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Lawrence M. Krauss

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

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

Jennifer Doudna changed the world. She didn’t do it intentionally. She pursued her curiosity about the structure and functioning of RNA as a research scientist, one who had been trained by some of the most impactful geneticists at the time, including two Nobel laureates. In the process, however, she and her collaborators discovered a genetic tool that has dwarfed all others for its potential to change both the human condition, but also what it may mean to be human. I am referring of course to CRISPR, the tool that Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier helped develop and for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize. 

In our in-depth conversation we covered the scientific origins of Jennifer’s discoveries, and some of their possible implications. In a time when there is a misplaced notion that support for scientific research needs to be applied directly for certain goal-oriented activities, it is refreshing to have such a clear example of the benefits of fundamental research for our society, along with the need to prepare our minds for the possibilities of the future. It is exactly what the Origins Podcast, and the Origins Project Foundation are designed to highlight—the joy, benefits, and challenges of human intellectual inquiry for our society and our future. It was a pleasure and privilege to spend 90 minutes discussing these issues with this world-renowned biochemist and advocate for science. 

Our conversation was both a tutorial about modern genetics, and also an opportunity to discuss issues that society as a whole will have address as we come to grips with the new power of science in this century. With great power comes great responsibility, and I hope discussions such as the one I had with Jennifer will provoke and enlighten. 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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Jennifer Doudna: Scientist and World Changer

A year ago, John Richards the head of the Atheist UK approached me about the idea of celebrating Christopher Hitchens with a Hitchmas event, near Christmas, and on or about the anniversary of Christopher’s death, on Dec 15, 2011. I realized that to do it right would require time and organization, and the proper panelists. I was thrilled that Christopher’s friends and mine, Stephen Fry, Richard Dawkins, and Douglas Murray agreed to be part of the event, and that the HowTo Academy, which organizes wonderful events in London, several of which I had done before, agreed to coordinate the logistics with The Origins Project Foundation. A year later, the sold-out event happened, and we decided in advance to record it appropriately, with 5 cameras, and to have Gus and Luke Holwerda, who directed and filmed The Unbelievers, and with whom I began The Origins Podcast, edit the final product.

As a special Holiday gift, we are making the advert free video version available to both paid and free subscribers here on Critical Mass. This post has the audio version for those who prefer that. If you want to watch the video, open the other Critical Mass post we are releasing this morning. Our YouTube channel will also host the video, and I encourage you to subscribe to that channel as well if you wish. No matter how you watch it, or listen to it (we will make the audio available on iTunes etc), we hope you find this set of reminiscences and the ensuing discussion a wonderful reminder of a remarkable man, and that it inspires you as much as Christopher inspired us. Happy Holidays to you all. 

Lawrence M. Krauss
 

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A Hitchmas Gift For All -Audio Version

Nicholas Christakis is a Renaissance Man, with whom I have wanted to have a conversation for some time. There was so much to talk about with him, and each item was so fascinating, that we barely scratched the surface, even in the lengthy discussion we had. This is a great Thanksgiving Day listen.. instead of football games! One can get a sense of the breadth of his activities by considering his positions at Yale University. He is Sterling Professor (the highest endowed chair at Yale) of Social and Natural History, as well as Director of the Yale Institute for Network Science, and Professor in the Departments of Statistics, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and in the School of Management! 

Nicholas’ personal history is almost as fascinating as his academic accomplishments. Born in New Haven to parents who were graduate students at Yale (his father was a student of the notorious Gregory Breit, about whom I heard many stories when years later I became a Professor in that same department, and his mother was a graduate student of Nobel Laureate Lars Onsager), he moved back to Greece when his father had to return for military service, so Nicholas’s first language was Greek. His parents moved back to the US several years later, and Nicholas grew up in the US, returning to Yale University to study biology. All throughout his childhood he grew up under the shadow of his mother’s fatal illness, and he and his brothers all became doctor’s in response. But while in medical school, the bug for scientific research caused him to pursue both a Masters degree in Public Health and eventually a PhD in Sociology. 

