What's New in Science With Sabine and Lawrence | Ghost Murmers, New Wires, Cosmic Questions, And AI cures?

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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.



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2026-04-24 67 min Transcript

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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss
What's New in Science With Sabine and Lawrence | Ghost Murmers, New Wires, Cosmic Questions, And AI cures?
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What's New in Science With Sabine and Lawrence | Ghost Murmers, New Wires, Cosmic Questions, And AI cures?
We explore the unexpected connections in science, from the earliest moments of the Big Bang to combatting cancer today.
Lawrence M. Krauss
Apr 24, 2026
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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.
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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.
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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence 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
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
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