and the physics of black holes, made a famous bet with Stephen Hawking, and coined the term “quantum supremacy”, to describe a metric that might reveal the first time a quantum computer resolved a problem that a classical computer could not resolve in a feasible human timescale. As Director the Caltech Institute, John leads one of the most vibrant programs exploring quantum information and quantum computation, and I was happy to have the opportunity to connect again with my old friend and colleague to discuss this rapidly evolving field, about which so much is written in the popular press, and which may impact on all of our lives in the 21st century. In our discussion we tried to separate the wheat from the chaff, to discuss the future of the field, its current state, and challenges and opportunities. In addition, we discussed his own scientific career and the physics areas that have excited him, and what helped drive him to become a physicist in the first place. It was a fascinating discussion and I am sure you will be both entertained, and enlightened. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

John Preskill: From the Early Universe to the Future of Quantum Computing

Tim Palmer

Tim Palmer graduated from Oxford with a PhD in mathematical physics, working on general relativity, and got a postdoc to work with Stephen Hawking.  He turned it down and moved into the field of meteorology, and then moved on to Climate Change studies, where he pioneered the development of what is called ‘ensemble forecasting’ to predict both long term climate change, as well as short term weather predictions.  This technique has now become a standard in the field, and is necessary to properly account for possible chaotic behavior in atmospheric systems. Even simple classical systems can be chaotic—implying that even minute changes in initial conditions can sometimes produce dramatic variations in their later evolution.  The canonical hyperbolic example is a butterfly flapping its wings in Kansas might later cause a violent storm on the Eastern Seaboard. On first glance, it may seem that this would imply all predictivity must go out the window, but over the past 40 years techniques have been developed for dealing with the so-called ‘fractal’ distributions that often result from chaotic dynamics, and as a result, it has become possible to constrain the range of possible long term outcomes of chaotic behavior. Tim Palmer has recently written a new book, entitled The Primacy of Doubt, which provides a wonderful discussion about the importance of accounting for doubt and uncertainty in a wide variety of systems, from weather to medicine, and even includes discussions of there possible implications of his ideas for the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and gravity.    While I am more skeptical of his nevertheless intriguing latter arguments, Tim and I had a fascinating and informative discussion about his own experiences as a scientist, and the importance of explicitly incorporating a range of initial conditions when exploring weather and climate predictions. For many people, uncertainty is something to be avoided, but in physics, uncertainty is an inherent part of our understanding of the world, and it must be faced head-on.  Being able to make quantitative predictions with likelihoods that have meaning requires it, and science is the only area of human inquiry where we can state with great quantitative accuracy what the likelihood is that a given prediction will be correct.  This is a triumph of the scientific process and deserves to be better understood.  In this regard, there are fewer better guides than Tim Palmer, and it was a delight to spend time with him on this podcast, which will enlighten and entertain.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Tim Palmer graduated from Oxford with a PhD in mathematical physics, working on general relativity, and got a postdoc to work with Stephen Hawking. He turned it down and moved into the field of meteorology, and then moved on to Climate Change studies, where he pioneered the development of what is called ‘ensemble forecasting’ to predict both long term climate change, as well as short term weather predictions. This technique has now become a standard in the field, and is necessary to properly account for possible chaotic behavior in atmospheric systems. Even simple classical systems can be chaotic—implying that even minute changes in initial conditions can sometimes produce dramatic variations in their later evolution. The canonical hyperbolic example is a butterfly flapping its wings in Kansas might later cause a violent storm on the Eastern Seaboard. On first glance, it may seem that this would imply all predictivity must go out the window, but over the past 40 years techniques have been developed for dealing with the so-called ‘fractal’ distributions that often result from chaotic dynamics, and as a result, it has become possible to constrain the range of possible long term outcomes of chaotic behavior. Tim Palmer has recently written a new book, entitled The Primacy of Doubt, which provides a wonderful discussion about the importance of accounting for doubt and uncertainty in a wide variety of systems, from weather to medicine, and even includes discussions of there possible implications of his ideas for the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and gravity. While I am more skeptical of his nevertheless intriguing latter arguments, Tim and I had a fascinating and informative discussion about his own experiences as a scientist, and the importance of explicitly incorporating a range of initial conditions when exploring weather and climate predictions. For many people, uncertainty is something to be avoided, but in physics, uncertainty is an inherent part of our understanding of the world, and it must be faced head-on. Being able to make quantitative predictions with likelihoods that have meaning requires it, and science is the only area of human inquiry where we can state with great quantitative accuracy what the likelihood is that a given prediction will be correct. This is a triumph of the scientific process and deserves to be better understood. In this regard, there are fewer better guides than Tim Palmer, and it was a delight to spend time with him on this podcast, which will enlighten and entertain.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Tim Palmer: The Primacy of Doubt

