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Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Huw Vellacot of Off Course Bike Shop and we all share our bike moments including a particulalry healing ride for Huw. Talk turns to the devasting fire that burned the Off Course home of eighteen years to the ground, almost four weeks ago. The devastation of the fire extends far beyond the bricks and mortar or stock, with twenty staff affected and a community that extends around the world feeling the loss. Huw talks about how the business has been able to regroup, how doing things and being together in a space has helped staff, and the wider community through the recent Fire (Garage) Sale, process not only the loss but what a future might look like. We finish up with a reminder that this Friday sees Critical Mass head to Moonee Valley!
On this inspiring episode of the Authority On Demand Podcast (formerly Authors On Mission Podcast), host Danielle Hutchinson sits down with Dr. Zafra Lerman to discuss her memoir, Human Rights and Peace: A Personal Odyssey.Discover why Dr. Lerman dedicated her life to advancing science education through the arts, advocating for Soviet refusenik scientists, and building bridges across the Middle East through the Malta Conferences Foundation. She shares the powerful stories behind her memoir, the challenges of promoting peace in divided regions, and her vision of creating a "critical mass" for peace that can transform the world.✨ Key Takeaways:• How science can serve as a bridge for peace and collaboration.• The courage it takes to stand up for human rights.• Why building trust across divides is essential for lasting change.
Photographers Cheryle St. Onge and Scott Offen join PhotoWork with Sasha Wolf to discuss their photobooks, Calling the Birds Home and Grace, both published by L'Artiere Editions. In this conversation, St. Onge and Offen generously share their deeply personal approaches to collaborating with and photographing people with whom they have profound emotional connections. St. Onge reflects on documenting her mother's experience with dementia, describing the work as an act of communication, care, and connection. Offen discusses his collaborative portrait project with his partner, Grace, exploring themes of co-authorship, gender, representation, and aging. https://www.cherylestonge.com/ https://www.scottoffen.net/ Scott Offen (b. 1960) is an American East Coast photographer whose work has been exhibited across the United States and prominently featured online. Scott holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He was selected as a finalist for the Critical Mass top 200 Photolucida award in 2021 and has been chosen as a participant in the Chico Hot Springs Portfolio Review in 2020 and 2021. Scott became a recipient of the MassArt Graduate Thesis Award in 2024. Cheryle St. Onge was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. She grew up on college campuses as the only child of a Physics professor and a painter. She received an M.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, Massachusetts. St. Onge's work focus on the crossover of art and science and photography's ability to distill our sense of time and curiosity. She makes pictures predominantly with an 8 x 10 view camera and considers her work a collaborative process. Her photographs have been widely exhibited, most notably at London's National Portrait Gallery, Princeton University, Griffin Museum, University of Rhode Island, Massachusetts College of Art, Rick Wester Fine Arts, and with the American Institute of Architects traveling exhibition. She has received numerous awards and residences, among them a 2009 John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, a Critical Mass Finalist Exhibition Award, Polaroid Materials Artist Support Grant, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Graduate Fellowship, and was named one of the ‘Top 50 Photographers' in the country by Time Magazine.
Ed's new project, Critical Mass, starts with a deceptively simple question: if Canada decides it wants more nuclear power, can it actually deliver it? The answer turns out to be complicated.As part of the project, we're hosting four live town halls across the country. The first was recorded at Toronto Climate Week on June 5, featuring Todd Smith (former Ontario Minister of Energy, now VP at Candu Energy) and Brendan Frank (VP of Policy at Clean Prosperity). Together they work through the project's core tensions - cost, democratic legitimacy, and standardization - with the kind of honest talk you've come to expect from EvC.Thank you to Geoff Burt and The Consecon Foundation for helping make the evening possible. Send us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts
I think this was one of my most enjoyable dialogues in our What's new series. Maybe Sabine and I are getting more used to each other's cadence and interests or maybe it was the subject matter. Either way, I think you will find this to be a fascinating and provocative discussion of science at the forefront, and at the not-so-forefront, because that science is interesting too!We began our discussion describing a new finding of a Giant Ring of galaxies billions of light years across in the sky. The key questions are: Is it real? And is it surprising? We both have slightly different takes on this.Next we described a new measurement of the strength of gravity on scales from 80 to 800 million light years in distance. And guess what? Gravity falls off just like Newton predicted! This may seem like a big yawn, but one of the most popular models that claims to do away with dark matter would imply that Gravity would fall off differently on these scales. Does this new result kill that idea? Stay tuned.Microsoft, which has cried wolf a number of times so far when it comes to something called Majorana qubits as the basis of a new viable quantum computer just published a new paper claiming they finally have it. Sabine and I discuss why we are both still skeptical, but why the effort is worth it.Next, CERN, the large European particle physics laboratory, and the world particle physics community seem to have converged on plans for building a huge new accelerator in the current CERN site.. this time involving an underground ring 91 km in circumference, in which electrons and positrons would collide to explore the detailed properties of the Higgs particle. Is the effort worth it? Again, Sabine and I have slightly different takes on this.Fusion power, which we have talked about in a number of earlier episodes, continues to tempt humanity with the promise of unlimited energy. Many people, myself included, have tended to argue that fusion seems to be 25 years in the future, and may always be 25 years in the future. But many new efforts are underway, so who knows. Unfortunately, a group of economists has analyzed fusion in the context of other large energy programs and have argued that even if we can achieve it, it may not be as economically viable as many claim. Finally, one day Richard Feynman went to a Thai restaurant with his young companion Ralph Leighton, and wondered what he should order. Should it be the same old dish he loved or something new. An equation filled napkin later, and he had the answer. Fifty years later some cognitive scientists resurrected Feynman's napkin and explained it, and argued it might have important implications in other social situations. Such is the power of science.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
Faith and Val are joined in the studio today by Melanie Brown, a nurse from Adelaide who has taken her passion for vaccination and the history of infectious diseases in Australia on an epic ride from Adelaide to Sydney. We kick off with our bike moments before taking a look at some local news including a great (albeit depressing) long read from the ABC The long road to a bike friendly Australia. Serendipitously, Bicycle Network launched a statewide campaign yesterday (together with about 30 community groups including Yarra BUG) arguing for 5% of the Victorian Transport budget to be dedicated to funding Startegic Cycling Corridors. You can check out the campaign and take a look at the different ways to get involved. Discussion turns to Melanie's ride, exploring cemeteries between Adelaide and Sydney and the stories they hold of the impact of sometimes forgotten infectious diseases on the communities now buried there. In between cemeteries she has been enjoying the scenery and wildlife. You can follow her adventures as she continues her journey on Instagram @itsinfectiousWe finish up with a reminder that the next Critical Mass ride is coming up this Friday evening! Bring your lights, ALL of your lights!