Moving to the University of Chicago, Nicholas focused on caring for dying patients, and exploring how their partnerships affected their health as well as that of their partners. This began an eventual transition to studying not pairs of individuals, but networks of human beings. His laboratory has done groundbreaking experimental work studying how networks of humans operate and how one might improve their functioning. To understand human networks he has also studied networks of animals including our nearest cousins, Primates. 

The results of his investigations informed his most recent remarkable book, Blueprint, focused on the notion that evolution has endowed us to create and function in ‘good’ societies. We spent time discussing all aspects of this work, from the impacts of evolutionary biology on both human and primate societies, artificial communities, and the strange mating rituals of both other animals, and humans, all of which are more diverse than one might otherwise imagine. The exceptions however, prove the rule that a ‘social suite’ of characteristics, including cooperation, love and partnership, leadership and other factors, can produce a successful society. Along the way we discussed topics that appear intuitively surprising, such as culture within animal groups, and how behavior can ultimate affect genetics, something that sounds Lamarckian , but is instead a wonderful example of natural selection. We discussed the philosophical question of the nature of ‘good’, and whether one can indeed get ‘ought’ from ‘is’, as David Hume famously questioned, and ended with a discussion of how AI will affect human societies. 

It was truly a fascinating privilege to have this discussion, and whetted my appetite for further conversations with this lovely and remarkable man. 

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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Nicholas Christakis: From Social Networks to AI, Special Thanksgiving Podcast

Charles Moxley Jr has spent over 35 years as a litigator in New York, in large and complex commercial, securities, insurance and other cases throughout the United States. He is perhaps the last person one might imagine could bring about the end of a continually proliferating international presence of nuclear weapons. Yet personages as eminent as the late Robert S. McNamara, and Cyrus Vance, as well as nuclear security expert physicist Kosta Tsipis think he might have hit a promising line of attack to quell an ever growing international arsenal of nuclear weapons threatening just just world peace but civilization itself. 

Moxley analyzes the question in light of the July 1996 opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, as well as the law as articulated by the United States itself. Using generally recognized facts as to the characteristics and effects of nuclear weapons Moxley Jr concludes that the use of nuclear weapons is "per se" unlawful.

To back up his arguments Moxley Jr wrote a comprehensive treatise, in excess of 800 pages, to examine both the International Court of Justice’s perspective, and also the legal claims made by the United States, in light of the known characteristics of nuclear weapons. His book, which took 10 years to produce in its first edition, was reviewed by major figures in the field, has recently been updated, and released as a two-volume set. It was the new release of these books that prompted our conversation.

In our discussion we unpacked and clarified the various legal issues, as well as the rather strange and one might say absurd position of the United States regarding the effectiveness of their own nuclear weapons arsenal. The result is what can be a clear primer that can add a new perspective regarding the sanity of a world where over 10,000 nuclear weapons exist, with over 2000 such weapons kept on hair trigger alert, and perhaps encourage your own activism in this regard. At the very least it will reveal the remarkable circumstances surrounding the 1996 International Court of Appeals proceedings, and a legal case few outside of experts have ever heard about. I enjoyed the discussion and learned a great deal, and I hope the same will be true of you. 

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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Charles Moxley Jr: Nuclear Weapons are Illegal

Heather Mac Donald is never one to back down from controversy, and that’s exactly what makes our discussions so engaging. She’s sharp, opinionated, and unflinching when it comes to tackling issues many prefer to avoid—whether it’s race, culture, or the idea of meritocracy in modern society. This is the third conversation Heather and I have had for the show. With the release of her new book, When Race Trumps Merit, it felt like the perfect time to bring her back to explore how the focus on race and identity politics is reshaping standards across academia, the arts, and medicine.

Of course, Heather and I don’t always see eye to eye. Throughout this episode, you’ll hear us wrestle with some points from very different perspectives. But that’s what makes these conversations so worthwhile. Origins isn’t just about interviews; it’s about true dialogue—exchanges where ideas are challenged, examined, and questioned from all angles.