ELIZABETH KOLBERT

Note:  Due to internet difficulties due to storms in California delaying uploading of the video, the video post of this podcast will be delayed by a few hours.  We are thus releasing the audio version now.  (Usually these are released at the same time.) Seven years ago I invited Elizabeth Kolbert to participate in a dialogue about Extinctions at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, following the publication of her Pulitzer Prizewinning masterpiece, The Sixth Extinction.   Once we began The Origins Podcast, I knew that I wanted to have an in depth discussion with her about her work reporting on science issues, most importantly on climate change and other technological challenges facing modern society.  An opportunity arose with the publication of her most recent book, Under a White Sky, which focuses on how scientists, and politicians, have attempted—with with widely varying degrees of success—to address the unintended consequences of various human alterations of terrestrial ecosystems.  It is a fascinating book, told, as is typical in her writing, by relating personal experiences as Elizabeth has traveled the world to meet scientists and others spearheading attempts at solving sometimes urgent ecological crises induced as a result of the application of previous human technologies. Elizabeth writes so clearly about science that I wanted to explore her own journey, from a student focusing on German literature, to one of the pre-eminent science writers in the country, working as a staff writer for The New Yorker Magazine.   We had a wide ranging discussion about her own experiences and then moved on to discuss more broadly the issues raised in her most recent books.    Incidentally, the title of her new book comes from the fact that one of the side-effects of solar geoengineering, which I expect will be an inevitable response to climate change in a world where governments and businesses prefer to carry on business as usual in spite of concerns about rising temperatures, sea levels, and other potentially dangerous consequences of increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.   The effect in question, if aerosols are injected in the upper atmosphere to reduce the intensity of solar radiation impinging on the earth’s surface, will be to cause formerly bright blue skies to instead resemble the whiter skies those who live in big cities are used to.   A potentially unfortunate consequence, but perhaps less unfortunate than other potential consequences of global climate change. The conversation was fantastic.  Everything I had hoped for.  We went on for over 2 hours, but the time passed quickly because it was so fascinating.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  And by the way, if you enjoy this podcast, Elizabeth will be joining the Origins Project Foundation Galapagos Travel Adventure in January of 2024.  Reservations will open up at the beginning of April for this exciting trip, with Elizabeth, Frans de Waal, me, and 33 other Origins voyagers.  I hope you can join us.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Note: Due to internet difficulties due to storms in California delaying uploading of the video, the video post of this podcast will be delayed by a few hours. We are thus releasing the audio version now. (Usually these are released at the same time.) Seven years ago I invited Elizabeth Kolbert to participate in a dialogue about Extinctions at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, following the publication of her Pulitzer Prizewinning masterpiece, The Sixth Extinction. Once we began The Origins Podcast, I knew that I wanted to have an in depth discussion with her about her work reporting on science issues, most importantly on climate change and other technological challenges facing modern society. An opportunity arose with the publication of her most recent book, Under a White Sky, which focuses on how scientists, and politicians, have attempted—with with widely varying degrees of success—to address the unintended consequences of various human alterations of terrestrial ecosystems. It is a fascinating book, told, as is typical in her writing, by relating personal experiences as Elizabeth has traveled the world to meet scientists and others spearheading attempts at solving sometimes urgent ecological crises induced as a result of the application of previous human technologies. Elizabeth writes so clearly about science that I wanted to explore her own journey, from a student focusing on German literature, to one of the pre-eminent science writers in the country, working as a staff writer for The New Yorker Magazine. We had a wide ranging discussion about her own experiences and then moved on to discuss more broadly the issues raised in her most recent books. Incidentally, the title of her new book comes from the fact that one of the side-effects of solar geoengineering, which I expect will be an inevitable response to climate change in a world where governments and businesses prefer to carry on business as usual in spite of concerns about rising temperatures, sea levels, and other potentially dangerous consequences of increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. The effect in question, if aerosols are injected in the upper atmosphere to reduce the intensity of solar radiation impinging on the earth’s surface, will be to cause formerly bright blue skies to instead resemble the whiter skies those who live in big cities are used to. A potentially unfortunate consequence, but perhaps less unfortunate than other potential consequences of global climate change. The conversation was fantastic. Everything I had hoped for. We went on for over 2 hours, but the time passed quickly because it was so fascinating. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And by the way, if you enjoy this podcast, Elizabeth will be joining the Origins Project Foundation Galapagos Travel Adventure in January of 2024. Reservations will open up at the beginning of April for this exciting trip, with Elizabeth, Frans de Waal, me, and 33 other Origins voyagers. I hope you can join us.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Elizabeth Kolbert: Can human technology solve unintended consequences of human technology

The Origins Podcast features in-depth conversations with some of the most interesting people in the world about the issues that impact all of us in the 21st century. Host, theoretical physicist, lecturer, and author, Lawrence M. Krauss, will be joined by guests from a wide range of fields, including science, the arts, and journalism. The topics discussed on The Origins Podcast reflect the full range of the human experience - exploring science and culture in a way that seeks to entertain, educate, and inspire. lawrencekrauss.substack.com lawrencekrauss.substack.com

In December it was announced that the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory National Ignition facility has achieved its first goal of “Ignition”, in which 192 powerful lasers focused on a small pellet of fuel led to a sustained fusion reaction for a fraction of a second that released more energy than it received from the incident laser light.  Following on requests from many readers, I describe the science behind this experiment, and the wishful thinking associated with it, regarding the possible use of fusion as an unlimited power source for humanity in the future.  This special holiday edition of Science Matters accompanies our last podcast, with Augusten Burroughs, which was about another kind of wishful thinking.  I hope you enjoy this science as much as I hope you enjoyed that delightful discussion with a wonderful writer.    Happy Holidays from Critical Mass, The Origins Foundation, the Origins Podcast, and from me. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

In December it was announced that the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory National Ignition facility has achieved its first goal of “Ignition”, in which 192 powerful lasers focused on a small pellet of fuel led to a sustained fusion reaction for a fraction of a second that released more energy than it received from the incident laser light. Following on requests from many readers, I describe the science behind this experiment, and the wishful thinking associated with it, regarding the possible use of fusion as an unlimited power source for humanity in the future. This special holiday edition of Science Matters accompanies our last podcast, with Augusten Burroughs, which was about another kind of wishful thinking. I hope you enjoy this science as much as I hope you enjoyed that delightful discussion with a wonderful writer. Happy Holidays from Critical Mass, The Origins Foundation, the Origins Podcast, and from me. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Holiday Edition Part 2, Science Matters: How the Universe Made your Holiday Gifts

