Kids today navigate through a reality that previous generations could never have imagined. Popular culture, whether in the form of entertainment, chatrooms, or pseudoscience, is a turbulent and unpredictable sea. Too often, what seem to be beacons of light are nothing more than illusions: quick-fixes and easy answers just don’t hold up.



Too much for kids? We don’t think so. In fact, we think kids are uniquely situated to enjoy a new “Age of Discovery.” Where others may see turbulent seas and dangerous impasses, we see opportunities—to create, to forge new paths, to open new communications, to tell new stories. And the best part is, the tools have been around for ages: science, reason, and skepticism remain the best means by which to navigate these unpredictable waters.



Lawrence Krauss, PhD, is Foundation Professor and director of the Origins Initiative at Arizona State University. His research interests include the interface between elementary particle physics and cosmology. He has published more than 200 scientific articles as well as a variety of general articles on physics and astronomy. Krauss has also authored several celebrated books, including the best-selling The Physics of Star Trek. Krauss is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science's 1999-2000 Award for the Public Understanding of Science and Technology, the Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize of the American Physical Society, the Andrew Gemant Award, the Oersted Medal, and the Joseph P. Burton Forum Award. He was nominated for a Grammy award for his liner notes for a Telarc CD of music from Star Trek.

Nica Lalli



Nica Lalli is the author of a memoir, Nothing: Something to Believe In (Prometheus Books, March 2007), which traces her personal history of non-belief. Nica is a working artist and art educator who currently lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with her husband, and two children and Milo the dog. She was the President of the PTA of her children’s public school for two years and remains involved in the schools. She also sits on the local Community Board, where she serves as the Parks Committee Chair. She is currently working on her next books, including a young adult fiction story. Visit her website at www.nicalalli.com.