In our discussion, we span a wide range of topics, from Heather’s background in classical literature to the current culture wars affecting our institutions. And while our differences come through, it’s these disagreements that add depth and substance to the conversation. Especially now, when polarization is at an all-time high, having open, respectful dialogues is more important than ever.

Whether you find yourself agreeing with Heather or not, I hope this discussion will inspire you to think more critically, challenge assumptions, and look more deeply at the issues shaping our culture today.

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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Heather Mac Donald: When Race Trumps Merit and Reshapes Culture

Saul Permutter won the Nobel Prize for his eventual role in the discovery of dark energy. In 1996 when I was lecturing at LBL he bet me that he would show dark energy didn't exist. His group had been measuring supernova distances for years, in hopes of determining the deceleration rate of the universe. Instead, after recalibrating some of his earlier data, his group and an independent group discovered the universe was actually accelerating. 

That is the beauty of science, it supersedes any individual prejudices, and scientists actually change their minds if the data requires it. This is one of the many important characteristics of science that Saul and his collaborators discuss in their recent book, Third Millennium Thinking. It is a good read, full of useful examples about how scientific thinking is important in the world beyond just science. 

Saul and I had a lively conversation about science, the scientific method, and his own experiences as a scientists. It was an enriching and enlightening discussion, and 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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Saul Perlmutter: Third Millennium Thinking

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING NOW TO SAVE THIS FAMILY!

There are many tragedies in Afghanistan, and thousands of people who need help. We cannot right all the wrongs, but we can save these 8 people. We can save a woman who fought for human rights and now faces execution in Afghanistan if she were to return. We can save 5 young girls who have no access to education, or freedom if they were to return to Afghanistan. Already, during the past 2 years in Afghanistan, they have learned much English, and one of the young girls has been selected for a prestigious online scholarship to study at an English speaking Afghan University now run outside of that country. We can do something concrete and positive to help them.

It isn’t everything, but it is something. I can tell you from my last experience of saving the life of a young girl from Afghanistan so she could study in the United States and eventually pursue and advanced degree that not a day goes by when I don’t think about how that feels to me like one of the most important things I have done. 

I hope you will consider donating, and if you cannot, that you will pass this podcast along to others who may be interested. 

DONATIONS:

The JIAS has kindly created two different direct PayPal donation links.

* The first is specifically linked to the family, and if for some horrible reason the family were not able to arrive in Canada under this program, all funds would be returned to donors. Because the funding relates to this family uniquely, any donations made to this site are not tax deductible for Canadian residents. This is the preferred site for all those who are not concerned about receiving a Canadian tax receipt for their donations.

Here is the direct link: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=VBKBGBFZ5G5FE

* The second is a link to a fund which will provide for the family if they arrive, but if for some reason they cannot arrive, the funds will not be returned but will be allocated to others on the sponsor’s waiting list. Donations to this fund are however tax deductible for Canadian residents, and donors will receive a tax receipt.

Here is the link: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=H49YGR3E5QMBY

 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Origins Podcast: A Call For Support To Save A Family

Helen Pluckrose has been a formidable voice in the cultural and intellectual debates surrounding critical social justice, liberalism, and free speech. I've admired her work for some time, particularly her rigorous analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of these movements. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Helen about her new book, "The Counterweight Handbook," which offers practical strategies for those navigating the challenges posed by critical social justice ideologies in the workplace and beyond.

As with all Origins Podcasts, we spent some time learning about Helen’s own origins, which are just as compelling as her work. From her early years, where she balanced a career in care with a passion for English literature, to her later involvement in the Grievance Studies Affair, which exposed the weaknesses in certain academic fields, Helen has consistently demonstrated a concern for the wellbeing of others and a commitment to liberal values and intellectual honesty.