Augusten Burroughs

I want to be upfront.  I love Augusten Burroughs.  I fell in love with him when I first read Running with Scissors, and every time I have picked up anything he has written, I have that warm feeling knowing I will delight in the scrumptious experience that is associated with reading his work. Shortly after creating the Origins Podcast in 2019, I discovered that Augusten was going to have a new book coming out, and I contacted him to ask if he might come by the studio and do a podcast if his book tour passed nearby.  To my great happiness, he said he would love to come by and would send me a prepublication copy of the book so I might prepare. So it was that I received Toil and Trouble: A Memoire, and discovered to my surprise that it was a memoir describing his, and his mother’s experiences as witches.  I read the book carefully and tried to decide what to do.  The dilemma was somewhat similar to that I faced when I wrote The Physics of Star Trek.  I didn’t want to write a book that would simply say “This won’t work” over and over again.  Similarly, I didn’t want to offer blanket denials of Augusten’s claims.   Instead, I decided I would try and use the opportunity to discuss science and skepticism and apply those ideas to various examples in the book. After we finished the podcast, we weren’t sure when the right time to release it would be.  I didn’t want to cast any negative shadows on the book during its initial release, and I wanted to time it appropriately after we had amassed a catalog of podcasts with scientists and artists that would give some perspective on the discussion we had. When we thought about a holiday edition podcast the dialogue with Augusten came to mind.  I confess I had forgotten the details and was a little worried.  I needn’t have worried, however.  I had forgotten how much fun it was, and how much fun any conversation with Augusten can be.  Moreover, he comes at almost all ideas and experiences with the characteristics of a scientist.  He is realistic, skeptical, and willing to be wrong.  It is so refreshing. We began the podcast by once again discussing his dysfunctional childhood, which he covers so beautifully in a number of his books.  It is a fascinating dive into issues of mental illness, and victimhood, the latter of which he happily demonstrates is in the eye of the beholder.  But the purpose of this discussion is to put in context the discovery, when he was a young boy, that he was a witch.  A discovery revealed by his mother, who told him that he came from a long of witches after he has an experience that he would describe as a sort of remote sensing, associated with an accident his grandmother had.    From there we discuss more modern examples.  I truly enjoyed listening to Augusten again in the podcast, which presents, in my mind, a good example of how to have a difficult but respectful conversation, and how science and skepticism can and should be applied to wishful thinking—something that Augusten would certainly agree with.   As Richard Feynman once said, after all:  The easiest person to fool is yourself.  Throughout, Augusten is charming and enjoyable, and listening to him describe his own experiences is alone worth the listen. I hope you enjoy this part 1 of our Holiday Podcast.  Part 2 will be released after Xmas, and is a special holiday edition of Science Matters, where I discuss wishful thinking associated with a scientific development that dominated much of the media earlier this month.   I hope you enjoy both, complementary discussions.  As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

I want to be upfront. I love Augusten Burroughs. I fell in love with him when I first read Running with Scissors, and every time I have picked up anything he has written, I have that warm feeling knowing I will delight in the scrumptious experience that is associated with reading his work. Shortly after creating the Origins Podcast in 2019, I discovered that Augusten was going to have a new book coming out, and I contacted him to ask if he might come by the studio and do a podcast if his book tour passed nearby. To my great happiness, he said he would love to come by and would send me a prepublication copy of the book so I might prepare. So it was that I received Toil and Trouble: A Memoire, and discovered to my surprise that it was a memoir describing his, and his mother’s experiences as witches. I read the book carefully and tried to decide what to do. The dilemma was somewhat similar to that I faced when I wrote The Physics of Star Trek. I didn’t want to write a book that would simply say “This won’t work” over and over again. Similarly, I didn’t want to offer blanket denials of Augusten’s claims. Instead, I decided I would try and use the opportunity to discuss science and skepticism and apply those ideas to various examples in the book. After we finished the podcast, we weren’t sure when the right time to release it would be. I didn’t want to cast any negative shadows on the book during its initial release, and I wanted to time it appropriately after we had amassed a catalog of podcasts with scientists and artists that would give some perspective on the discussion we had. When we thought about a holiday edition podcast the dialogue with Augusten came to mind. I confess I had forgotten the details and was a little worried. I needn’t have worried, however. I had forgotten how much fun it was, and how much fun any conversation with Augusten can be. Moreover, he comes at almost all ideas and experiences with the characteristics of a scientist. He is realistic, skeptical, and willing to be wrong. It is so refreshing. We began the podcast by once again discussing his dysfunctional childhood, which he covers so beautifully in a number of his books. It is a fascinating dive into issues of mental illness, and victimhood, the latter of which he happily demonstrates is in the eye of the beholder. But the purpose of this discussion is to put in context the discovery, when he was a young boy, that he was a witch. A discovery revealed by his mother, who told him that he came from a long of witches after he has an experience that he would describe as a sort of remote sensing, associated with an accident his grandmother had. From there we discuss more modern examples. I truly enjoyed listening to Augusten again in the podcast, which presents, in my mind, a good example of how to have a difficult but respectful conversation, and how science and skepticism can and should be applied to wishful thinking—something that Augusten would certainly agree with. As Richard Feynman once said, after all: The easiest person to fool is yourself. Throughout, Augusten is charming and enjoyable, and listening to him describe his own experiences is alone worth the listen. I hope you enjoy this part 1 of our Holiday Podcast. Part 2 will be released after Xmas, and is a special holiday edition of Science Matters, where I discuss wishful thinking associated with a scientific development that dominated much of the media earlier this month. I hope you enjoy both, complementary discussions. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Origins Podcast Wishful-Thinking Holiday Edition Part 1: A Dialogue with Augusten Burroughs: A Witch or Not A Witch

Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy is a literary icon.  Winner of the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award for his novel All the Pretty Horses, and the Pulitzer Prize for his apocalyptic novel The Road, Norma’s earlier novel, Blood Meridian has been labelled The Great American Novel.  Many people did not know that this cultural giant is also fascinated by, and amazingly knowledgeable about science.  Reading his newest books, The Passenger  and Stella Maris (released this week!), however, and that becomes obvious.  The protagonists are mathematical and physics prodigies, and just as one may requires a dictionary to keep up with the the remarkably diverse prose in Cormac’s writing, some people may need to consult some popular books on science to fully appreciate the scientific asides sprinkled throughout both volumes. I first met Cormac at the Santa Fe Institute back when I was considering a possible position there as its Director, some years ago.  I was shocked to walk into the kitchenette there and discover him, as I had no idea that is where he spent his time.  But, as we discuss in our dialogue, he moved to Santa Fe at the invitation of Nobel Laureate physicist Murray Gell Mann to join the new Institute.  Cormac and I became fast friends then, and have remained friends ever since. The best hour of radio I ever did was with Cormac and Werner Herzog, on the occasion of Herzog’s film Cave of Forgotten Dreams, where both Cormac and Werner talked with amazing authority about the evolution paleontology of early modern humans.   Then later, he honored me by asking if he could copyedit the paperback version of my book Quantum Man, a scientific biography of Richard Feynman. He said he wanted to make the paperback version ‘perfect’, in part by removing all exclamation marks and semicolons..  Of course I said yes, and we added his name as copyeditor on the front page! I have known that Cormac is extremely reluctant to appear in public or do interviews.  He agreed to appear in our film The Unbelievers, which was a great gift, but has often demurred when I have asked him to appear in other public panels on subjects we love to talk about in private.   So, when I asked him if, on the occasion of the publication of his new books, the first books in 16 years, if we could sit down and record a conversation about science for The Origins Podcast, I was shocked and thrilled when he agreed.  He is 89 years old now, and I was so pleased to have the chance to record some of his thoughts on science for posterity.He invited us into his home for an afternoon conversation after a long lunch, and the conversation that ensued was much like the conversations we have had over the years.  Cormac loves to discuss science, but prefers to listen to physicists talk about their work rather than initiate conversations.  He is, after all, notoriously laconic.  But when he does speak about science, his insights are fascinating.  Using some of the ideas discussed in his new books a launching points, our discussion ranged over quantum mechanics, the role of mathematics in science, and whether there will ever be a theory of everything.  There were a variety of challenges that day, including the difficulty of filming something in a sunlight room without window shades, but the end result was unique and memorable.  I hope you agree. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Cormac McCarthy is a literary icon. Winner of the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award for his novel All the Pretty Horses, and the Pulitzer Prize for his apocalyptic novel The Road, Norma’s earlier novel, Blood Meridian has been labelled The Great American Novel. Many people did not know that this cultural giant is also fascinated by, and amazingly knowledgeable about science. Reading his newest books, The Passenger and Stella Maris (released this week!), however, and that becomes obvious. The protagonists are mathematical and physics prodigies, and just as one may requires a dictionary to keep up with the the remarkably diverse prose in Cormac’s writing, some people may need to consult some popular books on science to fully appreciate the scientific asides sprinkled throughout both volumes. I first met Cormac at the Santa Fe Institute back when I was considering a possible position there as its Director, some years ago. I was shocked to walk into the kitchenette there and discover him, as I had no idea that is where he spent his time. But, as we discuss in our dialogue, he moved to Santa Fe at the invitation of Nobel Laureate physicist Murray Gell Mann to join the new Institute. Cormac and I became fast friends then, and have remained friends ever since. The best hour of radio I ever did was with Cormac and Werner Herzog, on the occasion of Herzog’s film Cave of Forgotten Dreams, where both Cormac and Werner talked with amazing authority about the evolution paleontology of early modern humans. Then later, he honored me by asking if he could copyedit the paperback version of my book Quantum Man, a scientific biography of Richard Feynman. He said he wanted to make the paperback version ‘perfect’, in part by removing all exclamation marks and semicolons.. Of course I said yes, and we added his name as copyeditor on the front page! I have known that Cormac is extremely reluctant to appear in public or do interviews. He agreed to appear in our film The Unbelievers, which was a great gift, but has often demurred when I have asked him to appear in other public panels on subjects we love to talk about in private. So, when I asked him if, on the occasion of the publication of his new books, the first books in 16 years, if we could sit down and record a conversation about science for The Origins Podcast, I was shocked and thrilled when he agreed. He is 89 years old now, and I was so pleased to have the chance to record some of his thoughts on science for posterity.He invited us into his home for an afternoon conversation after a long lunch, and the conversation that ensued was much like the conversations we have had over the years. Cormac loves to discuss science, but prefers to listen to physicists talk about their work rather than initiate conversations. He is, after all, notoriously laconic. But when he does speak about science, his insights are fascinating. Using some of the ideas discussed in his new books a launching points, our discussion ranged over quantum mechanics, the role of mathematics in science, and whether there will ever be a theory of everything. There were a variety of challenges that day, including the difficulty of filming something in a sunlight room without window shades, but the end result was unique and memorable. I hope you agree. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

An Origins Podcast EXCLUSIVE: A Dialogue with Cormac McCarthy About Science, on the occasion of his newest book releases