On this weeks program Chris catches up with two previous guests, first up Alex Lamb from Nicer Wellington Street, a group of Clifton Hill and Collingwood residents who supported 'Option 1: shared street' for Wellington Street. Alex talks about last Tuesdays massive Yarra Council meeting, where two thirds of public feedback supported to the bold vision make Wellington less traffic choked, and we unpack councillors decision to reject Wellington Street upgrades, road safety audit reports and what it means for the community. We also discussion how misinformation alters public debate for the worse, a comprehensive review of the Wellington Street decision, Congestion levy funds, ongoing fuel crisis, possible North East Link impacts for residents, how current Yarra Council has pattern of behaviour to degrade and stop creation of green spaces in the inner suburbs, an overall lack of vision and future engagement and future plans for a Nicer Wellington Street, including Critical Mass ride on 29 May 2026.Local news includes previous guest Robbie Danger Webb being accepted as official Guinness world records title holder as first openly transgender person to circumnavigate the globe by bicycle and two The Age ig reels on the Alphington Link and the popular Ride Outs events across Melbourne.Second guest is Aidan Barac-Dunn from Safer Streets for Richmond with Adopt safe 30km/h streets in Richmond petition being tabled at council. We discuss about simple steps to make local streets safer with recent Speed Zoning Policy, how Love 30 started in Yarra circa 2018, how more European cities are accepting 30km/h as standard and startling road death statistics in post WWII Richmond, referenced by Janet McCalman in her book, Struggletown Public and Private Life in Richmond 1900–1965, recent speed zone changes in Richmond and planning for future campaigns.Program musicScratching, Malvern StarTycho, Consciousness Felt Four Tet, LushLaibach, Fluid EmancipationTrue Love Always, Bicycle Rider
Ryan Deiss (DigitalMarketer, Scalable.co) joins Matt to talk about why he killed an eight-figure course business, the 80% sales drop that forced the pivot, why AI is replacing courses faster than anyone wants to admit, and how to actually monetize expertise in a post-course world.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:28 Why Ryan "Retired" From DigitalMarketer 03:32 The Real Reason Course Sales Collapsed 06:37 Why AI Beats Courses Every Time 11:54 DigitalMarketer's 80% Revenue Drop 13:05 Why "Course Business" Is the Wrong Frame 16:53 Build Your Own Media First 21:19 The 4 Ways Media Companies Make Money 22:23 Sell AI Trained on Your IP, Not the Course 28:23 Why Coaching On Top of Courses Won't Save You 33:12 The Truth About Cohort-Based Programs 35:14 The 3 Event Business Models 41:36 Sponsorships, Exhibitors & Critical Mass 48:07 Sponsorship Tiers and Protecting the Stage 58:00 Activations, Meetups & Sponsored Experiences 1:02:28 Where to Find Ryan
Alvin Roth is a Nobel Prizewinning Economist whose work on designing markets has had real world impacts that may have saved thousands of lives around the world, while arousing strong emotions both for and against the programs he has helped put in place. Clearly not one to shy away from controversy, he represents the best of what The Origins Project is trying to promote: applying science and reason to public policy. In short, connecting science and culture!Roth's new book, which is fantastic, and comes out the same day this podcast is released deals with issues that often raise the public's ire, from legalizing prostitution, to assisted suicide, and finally to a rational market for kidney transplants. For example, everywhere there is good date, legalizing prostitution reduces not only incidents of sexually transmitted disease, but also violent sexual assaults. It may also combat illegal human trafficking. As far as kidney transplants are concerned, in the US alone, over 130,000 kidney failures occur each year, and only 20,000-30,000 transplants are performed, because of a lack of suitable kidney donors. Roth has already helped resolve one bottleneck, connecting donors with those in need, through a kidney exchange, which is actually more complicated than it may seem due to medical incompatibilities even within closely related individuals. More generally, not only could lives be saved, but as he shows, it would save considerable money if a rational system of reimbursing prospective donors could be devised. Beyond his remarkable work tying empirical testing to theoretical ideas, as a human being, Roth is a saint. I have direct knowledge of this. On the day this podcast was recorded, we had an amazing 3 hour dialogue… one of the best I have had. Only problem was, I forgot to press record! We lost it all. With patience and grace that I never expected, Roth agreed to re-record another podcast on the same day. A friend of mine told me was a mensch. But I never expected that. I am eternally grateful, and I hope you will thoroughly enjoy, and have your perspective of the world altered by my conversation with this remarkable gentleman and scholar. 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
The party comes face to oozing mass with the 'forest' and are then set upon by additional forest creatures, all while trying to escape from the Wild Hunt.You can visit us on twitter and facebook and even chat with us on discord!Also, check us out on twitch and youtube!If you'd like to help us out, and maybe give a Hero Point to a character, buy us a coffee!In the market for some new dice? (who isn't?) Use code SHOTS15 at Easy Roller Dice for 15% off your order!
As Britain's political landscape fractures under the pressure of immigration and identity politics, Canadians are beginning to wonder whether the same future awaits them. The Rebel News podcasts features free audio-only versions of select RebelNews+ content and other Rebel News long-form videos, livestreams, and interviews. Monday to Friday enjoy the audio version of Ezra Levant's daily TV-style show, The Ezra Levant Show, where Ezra gives you his contrarian and conservative take on free speech, politics, and foreign policy through in-depth commentary and interviews. Wednesday evenings you can listen to the audio version of The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid the Chief Reporter of Rebel News. Sheila brings a western sensibility to Canadian news. With one foot in the oil patch and one foot in agriculture, Sheila challenges mainstream media narratives and stands up for Albertans. If you want to watch the video versions of these podcasts, make sure to begin your free RebelNewsPlus trial by subscribing at http://www.RebelNewsPlus.com
On this weeks program we're doing a hour long program as a treat with two interviews.First up: Chris catches up with Erin and Liam from the Nicer Wellington Street crew about advocating for a leafier, quieter, and safer Wellington Street for everyone in the week before a crucial vote at the next Yarra Council Meeting on 12 May 2026.Erin and Liam discuss supporting Option 1 for both Wellington Street - South and Wellington Street - North, building community support in Clifton Hill and Collingwood, with over 900 names in support, improving canopy cover, road design, improving resident amenity, parking issues, writing to councillors, Yarra receiving $3m per year from Congestion Levy for active transport projects, and challenging confusion and misinformation, including cross street traffic fears and that the north section of Wellington Street could be closed to local traffic.Second chat: Cr Eleanor Freeman from City of Adelaide talks about a recent feasibility assessment to create pop up bike lanes due to Australia's ongoing fuel crises.Eleanor discusses creating safe conditions for new and intending riders, keeping the city open, working on network gaps, new cycling strategy as part of City of Adelaide Integrated Climate Strategy 2030 and working towards a more strategic approach with South Australia state government (Party leader backs pop-up bikeways in Adelaide CBD, Pop-up bike lanes mooted for Adelaide streets)News includes Alphington Link to be completed due to state government implementing the Transport Integration Act so that 120m of shared trail can finally be constructed after a insane 37 year wait, Ride & Stride e-bike subsidies for Merri-bek families, a fabulous BikeRave Melbourne ride on the weekend just gone, Critical Mass on 29 May 2026, Maribynong Council investigating a pop up bike lane program and Sydney Road issues due to looming Level Crossing works. (The 9km corridor that's recorded 279 cyclist crashes but still doesn't have a protected bike lane)Program musicScratching, Malvern StarStreets of your town, The Go-betweensSource, Tycho
A traffic jam in a video game changed how Bryan Kelly saw his city. He traces the path from playing City Skylines and watching Not Just Bikes to noticing stroads, long waits at traffic lights, and people biking on sidewalks along Sheboygan's Eighth Street. That shift pulled him into a Strong Towns book club in a local coffee shop, Critical Mass rides with neighbors, and quiet committee rooms where he was sometimes the only person at the microphone. When a council seat opened, he carried those lived observations into a campaign centered on safer streets and fiscally careful projects. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Bryan Kelly (LinkedIn) Sheboygan Active Transportation (Site) Local Recommendations: Paradigm Coffee & Music Three Sheeps Brewing Evergreen Park Harry's Diner Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here! This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Thank you! Join fellow members discussing this episode in The Commons.
Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Dr Afshin Jafar, Research Fellow at RMIT University. We all share our bike moments and wax lyrical about Friday evening's Critical Mass ride along Sydney Road to protest the diabolical detours proposed by the LXRP while the Upfield Path is closed for construction. Dr Jafar reminds us that in addition to the well known benefits of bike riding and the community it builds, like Critical Mass, we also need quantifiable benefits to support business cases for infrastructure that allows people to move around safely by bike. Finding a way to model these benefits to specific contaxts has remained a challenge which is why RMIT has been working on a tool for bicycle infrastructure investment analysis. With greater nuance in its modelling of the diversity of riders the tool combines spatial, infrastructure and safety data integration, demand forecasting and econometric scenario projections to understand how to best achieve successful rollouts that maximise the benefits of cycling as a transport mode. A recent case study in Bendigo provides some insight into how the tool might work. While we ran out of time to mention it on the program don't forget that Melbourne Bike Rave is coming up this coming weekend!
I'm back with my friend and colleague Sabine Hossenfelder for another episode of “What's New in Science”. Spending time with Sabine was a nice chance to step away from my physics lecture series for a bit. I know many of you have been enjoying the lectures, so don't worry, they'll be back soon.In this episode, we covered an incredibly wide range of science topics. Sabine opened with reported claim that the CIA used quantum magnetometry to find the downed pilot in Iran. The report, in the NY Post, looked fishy. We explain why it is. Then I described a new discovery in the physics of material that may solve perhaps the biggest problem in AI now: heat generation in computers. Sabine talked about a new claimed Big Bang Theory that might have some relevance to quantum gravity. Then I countered with a discussion of yet a new result that suggests the standard model of cosmology may have troubles, or that observers are wrong. After that, Sabine introduced a paper describing a possible new way to measure gravitational waves. I think it is a fine piece of work, though it is not clear if it is practical. If it were, then the huge interferometers that are now being used could be replaced by ‘tabletop' detectors. We will see. Finally, I described an amazingly interesting news story that might have implications for the future of medicine. It also demonstrates what one person, with determination and wealth, can do to possibly cure their own maladies. Sid Sijbrandij, a billionaire tech CEO of Gitlab, was diagnosed with inoperable spine cancer, and launched an amazing program of diagnostics, AI data mining, and a group of scientists who developed vaccines specific to his genetic makeup. After implementing all the procedures, he has been cancer free for a year. While this is beyond the reach of people without these resources now, Sid's story demonstrates the potential power of combining AI and genetic medicine in the future.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
We usually begin the study of physics with a discussion of motion, not because it is easy, or because the modern understanding of motion began with Galileo hundreds of years ago. Rather, Galileo's groundbreaking work provides a paradigm to understand how physics is done today. Extracting out the fundamental essence of motion from all the distractions associated with what turn out to be irrelevant complexities was a monumental intellectual leap for humankind—a leap we often take for granted. Without the leap, for example, Newton could never have made his profound discoveries about the relationship between force and movement, nor his discovery of the Universal Law of Gravitation. But too often we treat these remarkable achievements as something belonging in antiquity.. as if we have moved far beyond them in every way. Nothing could be further from the truth. Applying the very same ideas that Galileo and Newton developed leads us to the cusp of modern physics: the discovery of the dominant mass in the Universe, a vast invisible sea of dark matter. In this episode, we travel over 450 years of physics, from Galileo, to the threshold of our understanding of the cosmos today. Hang onto your hats. I'm also pleased to share a quick PSA. A reminder of our 2026 Origins expedition through the Greek archipelago (July 24 to 31), with a Cyprus add-on (July 17 to 22). If you're interested, it's worth raising your hand early. These trips tend to fill quickly. Express interest at https://originsproject.org/greek-adventure-2026-application/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
What if science could become a bridge to peace? In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Dr. Zafra Lerman, internationally recognized chemist, educator, and human rights advocate who has dedicated her life to using science as a tool for collaboration across political and cultural divides. Dr. Lerman shares the story behind the Malta Conferences, where scientists from countries throughout the Middle East—including nations often in conflict—come together to collaborate on shared global challenges such as water resources, energy, and environmental sustainability. These gatherings create space for dialogue, discovery, and human connection, helping participants see beyond stereotypes and build relationships rooted in respect and shared purpose. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Lerman reflects on her courageous journey—from advancing science education for underserved students to advocating for human rights and promoting science diplomacy as a pathway to peace. In this episode: • How the Malta Conferences bring scientists from divided regions together to collaborate. • Why shared global challenges like water, energy, and air quality require cooperation beyond borders. • Dr. Lerman's belief that creating a “critical mass” of scientists can spark a chain reaction for peace. • How individuals can use their own skills and passions to influence the world for the better. This inspiring conversation is a powerful reminder that collaboration, curiosity, and courage can transform division into understanding—and knowledge into positive influence. Connect with Dr. Lerman or learn more: Dr. Lerman's website: zafralerman.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zafralerman/ The Malta Conferences Foundation, using science diplomacy as a bridge to peace in the Middle East: maltaconferencesfoundation.org The Lerman Institute for the Advancement of Science, she developed unique methods of teaching science through art, music, dance, drama, rap, poetry, and animation which was proven extremely successful with underprivileged students around the globe: https://www.lermaninstitute.org/
Alcoholism is a scourge on modern society. Every year, 178,000 American die from alcohol abuse, and it has been estimated that over 200 billion dollars is lost from the US economy due to alcoholism, includingcosts of health care, lost productivity, and costs of crime enforcement. Given this immense social cost, it is equally amazing that there is no widely accepted cure. Rather, alcoholics are told they need to abstain from taking a single drink for the rest of their lives, or they are likely to revert to their earlier states of alcohol abuse. Katie Herzog is a journalist whose work I have enjoyed and I was happy to have a conversation with her in general. But even more so after the publication of her recent book, Drink your Way Sober. She discusses there a fascinating science-based approach that appears to provide a ‘cure' for many alcoholics that actually allows them to drink, if they wish, in moderation, for the rest of their lives. The idea is to use an opioid blocker, in this case something called naltrexone, that basically removes the pleasure response from drinking. A naltrexone pill can be taken a few hours before drinking, and over time, with the correct behavioral management, it has been shown to be effective for many drinking in removing the craving for alcohol.What makes Katie's book, and our discussion, so poignant is that Katie is not just a journalist writing about alcoholism, she was an alcoholic for most of her life, and her discovery of the work of of the so-called Sinclair Method, after the scientist David Sinclair, whose original work on naltrexone in Finland changed the field, changed her life. Her book intersperses her own experiences with the science underlying this new treatment for alcoholism, and it is thus perfect for our podcast, which connects science and culture. It also makes for a fascinating and informative conversation that I hope will help have a positive impact on treating this international blight. I hope you find it engrossing and as enjoyable to listen to as it was to produce.And there are still berths available on our Greece and Cyprus adventure. Go to originsproject.org and explore the possibilities!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
