Lawrence Krauss on known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns (ft. Musical Guest Heather Pierson)

Lawrence Krauss is an American-Canadian theoretical physicist and cosmologist who previously taught at Arizona State University, Yale University, and Case Western Reserve University. He founded ASU's Origins Project, now called ASU Interplanetary Initiative, to investigate fundamental questions about the universe and served as the project's director. Krauss is an advocate for public understanding of science, public policy based on sound empirical data, scientific skepticism, and science education. An anti-theist, Krauss seeks to reduce the influence of what he regards as superstition and religious dogma in popular culture Krauss is the author of several bestselling books, including The Physics of Star Trek (1995) and A Universe from Nothing (2012), and chaired the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Board of Sponsors. GUEST MUSICIAN: Heather Pierson is a pianist, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, songleader, and performer whose inspiring live performances and growing catalog of releases delve into Americana, blues, New Orleans jazz, vocal chants, instrumental piano, and folk.  Best known for her virtuosity at the piano and her bell-tone vocals, her songs and musicianship embody joy, honesty, playfulness, and a desire to share from the heart.  In twenty years on her own record label, Vessel Recordings, she has released thirteen albums of original music including Lines and Spaces, her most ambitious and most personal release to date. LYRICS: WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW After so many years Of searching science Countless experiments And breaking down of elements Of contradictory theories And fantastic formulas Endless equations To get to the truth The only thing That we can confidently say Throughout the ages.... is that We don't really know what we don't know We can't even say what we can't see We've found known unknowns, And experiments have shown Enough to prove that it is what it is And we can't conceive of new realities Or visualise a fraction of what might be Our imagination, fails at application When we think of new possibilities So much of nature Is still conjecture And every new answer Asks a hundred other questions Once everything's disproved The one thing that's left The unchanging reality... is that We don't really know what we don't know We can't even say what we can't see We've found known unknowns, And experiments have shown Enough to prove that it is what it is And we can't conceive of new realities Or visualise a fraction of what might be Our imagination, fails at application When we think of new possibilities How did this something Come from nothing What forced its becoming Well different types of nothing Science is moving Perpetually improving Examining and removing Until we have one unifying thing... and it's that We don't really know what we don't know We can't even say what we can't see We've found known unknowns, And experiments have shown Enough to prove that it is what it is And we can't conceive of new realities Or visualise a fraction of what might be Our imagination, fails at application When we think of new possibilities