Brian Keating

Find Brian’s INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/39UaHlB and on Spotify here spoti.fi/3vpfXok Brian Keating is an observational cosmology whose work has focused on measuring a possible imprint on the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) that could have come from the earliest moments of the Big Bang, and could even give possible indirect evidence for a multiverse. Indeed, an experiment he worked, called BICEP 2, in 2014 announced a possible result which electrified the science community, and clearly would have resulted in at least one Nobel Prize, had it been verified by other experiments. Unfortunately it turned out that the observed signal was due to an unanticipated dust background in our Galaxy. Brian has written about this experience in a book.Brian has not given up the search however, and is spearheading a new major observatory, supported by the Simons Foundation, to push observations of the CMBR to continue to probe for primordial signatures of Inflation.In addition to his scientific work, Brian is engaged in a host of projects aimed at improving the public’s understanding of science, including his own podcast, and also work he has done in San Diego to help excite kids about mathematics—running programs that I have been fortunate enough to be involved in.We discuss all of these activities as well as his own rather unique background in a refreshing discussion about the ups and downs of science, the importance of public understanding, and also the exciting possibilities for the future of cosmology. And we have the kind of give and take discussion between a theorist and experimentalist that may be useful for non-scientists to listen to.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Find Brian’s INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast on Apple Podcasts <a href="https://apple.co/39UaHlB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apple.co/39UaHlB</a> and on Spotify here <a href="http://spoti.fi/3vpfXok" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">spoti.fi/3vpfXok</a> Brian Keating is an observational cosmology whose work has focused on measuring a possible imprint on the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) that could have come from the earliest moments of the Big Bang, and could even give possible indirect evidence for a multiverse. Indeed, an experiment he worked, called BICEP 2, in 2014 announced a possible result which electrified the science community, and clearly would have resulted in at least one Nobel Prize, had it been verified by other experiments. Unfortunately it turned out that the observed signal was due to an unanticipated dust background in our Galaxy. Brian has written about this experience in a book.Brian has not given up the search however, and is spearheading a new major observatory, supported by the Simons Foundation, to push observations of the CMBR to continue to probe for primordial signatures of Inflation.In addition to his scientific work, Brian is engaged in a host of projects aimed at improving the public’s understanding of science, including his own podcast, and also work he has done in San Diego to help excite kids about mathematics—running programs that I have been fortunate enough to be involved in.We discuss all of these activities as well as his own rather unique background in a refreshing discussion about the ups and downs of science, the importance of public understanding, and also the exciting possibilities for the future of cosmology. And we have the kind of give and take discussion between a theorist and experimentalist that may be useful for non-scientists to listen to.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Brian Keating: Probing the Early Universe and Communicating about Science

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most recognizable faces of science in the world, and for good reason.  He has thought a lot about how to engage people in the wonder and joy of science, something that is also near and dear to my own heart, and to the spirit of many of my own activities, including The Origins Podcast.   I was so happy that Neil agreed to return to have another dialogue on the podcast following the release of his new book, Starry Messenger, because it provided us with the opportunity to have the kind of give and take discussion that I so enjoy having with him, and which I also think is so important for people to get to watch.  Neil and I share many of the same sensibilities but we don’t agree about everything, and our perspectives are sometimes different.  We try to share those different perspectives with each other by respectful dialogue, and discussion.  Sometimes we change each others’ minds, or at least I like to think we do.  That aspect of science, open questioning, joint enthusiasm for trying to find what he calls objective truth, and what I am less willing to label as such, is one of the things he discusses in his book, and I think our dialogue provides a great example of how science can help us move forward together toward a possibly brighter future. It will be interesting to hear what you think about our discussion.  In the end I hope you will find it as entertaining and informative as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most recognizable faces of science in the world, and for good reason. He has thought a lot about how to engage people in the wonder and joy of science, something that is also near and dear to my own heart, and to the spirit of many of my own activities, including The Origins Podcast. I was so happy that Neil agreed to return to have another dialogue on the podcast following the release of his new book, Starry Messenger, because it provided us with the opportunity to have the kind of give and take discussion that I so enjoy having with him, and which I also think is so important for people to get to watch. Neil and I share many of the same sensibilities but we don’t agree about everything, and our perspectives are sometimes different. We try to share those different perspectives with each other by respectful dialogue, and discussion. Sometimes we change each others’ minds, or at least I like to think we do. That aspect of science, open questioning, joint enthusiasm for trying to find what he calls objective truth, and what I am less willing to label as such, is one of the things he discusses in his book, and I think our dialogue provides a great example of how science can help us move forward together toward a possibly brighter future. It will be interesting to hear what you think about our discussion. In the end I hope you will find it as entertaining and informative as I did. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Neil deGrasse Tyson: Starry Messages, Science, Culture, and Life

Peter Boghossian

Pete Boghossian is a philosopher with little tolerance for nonsense, whose efforts to broadly encourage critical thinking using Socratic methods began early on.  While doing his PhD, he worked with inmates to see if he could impact on their moral reasoning through a process of Socratic questioning.Viewing faith-based beliefs as delusional, he worked on ways to encourage believers to question their beliefs.  Because of the inherent difficulties in having such conversations Peter later worked with James Linsdsay to produce a book entitled How to Have Impossible Conversations, outlining a series of techniques aimed at producing productive, rather than defensive, conversations. These techniques form a part of his current program of Street Epistemology, where he takes critical thinking and questioning out into the public, traveling around the country having a series of open conversations with people, and seeing if they are willing to change their beliefs. Peter became more well known among the public when, with Lindsay, and Helen Pluckrose, he wrote a series of spoof papers submitted to gender studies journals, designed to show what they regarded as the lack of true scholarship in that discipline.   Then, most recently, he resigned his position at Portland State University in response to what he said was harassment from the administration, and its lack of commitment to free speech and open inquiry. All of these topics provided fodder for a fascinating discussion, which I hope you enjoy.  As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well.   Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Pete Boghossian is a philosopher with little tolerance for nonsense, whose efforts to broadly encourage critical thinking using Socratic methods began early on. While doing his PhD, he worked with inmates to see if he could impact on their moral reasoning through a process of Socratic questioning.Viewing faith-based beliefs as delusional, he worked on ways to encourage believers to question their beliefs. Because of the inherent difficulties in having such conversations Peter later worked with James Linsdsay to produce a book entitled How to Have Impossible Conversations, outlining a series of techniques aimed at producing productive, rather than defensive, conversations. These techniques form a part of his current program of Street Epistemology, where he takes critical thinking and questioning out into the public, traveling around the country having a series of open conversations with people, and seeing if they are willing to change their beliefs. Peter became more well known among the public when, with Lindsay, and Helen Pluckrose, he wrote a series of spoof papers submitted to gender studies journals, designed to show what they regarded as the lack of true scholarship in that discipline. Then, most recently, he resigned his position at Portland State University in response to what he said was harassment from the administration, and its lack of commitment to free speech and open inquiry. All of these topics provided fodder for a fascinating discussion, which I hope you enjoy. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Peter Boghossian: From Street Epistemology to Academic Freedom