In this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast, host Stewart Alsop sits down with Vahram Ayvazyan, founder of the Armenian Network State, for a wide-ranging conversation touching on AI and the future of work, the cyclical nature of human conflict throughout history, the decay of the nation-state, the concept of a "fourth establishment" of free people operating outside traditional power structures, the role of greed and self-aggrandizement in politics and tech, and how network states could serve as a parallel structure to challenge entrenched global elites. You can find Vahram on LinkedIn, or check the Armenian Network State page at networkstate.io.Timestamps00:00 The Future of AI and Humanity05:57 Human Nature and Greed12:00 The Crisis of Nation-States17:53 Community Resilience and Abundance23:30 The Power of Storytelling in Change29:43 Cultural Connections: Armenia and Africa35:43 Western Dominance and Its Consequences42:17 Creativity in the Age of AI48:07 Creating Parallel StructuresKey Insights1. Humans advance technologically but remain socially and biologically stagnant. Vahram argues that despite extraordinary technological leaps, human nature remains driven by greed and self-aggrandizement. Conflicts today mirror those of thousands of years ago, with only the actors changing while the underlying structure of power struggles stays the same.2. Power corrupts by disconnecting leaders from reality. Using a personal account of a deputy head of state, the guest illustrates how those who gain significant power gradually lose touch with reality, fall into cycles of wanting more, and become trapped in ego-driven decision-making regardless of their original intentions.3. The nation-state is in decay and failing its citizens. Globalization, internet, and migration have eroded the nation-state's ability to deliver basic services. Events like the Valencia flooding exposed how even wealthy European governments mismanage resources despite collecting enormous tax revenues.4. Three institutions currently rule the world, with a fourth emerging. Nation-states, multinational corporations, and religious institutions form today's power structure. The guest envisions a "fourth establishment" — network states — composed of free-thinking individuals connecting across geographies to build parallel, dignity-based communities outside these failing systems.5. Intentions matter more than the tools themselves. Whether discussing AI, nuclear energy, or mathematics, the guest emphasizes that technology is neutral and that what defines civilization is the moral intention behind its use, not the sophistication of the tools developed.6. Western civilization's dominance was built on superior weapons, not superior values. The guest challenges Western narratives by suggesting its historical advantage came primarily from military technology rather than cultural or moral superiority, contrasting this with indigenous and Eastern philosophies that treat land, community, and human relationships as sacred rather than as capital.7. Evolutionary, not revolutionary, change is the path forward. The guest warns that revolutionary movements are easily infiltrated, diverted, or crushed by existing power structures. Meaningful change requires patiently building critical mass through parallel structures, storytelling, and emotional connection until the alternative becomes undeniably powerful.
David, 80, has been teaching ministry for over 60 years. He has decades of experience as a minister, teacher, author, spiritual guide and sound healer - and has journeyed from a fundamentalist Christian upbringing to an inclusive spiritual vista that primarily champions love over fear. David is the founder and spiritual leader of the ‘Academy for Spiritual Awakening' - a vibrant sanctuary blending things like Christian texts, Gnostic insights, Kabbalah, A Course in Miracles, and modern science to inspire transformation. David works extensively with ancient Solfeggio frequencies and tuning forks, his teachings and insights are weaved with various knowledge from qigong, meditation, 5D, building community, cellular shifts, unconditional love, star-seeds, and many more.In this episode we talk ancient frequencies, 'Babes, Adolescents, and Co-Creative Adults', the overlooked gaps in sacred stories, inner knowing vs. structured faith, DNA revelations from quiet reflection, heart-centered sound work, stages of inner maturation, physical manifestations of soul growth, disorders leading to renewal, experiencing divine encounters, universal memory, sound's role in vitality, ecstatic energy release, community sanctuaries, creating lasting impact, shaping our destinies through community and much, much more.Notable quotes from David in this episode:“The path you're really on should be the path to no path. We don't need to get something we don't have. We need to remember what we've forgotten.”"Over the past six decades, I've moved beyond the traditional fundamentalist religious framework to embrace a broader, more inclusive understanding of spirituality."“Don't believe everything I say just because I say it. Take what resonates with your own innate intelligence. That's where your own ‘I AM' code comes in.”“Transformation begins with chaos and disorder. The caterpillar doesn't go through all that to become an enlightened caterpillar -it becomes a butterfly.”"He said, I'm the way. And I think they cut out the way. You know, there's at 18 years missing in the Bible that nobody wants to talk about in Christian. Them. Like, okay, that wasn't important. He didn't say anything for 18 years that maybe you need to know."“I want to work with what's breaking through, not try to fix what's breaking down.”"I'm sure that old caterpillar goes, what in the world is going on here? You know, I've been nibbling on this leaf, and now there's I've eaten all my resources. I have nowhere to go but what's happening inside of me? I don't know what's happening."Follow David Hulse hereAcademy for Spiritual Awakening → https://sanctuaryforawakening.comHeartLight Spiritual Center → https://www.heartlightcharlotte.orgSomaEnergetics (Sound Healing) → https://somaenergetics.comInstagram: @academyforspiritualawakeningSubscribe to stay up to date.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Welcome & Awakening as Process vs. Event3:30 – Western Product Mindset and the Missing 18 Years of Jesus8:20 – Reevaluating New Age Teachings and Paradigm Shifts14:10 – Gnosis, Innate Intelligence, and Suppressed Knowledge21:00 – The 1980s DNA Meditation Download29:00 – Discovering Solfeggio Frequencies & Tuning Forks39:30 – Spiritual Growth Stages: Babes, Adolescents, Co-Creative Adults47:30 – Cellular Awakening: Inner Becoming Outer56:00 – Caterpillar Chaos to Butterfly Transformation1:04:30 – David's 17-Year-Old Awakening & Cosmic Story1:11:00 – Starseeds, Critical Mass, and Global Evolution1:15:30 – Gospel Roots, Sound Spirals & Energy as Currency1:17:30 – Coccyx Activation, Etheric Blueprint & Tuning Fork Practice1:18:30 – HeartLight Center, Academy Legacy, and Community Building1:19:00 – Forgotten Pre-Incarnation Contracts and Future Activations1:19:20 – Closing Wisdom: Walking Each Other HomeKEYWORDS:spiritual awakening journey david hulse, solfeggio frequencies dna activation, tuning forks energy healing guide, cellular awakening symptoms explained, gnosis vs religious dogma, 5d consciousness transition podcast, caterpillar butterfly spiritual metaphor, pre incarnation contracts revelation, etheric blueprint sound therapy, energy currency manifestation techniques, spiritual stages babes adolescents adults, breakdown breakthrough motivation, junkyard love podcast full episode, ancient frequencies meditation practice, academy spiritual awakening reviewfor new updates: instagram @jacobfromtheinternet
In this prophetic message, Pastor Olubi Johnson reveals a divine pattern seen in both Solomon's temple and the Upper Room: when a consecrated, unified company reaches spiritual “critical mass,” the glory of God fills the house. Glory does not rest on a crowd—it rests on a company. Before intercession comes identity: as He is, so are we in this world. We do not pray toward a throne; we pray from one. This message outlines the four conditions that form the threshold: Consecration Unity (“one sound”) Persistent Spirit-prayer Refined hearts walking in love Tongues builds prayer mass. Travail increases spiritual intensity. Love keeps the flow pure. When these converge, heaven responds. Pastor Olubi also reminds us that the prayers of generations past are stored before God. Our intercession today may be what tips the bowl. The glory is coming. The question is whether we are refined enough to carry it.
