Ethan Siegel

Ethan Siegel

A theoretical astrophysicist and science writer, host of popular podcast “Starts with a Bang!”

Ethan Siegel Starts with a Bang!

Ethan Siegel is a Ph.D. astrophysicist and author of "Starts with a Bang!" He is a science communicator, who professes physics and astronomy at various colleges. He has won numerous awards for science writing since 2008 for his blog, including the award for best science blog by the Institute of Physics. His two books "Treknology: The Science of Star Trek from Tricorders to Warp Drive" and "Beyond the Galaxy: How humanity looked beyond our Milky Way and discovered the entire Universe" are available for purchase at Amazon. Follow him on Twitter @startswithabang.

A grainy black and white image shows SPHEREx comet 3I/ATLAS gleaming at the center, surrounded by stars appearing as streaks due to long exposure.
Designed to map galaxies, the SPHEREx mission's first science result is instead about interstellar interloper 3I/ATLAS. No, it's not aliens.
Four images of a nebula, sculpted by a dead star, are shown side by side in radio, optical, and X-ray wavelengths; the fourth composite image reveals the so-called "Hand of God." Each is labeled at the bottom.
In our own Milky Way, a recently deceased star creates a ghostly, hand-like shape in X-rays some 150 light-years wide. Here's how it's made.
There could be variables beyond the ones we've identified and know how to measure. But they can't get rid of quantum weirdness.
A man in a suit sits in front of a large NASA logo sign, symbolizing the determination to defy charter limits and push the boundaries of space exploration.
NASA's 1958 charter's top priority was, "the expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere and space." Is this how it ends?
Close-up of a human eye with a digital interface overlay and a red laser beam targeting the pupil, illustrating the science of LASIK and advanced vision correction technology.
For many of us, our imperfect vision compels us to wear corrective lenses to see properly. Here's what everyone should know about LASIK.
Silhouetted quiver trees under a starry night sky, with the Milky Way forming a bright arc above the horizon—perfect for fans of stunning 2025 night sky images.
Across planet Earth, dark and pristine night skies are an increasingly rare resource. These photos showcase the best of what we still have.
The Universe was born incredibly hot, and has expanded and cooled ever since. Could life have begun back when space was "room temperature?"