Frans de Waal

Frans de Waal is not only my favorite primatologist, he is one of my favorite scientist-communicators.  His books on primates, particularly on Bonobos and Chimpanzees—from politics to child-rearing and even culture—reveal a tremendous amount about our closest genetic relatives, and hence about ourselves.  His newest book, Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, tackles a particularly hot topic at the current time, but as is typical of his books, this one is both entertaining, and touching, and packed with data rather than anecdotes.   I was very happy to sit down with Frans again to talk broadly about the motivations for his career choice, as well as his many years of experience in the field.  While we focused on his new book, our discussion ranged far more broadly over the importance of primatology as a new and useful window on humans.   I have had the privilege of sharing numerous stages with Frans, as well as hosting him at a previous Origins symposium, and each time I come away with important new perspectives.  This podcast was no exception, and I hope you too will come away from it with a different view of yourself and your relationship to the world around you—which after all, is again one of the purposes of this podcast.Speaking of new perspectives, I describe in the podcast how a video Frans showed me over a decade ago, involving Capuchin monkeys, as I recall, changed my own perspectives on occasions when I experience jealousy or envy, and I think it improved my own behavior, at least a little bit.  Once you here him describe it, I wonder, if you then go to youtube and watch it, whether it will do the same for you.  Either way, enjoy this entertaining, provocative, and informative discussion with a charming and insightful scientist. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Frans de Waal is not only my favorite primatologist, he is one of my favorite scientist-communicators. His books on primates, particularly on Bonobos and Chimpanzees—from politics to child-rearing and even culture—reveal a tremendous amount about our closest genetic relatives, and hence about ourselves. His newest book, Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, tackles a particularly hot topic at the current time, but as is typical of his books, this one is both entertaining, and touching, and packed with data rather than anecdotes. I was very happy to sit down with Frans again to talk broadly about the motivations for his career choice, as well as his many years of experience in the field. While we focused on his new book, our discussion ranged far more broadly over the importance of primatology as a new and useful window on humans. I have had the privilege of sharing numerous stages with Frans, as well as hosting him at a previous Origins symposium, and each time I come away with important new perspectives. This podcast was no exception, and I hope you too will come away from it with a different view of yourself and your relationship to the world around you—which after all, is again one of the purposes of this podcast.Speaking of new perspectives, I describe in the podcast how a video Frans showed me over a decade ago, involving Capuchin monkeys, as I recall, changed my own perspectives on occasions when I experience jealousy or envy, and I think it improved my own behavior, at least a little bit. Once you here him describe it, I wonder, if you then go to youtube and watch it, whether it will do the same for you. Either way, enjoy this entertaining, provocative, and informative discussion with a charming and insightful scientist. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Frans de Waal: Learning from Primates about ourselves: From Gender to Social Hierarchies

Janice Fiamengo

As I describe in the introduction to our discussion, I first learned about Janice Fiamengo by watching an incredible series of videos she produced called The Fiamengo Files.  Not surprisingly, because they presented a well-reasoned approach to various hot-button social justice issues, these videos were taken down YouTube.  No worries, like the proverbial Phoenix, The Fiamengo Files II emerged and can be found.  Janice, a retired Professor of English at the University of Ottawa, calls herself an anti-feminist, which may sound shrill or reactionary, but it is worth listening to her discussions to learn why she so labels herself.  Most recently she has been working on a comprehensive history of Feminism and provides compelling arguments, based on data, that much of conventional wisdom regarding such things as universal suffrage and the plight of women currently misrepresents what actually transpired.  Whether or not you are inclined to agree with Janice, listening to her is enlightening, and it is also enriching.  She is calm and charming, and anything but a firebrand, and I cannot imagine how one could have a non-cordial conversation with her.  Nevertheless, she has been censored, and protesters have too often forced her public lectures to be cancelled.  It is a great pity, because we need voices of reason to speak to each other if we are ever to rise above the partisan nonsense currently engulfing popular debate.  For that reason I was particularly excited that she agreed to come on the podcast to talk about these issues, her current projects, and her past work, including her book Sons of Feminism.  I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did, and are provoked to think about these issues in a new way, no matter what you might ultimately conclude.   That is, once again, one of the purposes of the Origins Podcast, and of the Critical Mass website.  As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

As I describe in the introduction to our discussion, I first learned about Janice Fiamengo by watching an incredible series of videos she produced called The Fiamengo Files. Not surprisingly, because they presented a well-reasoned approach to various hot-button social justice issues, these videos were taken down YouTube. No worries, like the proverbial Phoenix, The Fiamengo Files II emerged and can be found. Janice, a retired Professor of English at the University of Ottawa, calls herself an anti-feminist, which may sound shrill or reactionary, but it is worth listening to her discussions to learn why she so labels herself. Most recently she has been working on a comprehensive history of Feminism and provides compelling arguments, based on data, that much of conventional wisdom regarding such things as universal suffrage and the plight of women currently misrepresents what actually transpired. Whether or not you are inclined to agree with Janice, listening to her is enlightening, and it is also enriching. She is calm and charming, and anything but a firebrand, and I cannot imagine how one could have a non-cordial conversation with her. Nevertheless, she has been censored, and protesters have too often forced her public lectures to be cancelled. It is a great pity, because we need voices of reason to speak to each other if we are ever to rise above the partisan nonsense currently engulfing popular debate. For that reason I was particularly excited that she agreed to come on the podcast to talk about these issues, her current projects, and her past work, including her book Sons of Feminism. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did, and are provoked to think about these issues in a new way, no matter what you might ultimately conclude. That is, once again, one of the purposes of the Origins Podcast, and of the Critical Mass website. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Janice Fiamengo: Feminism, Anti-Feminism, and Common Sense