In this prophetic message, Pastor Olubi Johnson reveals a divine pattern seen in both Solomon's temple and the Upper Room: when a consecrated, unified company reaches spiritual “critical mass,” the glory of God fills the house. Glory does not rest on a crowd—it rests on a company. Before intercession comes identity: as He is, so are we in this world. We do not pray toward a throne; we pray from one. This message outlines the four conditions that form the threshold: Consecration Unity (“one sound”) Persistent Spirit-prayer Refined hearts walking in love Tongues builds prayer mass. Travail increases spiritual intensity. Love keeps the flow pure. When these converge, heaven responds. Pastor Olubi also reminds us that the prayers of generations past are stored before God. Our intercession today may be what tips the bowl. The glory is coming. The question is whether we are refined enough to carry it.
Sylvia Pizarroso is a finance veteran with over 30 years of experience in commercial and business banking. Known for her expertise in business development, client relationship management, and risk mitigation, Sylvia has a strong background in credit analysis, cash management, and SBA lending. She has served as a trusted advisor to businesses of all sizes throughout her career. Sylvia holds a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in Finance. In April 2024, Sylvia joined the OCIE Small Business Development Center (OCIE SBDC) as the Finance Center Director. She came to the SBDC after a distinguished 14-year tenure at JP Morgan Chase, where she held several leadership positions, most recently as Executive Director in their Commercial Banking division. As Finance Center Director, Sylvia leads a team dedicated to providing critical financial support and guidance to small businesses. Her leadership extends to the community as demonstrated by her service as the 2022-2024 Board Chair of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Deeply committed to empowering Latino youth, Sylvia is actively involved in mentoring and community outreach. She serves as the Mentorship Program Advisor for the Orange County Hispanic Youth Chamber of Commerce and is a board member of the Orangewood Foundation, an organization supporting youth transitioning out of the foster care system. An immigrant from La Paz, Bolivia, Sylvia's personal journey embodies the American dream. Her drive and dedication have fueled her success, and she is passionate about helping others achieve their professional and personal dreams. Sylvia is married and has two children, Michelle and Luke. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.
The coverup is widening, the documents are missing, and history suggests the collapse comes faster than anyone expects…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Crystal is back with bible quotes, an opening statement, a closing statement, and a jury duty summons for her listeners, especially those 0.2% who do not have Morgellons disease. "Please prove I'm delusional and this is all just coincidences and not a multi-generational coverup related to the Pentagon, Trump's personal pal Geoff Pedepstein and the villain I used to make fun of people for calling a villain, Gill Baites . . ." -CCAnd Crystal swore for six seasons that she was not "that person." It turns out "that person" was not entirely wrong on this matter, and that person is now feeding her the 50th serving of her own previously recorded words. Touche sans T and E. Because reality as it turns out, is an irreal coincidence cascade that, along with the accidental, question-begging facts, converges into a strong circumstantial case for coverup and conspiracy. "You be the judge." - CC
Protect Your Retirement with a PHYSICAL Gold and/or Silver IRA https://www.sgtreportgold.com/ CALL( 877) 646-5347 - You Can Trust Noble Gold Attorney Todd Callender and Dr. Lee Vliet are back for another exciting episode of the world is falling apart. In this one we discuss the earth shattering Epstein emails, Pam Bondi's tone deaf idiocy, and the pure evil that has been revealed which proves that Pizzagate is 100% real and far worse than even most people thought. Thanks for tuning in. https://rumble.com/embed/v73moxa/?pub=2peuz
I'm back with my friend and colleague Sabine Hossenfelder for another episode of “What's New in Science”. I think this is one of my favorite dialogues that we have had. Spending time with Sabine was a nice chance to step away from my physics lecture series for a bit. I know many of you have been enjoying the lectures, so don't worry, they'll be back soon. In this episode, we covered the kind of science news I like best: ideas you can argue about and results that make you recalibrate. Sabine opened with describing a clever proposal that future fusion reactors might double as axion dark matter factories, producing a flux of very light, weakly interacting particles through neutron-lithium reactions in the shielding. That led to a discussion about what people mean by “axions,” why particle physicists tend to be more particular about the term, and why I'm always more interested in dark matter candidates that were invented to solve an actual problem, not just to fill a cosmological gap. From there we jumped to quantum mechanics at the edge of common sense, with a Vienna experiment showing interference from a cluster of thousands of atoms, and a friendly disagreement about whether “collapse” is a real physical process or just the wrong way to talk about what quantum mechanics is doing.We also talked about AI and math, including the recent swirl of claims about machines proving famous open problems, what was hype, what was rediscovery, and what might genuinely be changing in how mathematicians search the landscape. Then we went from equations to extinction, with a fascinating new approach using space dust and helium isotopes to argue that life may have started rebounding after the Chicxulub impact far faster than people had assumed. Sabine brought a surprising example of string theory mathematics finding a practical use in modeling biological networks, and we ended with biology proper in two very different moods: a sobering study in mice suggesting lung tumors can hijack vagus nerve signaling to suppress local immune responses, and then a lighter result about dogs learning words from overheard human conversation at roughly toddler level. My dog Levi, who many of you have seen on the podcast, was asleep next to me while we talked about it, which felt like the right way to end.As always, thank you for your continued support, and I hope the changing of seasons brings you good time with friends and family.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
Mor Milo is the CEO and Founder of Relli, a pioneering platform building "The Stock Market of Real Estate." Relli is a Passive Real Estate Investing Marketplace. It helps Commercial Real Estate Sponsors generate Accredited Investor leads for real estate syndications and funds through engaging its community and performance marketing. Mor Milo brings a unique perspective shaped by his immigrant family's real estate investment journey and his experience as a retail investor in stocks and cryptocurrencies. Frustrated by the lack of similar flexibility and selection in real estate investing, Milo and co-founder Ross Iannarelli spent 18 months researching the market before launching Relli. Their approach combines deep customer discovery—interviewing operators, investors, builders, lenders, and flippers—with transparent execution and iterative product development. Before founding Relli, Milo and Iannarelli built multiple startups, hosted a business education podcast requiring them to read 52 books annually, and developed expertise in go-to-market strategy and corporate sales systems. This operational foundation informs Relli's expanded service offerings, which now include CRM buildouts, automated sales cadences, videography services, and messaging strategy for real estate operators unprepared for the leads they receive. Mor brings extensive expertise in finance, HR, business administration, operations, leadership, sales, strategic partnerships, and startup development to his role. Outside of Relli, Mor dedicates his time to various philanthropic efforts. He leads a men's group, volunteers as a coach with a transformational personal development training school, and supports non-profits such as Elephant Cooperation, Fish for Life, and many more. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.
