Lawrence Krauss is one of the most engaging science lecturers that I’ve seen. In this 45-minute video (via Vimeo), filmed at Conway Hall in London last October 16, he covers a diverse array of subjects from physics. The title is “Cosmic Connections,” and it’s part of a Sunday lecture series called “The School of Life.” You can see more videos from the series here, unfortunately including a talk by Karen Armstrong.
Krauss’s topics include how stars are born and die, why the greatest privilege of being a scientist is being wrong, why he thinks that we’ll find life on Mars, how both general and special relativity have a direct impact on our lives, and why each time we inhale we take in ten molecules from Julius Caesar’s dying breath.
Now I know that much of this may not be new to some readers, for there are physics-savvy folks among us, but I found it good value for a brief expenditure of time. And it’s a good model for how to lecture about science to the general public.
h/t: Michael
There was nothing new here for me, but it is worth every minute spent watching this enthralling lecture by a master lecturer.
²You can see more videos from the series here, unfortunately including a talk by Karen Armstrong.²
I would have liked to have attended Lawrence’s lecture, even though there wasn’t much new for me in it, but was ill on the day. I am normally at Conway Hall anyway on Sundays but not for the School of Life’s sermon. A couple of weeks ago I had the unpleasant experience of having to pass within 10 yards of said Karen Armstrong – almost enough to make me ill again.
Well worth listening to regardless of having heard much of it before.
As I recall from freshman chemistry it was three molecules of Julius Caesar’s dying breath with each inhalation.
Loved it–thanks for the link.
From the source Vimeo page:
We haven’t heard the last of this.
Nice lecture. I knew this stuff. But it’s very nice to be reminded of it. Thanks.
I just started listening to this through the Guardian Science podcast (they also had a nice, half hour interview with Steven Pinker about his new book), but I might switch to the clip – there’s references to slides, and I’d like to see the nice Hubble pics and all.
Lawrence Krauss is always a great pleasure to listen to; he has a wonderful talent for explaining how things are where other more better known “science communicators” infuriate me with nonsensical statements.
The “Caesar’s Breath” argument is an ancient one (I remember a “Galileo’s Breath”) and not necessarily true; it relies on the assumption that oxygen goes through a cycle and is always recycled; in reality oxygen is scavenged by organisms as well as minerals but oxygen is easily replaced by organisms cycling water.