Richard Dawkins needs no introduction.  He is one of the world’s most well known scientists and science writers.  He is also a good friend and colleague.  As many of you may know, Richard and I have toured much of the world together on stage, often in dialogues about our disciplines, our views of the world, and of course the conflict between science and religion. When we decided to create The Origins Podcast, it was natural to consider early on having a dialogue between Richard and me.   One fateful day, our crew headed to Oxford.  As we began our journey, our car was broken into and much equipment stolen.  Then we had a small car accident later.   We finally got to Richard’s late in the day, in time to begin a dialogue, but not long enough to complete it. I wanted to hold on to that snippet for the right time, so that Richard and I could continue our conversation by touching something new, something we had not talked about before onstage.   The release of two new books over the past year provided just such an opportunity.   Richard and I were able to discuss Flights of Fancy, his latest book, about flight in the animal kingdom and beyond.  It is a beautiful book to read and look at, with delightful illustrations by Jana Lenzova.   I had assumed I knew everything that was in it, as Richard and I had talked about the physics of flying early on when he was writing it.  But I was wrong.  It is a wonderful compendium of fascinating stories about how nature, and evolution, conspired to harness physics to escape, at least temporarily, they tyranny of gravity.   We used the book as a launching point to discuss science more generally.  It was an enjoyable tour from The Selfish Gene to his, and my, most recent thinking about nature.  I hope you enjoy it.  As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Richard Dawkins needs no introduction. He is one of the world’s most well known scientists and science writers. He is also a good friend and colleague. As many of you may know, Richard and I have toured much of the world together on stage, often in dialogues about our disciplines, our views of the world, and of course the conflict between science and religion. When we decided to create The Origins Podcast, it was natural to consider early on having a dialogue between Richard and me. One fateful day, our crew headed to Oxford. As we began our journey, our car was broken into and much equipment stolen. Then we had a small car accident later. We finally got to Richard’s late in the day, in time to begin a dialogue, but not long enough to complete it. I wanted to hold on to that snippet for the right time, so that Richard and I could continue our conversation by touching something new, something we had not talked about before onstage. The release of two new books over the past year provided just such an opportunity. Richard and I were able to discuss Flights of Fancy, his latest book, about flight in the animal kingdom and beyond. It is a beautiful book to read and look at, with delightful illustrations by Jana Lenzova. I had assumed I knew everything that was in it, as Richard and I had talked about the physics of flying early on when he was writing it. But I was wrong. It is a wonderful compendium of fascinating stories about how nature, and evolution, conspired to harness physics to escape, at least temporarily, they tyranny of gravity. We used the book as a launching point to discuss science more generally. It was an enjoyable tour from The Selfish Gene to his, and my, most recent thinking about nature. I hope you enjoy it. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Richard Dawkins: From Selfish Gene to Flights of Fancy

Alex Garland

Alex Garland is probably best known to the world for writing and directing the blockbuster film Ex Machina about the consequences of the coming of age of an AI humanoid robot.  Before that, he wrote the film 28 days later, about the fictional aftermath of a mysterious incurable virus that spreads through the UK.   Most recently he directed a television series for FX called Devs, about many things, but hinging on quantum mechanics and issues of a multiverse.  The human implications of new technology seem to play an ever present role in his films, and I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to chat with him about science and art in the past, and was eager to sit down and record a podcast.  He is remarkably thoughtful and at the same time self-deprecating.   Since the origins podcast tends to focus on issues of science and culture, Alex was the perfect guest, and he seamlessly blends the two.  We sat down and talked about his own origins, emerging from a period of more or less complete disinterest in science to returning to the kind of questioning that his scientist grandfather used to embark on with him when he was a young boy.   Recorded in the building in which his most recent TV series Devs was being recorded, we had to talk about the quantum universe as well.   It was a fascinating and thoughtful conversation about the human interface with modern science, as displayed in film, writing, and art. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Alex Garland is probably best known to the world for writing and directing the blockbuster film Ex Machina about the consequences of the coming of age of an AI humanoid robot. Before that, he wrote the film 28 days later, about the fictional aftermath of a mysterious incurable virus that spreads through the UK. Most recently he directed a television series for FX called Devs, about many things, but hinging on quantum mechanics and issues of a multiverse. The human implications of new technology seem to play an ever present role in his films, and I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to chat with him about science and art in the past, and was eager to sit down and record a podcast. He is remarkably thoughtful and at the same time self-deprecating. Since the origins podcast tends to focus on issues of science and culture, Alex was the perfect guest, and he seamlessly blends the two. We sat down and talked about his own origins, emerging from a period of more or less complete disinterest in science to returning to the kind of questioning that his scientist grandfather used to embark on with him when he was a young boy. Recorded in the building in which his most recent TV series Devs was being recorded, we had to talk about the quantum universe as well. It was a fascinating and thoughtful conversation about the human interface with modern science, as displayed in film, writing, and art. As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers . Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Alex Garland: Fundamental questions inspire art and science

Dr. Krauss is a brilliant physicist with a big public profile for both good and bad reasons. Because of his reputation as a scientist he has managed to get some very smart, fascinating, and famous guests to appear on this podcast. However, his skill as an interviewer is poor. He’s impatient, his mind wanders, and he talks over his guests and interrupts them with exclamations. If you’ve heard Alec Baldwin’s interview show on NPR called Here’s The Thing, you have heard a worse interviewer than Lawrence Krauss, so that’s something. But, end of the day, it’s frustrating and infuriating to listen to an interview show where the guest is consistently sabotaged by the host’s need to talk. Krauss should study the interview styles of Preet Bharara and Terry Gross for examples of how it’s meant to be done...not that he will. And I guess I won’t know if he does, because after listening to a couple of episodes, I have no intention of tuning in again.