Before you spin that next black circle, let SURFACE NOISE inform, entertain, and complain! For this latest rendition of the program, we go through some current events including updated release dates from Acoustic Sounds on some long awaited Bob Marley titles and a new Beach Boys boxset highly coveted by their fan base (and already sold out on their webstore). Add in a couple other new releases out this weekend, and consider the "inform" box checked! ✅ The panel then delves into a conversation about whether record collectors today are too critical - expectations in quality, value, and sound just scratch the surface (pun not intentional). Does a critique often become misconstrued as being critical? And should we always be critical in evaluating what we are bringing into our collections, and why we collect? So many questions! Grab the oven mitt,
Links & ResourcesFollow us on social media for updates: Instagram | YouTubeCheck out our recommended tool: Prop StreamThank you for listening!
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, as Arthur C. Clarke put it. In that spirit, the way we get closest to “magic” in physics is not by memorizing more facts or equations, but by learning a few mental tools that help us see through the illusion of complexity by extracting the wheat from the chaff. They are all simple at heart, but nevertheless quite powerful, and they form the core of what I call the Gestalt of Physics—the worldview that governs how physicists approach nature. And some of them can actually seem like magic to the uninitiated! I'm also pleased to share a quick PSA. We're organizing our next Origins travel adventure: a sailing expedition through the Greek archipelago (July 24 to 31) with bestselling author and Biblical and ancient civilization scholar Bart Ehrman and me, with a possible Cyprus add-on (July 18 to 23). If you're interested, it's worth raising your hand early. These trips tend to fill quickly. Express interest at http://originsproject.org/greece-2026In Lecture 1, I used powers of ten as an intellectual zoom lens, a way to escape the trap of human scale. Lecture 2 steps back and asks a more fundamental question: how do physicists consistently make progress when the world looks hopelessly complicated?This lecture focuses on the fundamental toolkit for seeing. We will use these tools throughout the series, because they are the difference between being dazzled by nature and being able to interrogate it, and ultimately understand it.First, order of magnitude thinking, the art of using powers of ten and rough estimates. It is how you keep your intuition tethered to reality, and how you avoid being bullied by big numbers dressed up with false precision.Second, approximation, which is where I introduce my super cow. It is not only a spherical cow. It's better. My super cow has exactly the features we need for the question at hand, no more, no less, and it politely agrees to ignore everything irrelevant. I introduce it with a joke, but it is also the core of how we turn messy reality into something we can actually calculate without lying to ourselves.Third, dimensional analysis, one of the great bargains in science. The fact that there are essentially only 3 fundamental ‘dimensional' quantities describing nature—Length, Time, and Mass—means that all physical quantities can be related to other physical quantities through a small set of relations. Keeping track of dimensions allows us to often guess what the relations are, without knowing any details of specific physical situations. It seems like magic. By keeping track of the dimensions underlying quantities, you can often infer the form of an answer and you can catch nonsense instantly. Sometimes the most important result is realizing something cannot be right, because that is where new physics likes to hide.Along the way I adopt some Fermi style challenges—named after the remarkable physicist Enrico Fermi—to show how these ideas work in real time, and why they are not parlor tricks. They provide a training in scientific judgment. I also end with a preview of what comes next, symmetry, a concept that quietly runs far more of the universe than most people realize.Enjoy, and feel free to share.LawrenceAs 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
Celia Jones, JD is a seasoned marketing and brand strategist currently serving as Global Chief Marketing Officer at FINN Partners, a leading integrated public relations and communications agency. With more than 20 years of experience, she has shaped the marketing and brand narratives of disruptive agencies and challenger brands, blending brand strategy, integrated communications, cultural storytelling, and thought leadership. Before FINN, Celia was CEO of The Escape Pod, where she led the agency to multiple Ad Age Small Agency of the Year honors, and she has held senior marketing roles at Havas and Critical Mass. She holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a BA in English from the University of Notre Dame.
The Offseason Team Previews from free agency, team need scores, and highlight statistics from the 2025 season. In this episode, the Minnesota Vikings. Get 400+ premium podcasts by signing up at www.UTHDynasty.com as a General Manager PLUS subscriber. Also, get access to exclusive shows and deep data dive content from Chad Parsons (and a VIP Chat with the best dynasty owners on the planet) by signing up as an All-Pro at www.Patreon.com/UTH. Thanks for listening, and keep building those dynasties! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode of JKL Media Reviews, Karen, Jesse, and Lou dive deep into 'Critical Mass,' the penultimate episode of The Expanse Season 1. The hosts dissect Julie's backstory, her tragic fate, and her connection with various key characters. They explore the implications of the bio-weapon, the sinister experiments on Eros, and the relentless political machinations. The discussion also touches on Christian's moral complexities, the evolving dynamics among the Rocinante crew, and the shocking cliffhanger that leaves Holden and Miller in a life-threatening situation. Join the conversation as they unravel the episode's mysteries and foreshadow the explosive season finale.
