Astrophysicist publishes book exploring the universe

  • By Kaylee Osowski The Chronicle
  • Thursday, May 5, 2016 8:21pm
  • Local News

CENTRALIA — While Bill Nye the Science Guy is rarely, if ever, seen without a bowtie, Toledo theoretical astrophysicist Ethan Siegel prefers his ensembles to include a kilt.

Siegel, 37, said he is often asked why he doesn’t look like a scientist. It’s a question he explored in a blog post earlier this month that discusses the stereotypes of scientists and concludes that intellect doesn’t have anything to do with physical appearance, the Chronicle reported.

More often than answering questions about his wardrobe, Siegel explores questions about the universe, both on his blog and in his recently published book.

While an astronomer studies everything in the universe beyond Earth, an astrophysicist studies the reasons the universe works the way it does and how it began.

Siegel studies the Big Bang Theory and how it pertains to how life has reached the point it has today.

He grew up in New York City, but has lived in a variety of places. After receiving undergraduate degrees in physics and classics, he taught high school before he realized that wasn’t what he wanted to do.

“So I did what a lot of people in that situation do. I had a crisis,” Siegel said, noting it wasn’t a bad experience; it gave him the opportunity to determine what he wanted to do.

He decided he wanted to learn about the history of the universe, what it’s made of and what its future will be, so he went to graduate school at the University of Florida and became a theoretical cosmologist, a subfield of astrophysics.

Siegel estimates there are about 1,000 people in the world who also study theoretical cosmology. With his kilts, he tends to be pretty recognizable in their community, he said.

Before moving to Toledo about 18 months ago, Siegel and his wife had been living in Portland. Siegel taught at the University of Portland. He continues to occasionally teach at Lewis and Clark College.

Siegel currently writes about science professionally. Forbes.com, Medium.com and ScienceBlogs.com host his “Starts With A Bang!” blog, which he began in 2008. He also published his first book, “Beyond the Galaxy: How Humanity Looked Beyond Our Milky Way and Discovered the Entire Universe,” in December 2015.

“After I finished all my studies . I realized that this was an amazing story that you literally had to get your Ph.D. in theoretical astrophysics to get that full story, and there’s no reason for it to be that way,” Siegel said.

He wanted to make the story accessible to everyone, and that’s what his book aims to do. He said people who are curious and intelligent but don’t have scientific backgrounds can understand the book, which is available on Amazon.

“There are lots of stories in there and there are lots of illustrations in there and there are no equations in there,” Siegel said.

He shared one story about the universe, a recent discovery, with about 30 curious people at the Toledo Community Library.

Wearing his kilt, Siegel gave a presentation about the September 2015 detection of gravitational waves.

To detect gravitational waves, scientists created LIGO, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, which uses perpendicular lasers that can detect gravitational waves caused by black holes merging, neutron stars merging, black holes and neutrons stars merging together or other activity.

Albert Einstein predicted gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of space-time, in his theory of relativity.

Einstein’s theory said that large objects orbiting one another, such as neutron stars or black holes, would create waves in space that travel at the speed of light.

“Not only was this looked at as crazy, it was looked at as completely untestable,” Siegel told The Chronicle.

In 1974, two astronomers discovered the pulse of two stars orbiting one another. According to Einstein’s theory, the activity should create gravitational waves. Data from measuring the pulses showed the stars were getting nearer to one another at the same rate Einstein predicted.

“But this is an indirect detection,” Siegel said.

The Sept. 14, 2015, detection by LIGO was the first time gravitational waves were sensed. The waves were caused by two colliding black holes 1.3 billion light years away.

“This is really the discovery of a lifetime,” Siegel said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

The Washington State University Snohomish County Extension building at McCollum Park is located in an area Snohomish County is considering for the location of the Farm and Food Center on Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Year-round indoor farmers market inches closer to reality near Mill Creek

The Snohomish County Farm and Food Center received $5 million in federal funding. The county hopes to begin building in 2026.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.