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Physicist and Author

Prof. Lawrence M. Krauss is Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics, Professor of Astronomy, and Chair of the Physics Department at Case Western Reserve University. He is an internationally known theoretical physicist with wide research interests, including the interface between elementary particle physics and cosmology, where his studies include the early universe, the nature of dark matter, general relativity and neutrino astrophysics.

Prof. Krauss is the author of over 180 scientific publications, as well as numerous popular articles on physics and astronomy. In addition, he is the author of six popular books, including the national bestseller, The Physics of Star Trek, and his most recent book Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth... and Beyond. He has lectured to popular audiences at such places as the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Natural History in New York, as well as serving on the boards of three different science and natural history museums, and appears frequently on radio and television around the world.

The Physics of Star Trek
A multimedia lecture experience

Beginning with a Bang, internationally known physicist Lawrence Krauss will guide you on a warp speed journey through the Star Trek universe, which he uses as a launching pad to offer a glimpse of the fascinating world of modern physics. Through the use of slides, props and video clips, as well as wit and charm, the author of The Physics of Star Trek will deal with topics ranging from time travel to warp speed, from the Big Bang to the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. For Trekkers and non-Trekkers alike, this charming and accessible lecture will add a whole new dimension to your view of the Star Trek universe, and your appreciation of the universe in which we actually live.

Einstein's Biggest Blunder? A Cosmic Mystery Story

In 1915 Einstein completed his greatest triumph, the General Theory of Relativity. This remarkable theory laid the basis not just for our understanding of the motion of objects within the Universe, but the motion of the universe itself! Yet, in 1916, it looked as if Einstein's theory did not properly account for observations of the universe on large scales. To resolve this problem, he added an additional term to his equations, the so-called "Cosmological Constant". Within a decade however, observations indicated that such a term was not necessary to obtain agreement with observations, and Einstein called this addition his "biggest blunder". Over the past decade, new observations have led to a revolution in cosmology. In particular, new data from a wide variety of independent cosmological and astrophysical observations, combine together to strongly suggest most of the energy density of the universe today may be contained in empty space! Remarkably, this is exactly what one would expect if Einstein's Cosmological Constant really exists! If it does, its origin is the biggest mystery in physics.

Science, Non-Science, and Nonsense: From Aliens to Creationism

In March of 1996, the U.S. Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan said on national television that he wasn't descended from apes, and he didn't think children should be taught that they are. Not a single U.S. journalist questioned him on this position. Lawrence Krauss will explore examples from the news, advertisements, TV shows and movies, as well as from his books, to discuss the difference between science and fiction and to explore how the distinction between sense and nonsense is becoming blurred in popular discourse. The lecture will be part "tour" through the fascinating world of modern physics, part fun-filled examination of video clips, and part sober discussion of the various dangers facing modern society if we fail to learn the lessons science has taught us about the world.

Life, The Universe, and Nothing: Life and Death in an Ever-Expanding Universe.

What is the future of the Universe, and the future of life within it? Lawrence Krauss explains why the Universe we appear to inhabit is the worst of all possible universes, as far as considerations of the quality and quantity of life is concerned. He addresses the fascinating question of whether life might be eternal in an eternally expanding universe. The answer to this question appears to hinge on issues of basic physics, in particular on issues of quantum mechanics and computation, which may determine whether life is ultimately analogue or digital.

An Atom from....

We are all star children. Every atom in our bodies is likely, at least once and probably many times, to have been inside the fiery inferno of an exploding star. This lecture will trace the biography of a single atom - one that will be in a glass of water sitting on the stage at the beginning of the lecture - from the beginning of the Universe, before atoms themselves existed, until the end, as we currently envisage it.

Scientific Ignorance as Way of Life: From Washington to the Classroom

We are living in dangerous times. Science is under attack in many areas of our society, from an administration that systematically censors, distorts, or ignores the results of science, to public school systems that are contemplating replacing sound science with pseudoscience or religion. Lawrence Krauss has been at the front lines of the battlefield in the war against scientific ignorance, and gives a report from the vanguard.