Guest: Behnam Ben Taleblu. The Iranian regime faces a critical mass of dissatisfaction, responding with violence against protesters and hospitals rather than addressing grievances. Inflation for food has reached nearly 73 percent, and medical security is nonexistent. Unlike in 2009, opposition is rallying around figures like Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
New Year's Eve always comes with that familiar urge to clean the slate, toss out what didn't hold up, and keep what actually earned its place. That's basically the spirit of our latest “What's New in Science” episode with Sabine Hossenfelder.We began with the season's favorite shiny object: wormholes. The headlines have been everywhere, but we talked through why most of these stories quietly slide from “a speculative tool in a model” to “a virtual phenomenon that might be useful in calculations.” Traversable wormholes of course still run straight into hard constraints like negative energy and the time machine problem.From there we moved to something much more grounded: CERN. ATLAS has now observed the Higgs decaying into muon pairs, which is exactly the kind of precise confirmation you want for the Standard Model, and while it is yet another remarkable confirmation of how well the fundamental feature of the Standard Model works, it once again sharpens the contrast with the inexplicable nature of the only feature that doesn't seem to fit: neutrino masses. And it leaves us hanging about where to look next.We next spent time on what the future might look like for big particle collider projects and what it says about the field's priorities, including the signal sent by China's latest five-year plan, which no longer features a massive circular collider proposal. We touched on a smaller CERN result as well, and used it to reflect on a broader point: some of the most stubborn, interesting physics lives in regimes that are messy rather than glamorous.Then we took a quick detour into a quantum gravity-adjacent proposal about whether the way we average quantities in general relativity could matter for quantum corrections, and finally landed on a genuinely satisfying closer: OSIRIS-REx's Bennu samples. Finding ribose alongside other prebiotic building blocks makes it harder to dismiss the idea that the chemistry of life might be widespread, and not a once-only cosmic fluke.I hope you enjoy the episode, and I hope you're welcoming the new year surrounded by friends and family. Thank you, as always, for listening and for your continued support.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
On this week's episode of The Origins Podcast, I ended up in a place I genuinely never expected to go: the humble “like” button. When the idea first landed in my inbox, my reaction was basically, why on Earth would anyone write a whole book about that? Then I spoke with Martin Reeves, and I discovered that the history of this tiny icon is a surprisingly rich window into innovation, entrepreneurship, human psychology, and the modern attention economy.Martin is a senior figure at BCG's Henderson Institute, but what made the conversation especially fun for me is that he is not a consultant who wandered into science. He has a background in science, and then wandered into the world of strategy, technology, and ideas, and he approaches the “like” button the way I wish more people approached our digital world: with curiosity, skepticism, and a willingness to follow evidence across disciplines.The central irony, of course, is that the “like” button began as an almost laughably small, practical solution. In the story Martin and his coauthor reconstructs, it is often less about a single inventor than about a messy ecosystem of micro innovations, technical constraints, and cultural accidents. Yet those small choices compound. The result is that something as simple as a handful of code became a universal signal that helped shape social media, transformed advertising, and created feedback loops that are now baked into the infrastructure of daily life.We also dig into why it works so well on us. The mechanisms are not mysterious in the abstract, they are biological and social, but the scale is unprecedented. Approval and recognition are ancient. Industrialized approval is new. And once you start thinking that way, you notice how these same feedback dynamics are spreading into new domains, including the tools we now use to interact with AI.This conversation surprised me, and I suspect it will surprise you too. Indeed, if you are like me, and wondered why the like-button is worth discussing, you will be surprised to learn how much of the modern world is quietly organized around it. You can listen on any podcast platform, watch on YouTube, or view ad free on Substack. And if you are tempted at the end, well, you may even find yourself clicking the very thing we spend the episode dissecting.You can listen on any podcast platform, watch on YouTube, or view ad free on Substack. And if you are tempted at the end, well, you may even find yourself clicking the very thing we spend the episode dissecting.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
Nick Ducoff, Head of Institutional Growth at Solana Foundation, joined me to discuss the latest and great with Solana.Topics: Brought to you by
Critical minerals and rare earths are essential elements of clean energy technology, and vital for a range of products from the tech we use every day to solar panels and even weapons. As demand for electricity rises and the need to transition away from oil and gas increases, what does the race to control the supply of these minerals mean for the future of the environment, security and global competition? To unpack the geopolitics of energy security and rare earths, Emma Beals is joined by Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow at the Environment and Society Centre, Chatham House. • This episode of This Is Not A Drill is supported by Incogni the service that keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There's a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – go to https://incogni.com/notadrill to get an exclusive 60% off your annual plan. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Emma Beals. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Video podcast wars. Reaching critical mass. Radio's reckoning… or reinvention. What was the biggest story of 2025, and how will it shape 2026?Find out as we look back on 2025 in a new Media Roundtable: Industry Edition.Dan Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) breaks down the stories that shaped the year with fellow audio luminaries:Hernan Lopez (Founder, Owl & Co)James Cridland (Editor, Podnews & Podcast Business Journal)Kyle Jelinek (VP, Client Services, Oxford Road)Neal Lucey (EVP, Strategy & Product, Oxford Road)The team is talking: Video Everything, Critical Mass, and Radio's Next Act. Let's dig in.“ Video is definitely the big story for 2025.”Neal Lucey, (EVP, Strategy & Product, Oxford Road)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this week's episode of The Origins Podcast, I am excited to release a conversation that has been sitting in our archives for more than a year. When we first recorded this discussion with conflict mediator and systems thinker Diana McLain Smith, political polarization was already a significant national and international problem. It has only gotten worse.The world seems more tribal than ever, and there is constant pressure to have to pick a side in every argument and not listen to any different opinions, or even divergent facts. In this episode, we step back from that noise and ask what our deep evolutionary wiring for in group loyalty means in a complex modern democracy, how history and culture can turn ordinary differences into hardened divides, and what it might take to reduce the space between “us” and “them” rather than accept permanent hostility as normal.Through stories that range from local communities like Billings, Montana and Lewiston, Maine to the quiet work of reform in the United States Congress, Diana draws on decades of experience with families, organizations, and civic coalitions to show that citizens are not as powerless as we often feel, especially when we resist the demand for instant certainty and allow ourselves to say, “I do not know, I have not really thought about that before. I'm not on any one side. Let me look at the evidence before I form an opinion.”This is the basis of much of the scientific method, and it is something that we can all learn to do too. The benefits are immediate. You approach life with more curiosity, and you are freer from assumptions and biases.Conversations like this go to the heart of the Origins Project Foundation mission, which is to bring the habits of mind that underlie science into our shared public life. My conversations on the podcast blend serious works in physics, psychology, and history with urgent questions about how we live together, and to model what it looks like to treat ideas as hypotheses to be tested rather than badges of tribal identity.In an environment that rewards outrage more than understanding, a commitment to evidence, curiosity, and a willingness to change one's mind is not just an intellectual posture, it is a civic act.This episode with Diana is offered in that spirit.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
