--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We now know that we are more…" description: "\"We now know that we are more insignificant than we ever imagined. If you get rid of everything we see, the universe is essentially the same. We constit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png" --- # We now know that we are more insignificant than we ever… ![“We now know that we are more insignificant than we ever imagined. If you get rid of everything we see, the universe is essentially the same. We constitute a 1 percent bit of pollution in a universe . . . we are completely irrelevant.” quote by Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png) > “We now know that we are more insignificant than we ever imagined. If you get rid of everything we see, the universe is essentially the same. We constitute a 1 percent bit of pollution in a universe . . . we are completely irrelevant.” [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human significance is minuscule in the vast universe; removing our perception doesn’t change reality, highlighting our irrelevance. **In simple terms:** We are tiny in cosmos. Key Takeaway Our existence is barely noticeable. Themes cosmology humility existence Mood humbling thoughtful Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - philosophical debates - science education - existential reflection Key Concepts scale anthropic principle perspective Questions to Reflect On - How does cosmic perspective affect your values? - What responsibilities arise from feeling insignificant? A Different Perspective Some argue meaning is subjective, not cosmic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Insignificant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insignificant/) [Irrelevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrelevant/) [Know Insignificant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-insignificant-4535380/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution/) [Pollution Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution-universe-4535378/) [Rid Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rid-universe-4535379/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-essentially-2416330/) ## Related quotes > [“One of the most poetic facts I know about the universe is that essentially every atom in your body was once inside a star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/one-of-the-most-poetic-facts-i-know-about-the-universe-is-that/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Up until the 1920s, everyone thought the universe was essentially static and unchanging in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/up-until-the-1920s-everyone-thought-the-universe-was-essentially/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [If you think that what you're doing is not all that important in the larger scheme of things and that you're just an insignificant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/if-you-think-that-what-you-re-doing-is-not-all-that-important-in-the/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [Metaphysical speculation is independent of the physical validity of the Big Bang itself and is irrelevant to our understanding of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/metaphysical-speculation-is-independent-of-the-physical-validity-of/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/the-things-that-seem-insignificant-to-most-people-such-as-a-note-song/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [Of all human events, perhaps, the publication of a first volume of verses is the most insignificant; but though a matter of no moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/of-all-human-events-perhaps-the-publication-of-a-first-volume-of/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/far-out-in-the-uncharted-backwaters-of-the-unfashionable-end-of-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Am I foolish and insignificant or am I great? I gave all the individuals in the world cause to kneel down in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/am-i-foolish-and-insignificant-or-am-i-great-i-gave-all-the/) [Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/) > [Our life is what we make it. An insignificant game or a noble trial; a dream or a reality; a play of the senses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/our-life-is-what-we-make-it-an-insignificant-game-or-a-noble-trial-a/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [I look back, now, and I know that the naming moment, which seemed so insignificant then, which seemed to demand no more than an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/i-look-back-now-and-i-know-that-the-naming-moment-which-seemed-so/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [As much as I don't care about those things, I think it's human nature to not want to feel totally insignificant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/as-much-as-i-don-t-care-about-those-things-i-think-it-s-human-nature/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“Don't you get it yet? The minute we decide that one person doesn't matter anymore, they've won."..."Beneath a sky crowded with a billion stars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/don-t-you-get-it-yet-the-minute-we-decide-that-one-person-doesn-t/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [You are Insignificant. One of millions, neither special nor unique. I did not ask for this ignominy, and I resent the comparison. Fine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-are-insignificant-one-of-millions-neither-special-nor-unique-i/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Lawrence M. Krauss > [If our species is to survive, our future will probably require outposts beyond our own planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/if-our-species-is-to-survive-our-future-will-probably-require/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Our modern conception of the universe is so foreign to what even scientists generally believed a mere century ago that it is a tribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/our-modern-conception-of-the-universe-is-so-foreign-to-what-even/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [The Internet is a clear example of how our lives have changed in ways we couldn't have imagined: a distributed information source, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/the-internet-is-a-clear-example-of-how-our-lives-have-changed-in-ways/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“He always found a simple, easy way to reach the correct answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/he-always-found-a-simple-easy-way-to-reach-the-correct-answer/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Now, almost one hundred years later, it is difficult to fully appreciate how much our picture of the universe has changed in the span…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/now-almost-one-hundred-years-later-it-is-difficult-to-fully/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“the universe is big and old and, as a result, rare events happen all the time. Go out some night into the woods or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/the-universe-is-big-and-old-and-as-a-result-rare-events-happen-all/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Science is not just there for technology. It's part of what addressing who you are in the universe and understanding your place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/science-is-not-just-there-for-technology-it-s-part-of-what-addressing/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Teaching and writing, to me, is really just seduction; you go to where people are and you find something that they're interested in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/teaching-and-writing-to-me-is-really-just-seduction-you-go-to-where/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [There are areas of philosophy that are important, but I think of them as being subsumed by other fields. In the case of descriptive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/there-are-areas-of-philosophy-that-are-important-but-i-think-of-them/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [If innovations were predictable, they wouldn't be discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/if-innovations-were-predictable-they-wouldn-t-be-discoveries/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. and, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/every-atom-in-your-body-came-from-a-star-that-exploded-and-the-atoms/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“(For those who like to quote Aristotle’s wisdom when appealing to his “Prime Mover” argument for the existence of God, let us remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/for-those-who-like-to-quote-aristotle-s-wisdom-when-appealing-to-his/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [A snowflake is another beautifully ordered example of what simple, natural meteorological processes can produce. Stars form by gravity, collapsing into spherically ordered structures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/a-snowflake-is-another-beautifully-ordered-example-of-what-simple/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“One of the most poetic facts I know about the universe is that essentially every atom in your body was once inside a star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/one-of-the-most-poetic-facts-i-know-about-the-universe-is-that/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Science is only truly consistent with an atheistic worldview with regards to the claimed miracles of the gods of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/science-is-only-truly-consistent-with-an-atheistic-worldview-with/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) [Explore all 161 Lawrence M. Krauss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [We, as pop stars, are people not androids. We’ve got views. I’ve got opinions and I don’t see why I shouldn’t use a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-meddows-taylor/we-as-pop-stars-are-people-not-androids-we-ve-got-views-i-ve-got/) [Roger Meddows Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-meddows-taylor/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When my name started popping up I was quite irritated and a little bit in shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/when-my-name-started-popping-up-i-was-quite-irritated-and-a-little/) [Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) [Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We now know that we are more insignificant than we ever imagined. If you get rid of everything we see, the universe is essentially the same. We constitute a 1 percent bit of pollution in a universe . . . we are completely irrelevant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence M. Krauss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignificant-than-we-ever-imagined-if/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bits" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignificant-than-we-ever-imagined-if/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_bits_we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignifica_2964998.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We now know that we are more insignificant than we ever imagined. If you get rid of everything we see, the…” — Lawrence M. Krauss", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lawrence M. Krauss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We now know that we are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignificant-than-we-ever-imagined-if/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/we-now-know-that-we-are-more-insignificant-than-we-ever-imagined-if/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```