Great Guests, Bad Host

Professor Krause is an intelligent, intellectual and powerful speaker. I love his podcasts!

Great Podcasts for Life-Long Learning

The Origins Podcast features in-depth conversations with some of the most interesting people in the world about the issues that impact all of us in the 21st century. Host, theoretical physicist, lecturer, and author, Lawrence M. Krauss, will be joined by guests from a wide range of fields, including science, the arts, and journalism. The topics discussed on The Origins Podcast reflect the full range of the human experience - exploring science and culture in a way that seeks to entertain, educate, and inspire. <a href="http://lawrencekrauss.substack.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com</a> <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com</a>

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette (of Penn &amp; Teller) joins Lawrence at the Origins Podcast studios for a wide-ranging and colorful discussion of topics including ethics, magic, climate change, Richard Feynman, The Amazing Randi, “artistic genius”, and much more.   See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Penn Jillette (of Penn &amp; Teller) joins Lawrence at the Origins Podcast studios for a wide-ranging and colorful discussion of topics including ethics, magic, climate change, Richard Feynman, The Amazing Randi, “artistic genius”, and much more.   See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Lawrence joins philosopher Anthony Grayling in his office at the New College of the Humanities in London.  Together, they discuss the Brexit crisis, Humanism as an alternative to religion, the current state of democracy around the world, and much more. (Note: This episode was recorded in April of 2019, prior to the appointment of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.) See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Lawrence joins philosopher Anthony Grayling in his office at the New College of the Humanities in London.  Together, they discuss the Brexit crisis, Humanism as an alternative to religion, the current state of democracy around the world, and much more. (Note: This episode was recorded in April of 2019, prior to the appointment of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.) See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

A.C. Grayling

Elizabeth Loftus

In this episode, Lawrence is joined by award-winning cognitive psychologist and author Elizabeth Loftus to discuss her ground-breaking work on false memories, recovered memories, “the misinformation effect” and the unreliability of eye-witness testimony. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Lawrence is joined by award-winning cognitive psychologist and author Elizabeth Loftus to discuss her ground-breaking work on false memories, recovered memories, “the misinformation effect” and the unreliability of eye-witness testimony. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Stephen Greenblatt

Lawrence joins Shakespearean, historian, and Pulitzer Prize winning author Stephen Greenblatt to discuss renaissance thinking, the crossroads of science and literature, Adam and Eve, Trump and much more. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Lawrence joins Shakespearean, historian, and Pulitzer Prize winning author Stephen Greenblatt to discuss renaissance thinking, the crossroads of science and literature, Adam and Eve, Trump and much more. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Alan Stern

In this episode, Lawrence sits down with planetary scientist Alan Stern to discuss his new book Chasing New Horizons, which chronicles his work as head of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond.  Stern describes the trials and tribulations of a decades-long space mission, and he and Lawrence debate the future of manned space exploration, and much more. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release.  Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Lawrence sits down with planetary scientist Alan Stern to discuss his new book Chasing New Horizons, which chronicles his work as head of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond.  Stern describes the trials and tribulations of a decades-long space mission, and he and Lawrence debate the future of manned space exploration, and much more. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Stephen Fry

The incomparable Stephen Fry joins Lawrence to discuss topics ranging from Greek myths and language, to AI, technology, religion, politics, and mental health. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release.  And please consider supporting the podcast by donating to the Origins Project Foundation www.originsprojectfoundation.org Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

The incomparable Stephen Fry joins Lawrence to discuss topics ranging from Greek myths and language, to AI, technology, religion, politics, and mental health. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release.  And please consider supporting the podcast by donating to the Origins Project Foundation <a href="http://www.originsprojectfoundation.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.originsprojectfoundation.org</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

In this episode, Lawrence joins environmental scientist Dan Schrag at Harvard University to discuss Earth history, energy policies, and what we can expect from a future affected by climate change.  See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Lawrence joins environmental scientist Dan Schrag at Harvard University to discuss Earth history, energy policies, and what we can expect from a future affected by climate change.  See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Daniel P. Schrag

In this episode, Lawrence joins musician and astrophysicist Brian May at his studio in Surrey.  May, the lead guitarist of the legendary rock band Queen, recently served as a science team collaborator on the New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond.  Together, they discuss the link between his interest in science and music, as well as his passion for stereoscopic photography. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Lawrence joins musician and astrophysicist Brian May at his studio in Surrey.  May, the lead guitarist of the legendary rock band Queen, recently served as a science team collaborator on the New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond.  Together, they discuss the link between his interest in science and music, as well as his passion for stereoscopic photography. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Brian May

Jennifer Finney Boylan

In this episode, Lawrence sits down in the offices of the New York Times with author and columnist Jennifer Finney Boylan. They discuss her life, novels, writing style, and the challenges facing transgender people in the world today. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter:  @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com     Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Lawrence sits down in the offices of the New York Times with author and columnist Jennifer Finney Boylan. They discuss her life, novels, writing style, and the challenges facing transgender people in the world today. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> @TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

Lawrence joins astrophysicist and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson in his office at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City to discuss Neil’s background, science communication methods, creating the perfect science sound bite, and much more. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release. Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Lawrence joins astrophysicist and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson in his office at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City to discuss Neil’s background, science communication methods, creating the perfect science sound bite, and much more. See the exclusive, full HD videos of all episodes at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/originspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/originspodcast</a> immediately upon their release. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginspod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginsPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@TheOriginsPod</a> Website: <a href="https://theoriginspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theoriginspodcast.com</a> Get full access to Critical Mass at <a href="https://lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe</a>

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