In our discussion, we covered the origins and evolution of critical social justice, the impact of postmodern thought on modern social theories, and the ongoing challenges of promoting free speech in an increasingly polarized world. Helen shared insights from her work with Counterweight, an organization she founded to support individuals facing ideological pressure in their professional lives. We worked through her new book, which provides remarkably useful guides for dealing with challenges that misplaced critical social justice pressures might impose upon you in the workplace and elsewhere. 

This conversation was both enlightening and engaging. It offers valuable perspectives for anyone interested in the intersection of culture, politics, and philosophy. Helen is a wonderfully clear thinker, a sympathetic presence and a powerful advocate for the principles of liberalism, and it was a pleasure to spend time discussing her work and writing. I hope you find this episode as insightful and useful 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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Helen Pluckrose

Michael Turner has been one of the leading pioneers in the emerging field of particle-astrophysics: the effort to understand the large scale properties of our universe by exploring the fundamental microphysics that ultimately governed the earliest moments of the big bang. It has been an area in which most of my own research has been focused, so it is not surprising that Michael I became on and off research collaborators starting about 40 years ago. In 1995 Michael and I published a paper arguing that 70% of the energy of the universe must reside in empty space if the data at the time were to be self-consistent. Three years later two groups confirmed our prediction, and were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2011 for that discovery. Michael later coined the term “dark energy” to describe this completely mysterious quantity.

Michael is not only a leading scientist, he is also a leading expositor of astrophysics, having written one of the seminal books about the physics of the early universe, and he is frequently sought out by journalists to comment on current results, and by academic audiences for his popular lectures. He has a wry sense of humor, and over his more than 40 years of scientific research he has been involved in many of the key developments that have shaped astrophysics. He has also helped direct the national research effort itself, having been a deputy director of the National Science Foundation, and a former president of the American Physical Society. 

Mike and I sat down for a long overdue discussion of his own perspectives on the field. We discussed his personal history, motivations, and challenges as a young scientist, and then went on to discuss many of the key areas of progress in cosmology over the past 40 years, including some puzzles which remain today, and about which one often reads in the popular press. For anyone interested in cosmology, our discussion will shed a great deal of light on which problems are real, and which are not, and also give a new perspective for how far we have come over the last half century in unraveling many of the mysteries of the universe. 

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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Mysteries of the Cosmos, From Dark Energy to the Big Bang: A State of the Universe report with Michael Turner

You’ve probably heard of Serotonin, or Dopamine. Those are the sexy neurotransmitters that get all the press. However, you have probably not heard of Glutamate. Which is a shame because it is probably the most important neurotransmitter in the brain, responsible in large part for its growth, and also its plasticity. 

Mark Mattson is a neuroscientist with a distinguished career as Director of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging. While initially interested in developmental biology in animals, Mattson’s work in endocrinology led him to become to study the effect of hormones on the brain. Eventually he began to focus on the role of the Glutamate in neuroplasticity and Alzheimers disease. He realized how essential that neurotransmitter was for understanding the very formation of the brain, the growth of neurons, and the formation of axons and dendrites, as well as its key role in brain functions including learning and memory .

I first got to know Mark when we co-organized a workshop on Pattern Processing in the Human Brain, where we invited well known neuroscientists as well as computer scientists and AI researchers to come together to discuss areas of joint interest. The idea was to explore key features that may underlie consciousness, and also to explore how to ensure how to avoid the error-prone brain functioning such as one finds in Schizophrenia as AI systems are developed. The public event associated with the workshop was entitled Creativity and Madness, and involved a dialogue between me and actor Johnny Depp. 

Most recently, Mark has written a fascinating book, entitled Sculptor and Destroyer, to describe and explain the importance of Glutamate in brain formation and functioning. We had a fascinating discussion about that, and also how he became interested in the brain after initially planning to become a veterinarian. I hope you find the discussion as enlightening 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.
 

Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Mark Mattson: Building the Brain: Glutamate as Sculpture and Destroyer

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
 

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Elizabeth Loftus

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