I am thrilled to introduce a significant new segment for the Origins Podcast. We are producing a fully fledged 12-part series titled “A Dozen Lessons on Physics and Reality.” Over the coming months, we will release these lectures to provide a comprehensive guide to how physicists think about the world. I'm particularly excited to share the wonder and insights that are often lost in standard textbook descriptions, while giving more detail than one might obtain in a standard 1 hour physics lecture. These will be based on lectures I have given to non-scientists at institutions I have taught, ranging from Yale University to The New College of Humanities in London.We begin with Lecture 1: A Tour of the Universe.To understand the cosmos, we must abandon the linear scales of human experience. In this opening lecture, I utilize the mathematical tool of “powers of ten” to map the true playing field of physics. This tour is about perspective. It reveals how the universe operates on scales of space and time that are vastly different from our daily lives, ranging from the subatomic scales to the cosmic microwave background. It is a journey that highlights our cosmic insignificance while simultaneously celebrating the power of science to explore our origins and to change our perspective of our place in the cosmos. This tour is just the beginning. Here is the full curriculum we have planned for the series:* A tour of the Universe* The Gestalt of Physics: Tools for seeing* Space, Scale, and Symmetry* Motion, from Galileo to Einstein* Gravity, Dark Matter, and the Expanding Universe* Electricity and Magnetism, a repeat performance* The Four Forces of Nature* Quantum Mechanics 1* Quantum Mechanics 2: Chemistry* Quantum Mechanics in your face* Heat worth dying for?* The meaning of scientific truthThis initiative ties directly into our ongoing efforts at The Origins Project Foundation to expand our impact and achieve our mission of enhancing your excitement and appreciation of the wonders of the cosmos, providing the public tools to better understand the challenges of the 21st century, and how to deal with them. By making these fundamental ideas accessible, we hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for the scientific method and its importance in creating the world we live in, and producing a better world tomorrow.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
Two cousins. Countless miles. One bold mission: bring whiskey to a new generation - and a new audience.In this episode of The Whiskey Hue, we sit down with AnnaAxster and Wendelin von Schroder, founders of Lodestar Whiskey, who went from filmmakers turned accidental music execs - running their own label and touring America - to building a whiskey brand that's rewriting the rules.They share how green-room pours with country starsturned into a full-blown love affair with the craft: from the viscosity and sweetness of their high-rye bourbon and single-malt blend, to why color, flavor, and texture aren't accidents.We dive deep into what it takes to source barrels, launch in Southern California, and build community before chasing sales.And we talk representation - why it's time whiskey spoke to women who've been left out of the conversation for far too long. It's smooth. It's fiery. It's full of heart - just like the whiskey itself.Pour a glass, hit play, and discover how these two arelighting a new path in the world of spirits.EPISODE TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intros04:30 Lodestar Quick Intro06:12 But First! Their Music Industry Escapades13:30 Where the Whiskey Love began – First sips with Dads, to Green Rooms of Country Stars17:50 Blended Whiskeys: consistency 20:53 Bringing Women into the World of Whiskey24:22 Flavor, Color, Texture, Not by Accident. 27:22 What makes a Bourbon a Bourbon?30:00 Sourcing the Barrels33:00 Critical Mass for Sales37:00 Launch a Whiskey, Build a Community First 42:50 Representation Matters To Women Consumers53:00 Burn some Oak, taste some Vanilla57:00 Flaviar: Whiskey Club1:02:00 Anna and Wendelin celebrate their industry peersThis episode is part of the ‘Prof P' series on the Whiskey Hue Stream. Recorded in part for my Fordham Gabelli students.Please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with a Friend! Means a lot to us - thank YOU!For more info on:1. Venture, Tech, Sports and Investing, visit: AtulPrashar | LinkedIn2. Learn Venture Capital Investing for less than a dinner in NYC: “VC: IdeationThrough Execution”: https://tinyurl.com/APsVCCourse
Sandy Eulitt is the Founder and CEO of Galacxia, Inc., a digital health and safety technology company behind Life Backup Plan—an innovative, AI-enhanced proactive, passive response platform designed to protect and empower people across life's most vulnerable moments. With a background in software engineering, data architecture, and astrophysics, Sandy combines deep technical expertise with a passion for social impact and lived healthcare experience. Her work spans healthcare, elder care, domestic violence prevention, women's and personal safety and patient experience innovation. Under her leadership, Galacxia is driving initiatives that reduce healthcare costs, improve post-discharge monitoring, provide medical data sharing in emergencies and routine visits alike, and deliver meaningful safety and healthcare cost reduction tools to individuals, families, institutions, and employers. Life Backup Plan is targeting Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Medicare, and the VA Health Systems with her app, to reduce the extensive government spending on these programs. Sandy is a frequent speaker on technology for good, female entrepreneurship, and designing for dignity and independence. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.
On today's show - Torres talks the Lane Kiffin/Ole Miss drama reaching CRITICAL MASS and James Franklin taking the Virginia Tech job. Franklin is quietly making moves just hours after taking the gig. Finally, he previews Tuesday night's Champions Classic featuring Kentucky-Michigan State and Kansas-Duke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, I'm excited to share a special rebroadcast from the Origins Podcast archives: my original Origins Podcast conversation with Noam Chomsky.We recorded this dialog over six years ago, as an update to a conversation we'd held three years prior , before the political upheavals of Trump and Brexit.Listening back now, it's striking how much of what Noam said remains relevant, and in many cases, deeply prescient. As always, he was incisive, informative, provocative, and brilliant. We covered a huge range of topics, starting with the history of anti-intellectualism in America and the role of intellectuals during the Vietnam War , before moving into the nature of American exceptionalism.We also dove into the pressing foreign policy issues of the day, including North Korea, Syria, Israel, Venezuela, and Brazil. While many of the underlying causes may be the same, it's fascinating to see how some of these situations have played out in ways we might never have predicted.From his analysis of free speech debates to his critical concerns about nuclear weapons and the environment, it's a conversation that remains incredibly important.I hope you enjoy revisiting this fascinating conversation.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
Adobe's October data reveals a game-changing milestone: generative AI traffic is now converting 16% BETTER than traditional sources—a complete 180 from three months ago when AI traffic converted 9% WORSE. This episode breaks down what Kelly Carey and Waqas Khan from the A&M Consumer and Retail Group think retailers need to know about this inflection point. With AI traffic up 1,200% year-over-year and shoppers spending 44% longer on sites when arriving from AI sources, the experts discuss why this shift makes sense, how consumers are using tools like ChatGPT to cut through digital clutter, and what retailers should be doing RIGHT NOW to prepare for an agentic omnichannel future. Sponsored A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/j0UulTYE5_8
As we move into the end of the year, I'm excited to return to our recurring series “What's New in Science” with my co-host Sabine Hossenfelder. In this month's episode, we started by tackling a favorite subject: scientific hype. Sabine kicked things off by dissecting a recent, highly suspect press release claiming a million-qubit quantum computer is on the horizon. I then brought up a National Geographic article claiming that “warp drive is speeding closer to reality” , and we discussed the reasons why it actually isn't, including the need for “negative energy,” that keep it firmly in the realm of science fiction.From there, Sabine steered us into the world of academic accolades, discussing the controversy around last year's Nobel Prize in Physics for work on neural networks and the collaborative nature of science. I then introduced this year's prize, which was awarded for the beautiful and precise experimental work on seemingly macroscopic manifestations of quantum mechanics—specifically, showing a superconducting quantum state can “tunnel” through a barrier.Finally, we turned to cosmic mysteries. Sabine presented a report on search for “Dark Stars,” a theory that the first stars might have been powered by dark matter annihilation , which require some wishful thinking and what I think are not particularly well motivated physics. For full disclosure this is an issue I thought about in a slightly different context almost 40 years ago and have some a priori skepticism about. I closed with a much more plausible bit of exotic physics that may have been observed: new observations of long-lived gamma-ray bursts. A new model suggests these are caused by a black hole that has merged with a star and is consuming it from the inside out. From wild hype to implausible and plausible models to Nobel-winning physics, I hope you enjoy the conversation.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
In a special Halloween episode of the Origins Podcast, which I've have decided to call “Spooky Physics!”, I explore why you shouldn't be afraid of the unknown, and in particular of supernatural gobbledygook. We look at the fundamental physics that debunks popular supernatural ideas.Take ghosts, for example. Physics is a two way street. If you can see a ghost, it must interact with light. But that very interaction, electromagnetism, is what stops you from walking through a wall. A ghost simply can't have its cake and eat it too; it either goes through walls or you can see it. Not both.I also confront one of the biggest misuses of physics today: the co-opting of quantum mechanics. People seize on Einstein's “spooky action at a distance” to argue that consciousness can change the universe just by thinking. This is complete nonsense. I explain what entanglement really is and why it does not allow you to affect things remotely, no matter how much you might want to.The moral of today's topic is simple: don't be afraid. And more importantly:The real universe, with its actual quantum wonders and black holes, is far more interesting than any supernatural fantasy. Enjoy Halloween…especially the candy.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