Book Review: "Things That Go Bump in the Universe" by C. Renee James

 

 

4/5 stars  

*Spoiler alert!* 

Things That Go Bump in the Universe by astronomer C. Renee James is one of my first nonfiction reads in quite a while. I happened upon the title while listening to one of my many science podcasts, where the podcast hosts interviewed the author herself to talk about her book, which spotlights the field of transient astronomy.

 

This field is concerned with the chaotic constituents of the universe, things that often explode, like stars into supernovae at the end of their lives, or black holes colliding and releasing enormous amounts of energy. (I’m listening!) A barbaric inner part of me was intrigued by the view of a universe that was a veritable demolition derby, albeit at a mostly safe distance from Earth.

 

“Before I knew it, I found myself working with more and more transient astronomers. I researched topics for a new article, a new class, and ultimately this book. Down the rabbit holes I went, dashing this way to explore supernovae, and then that way to listen for colliding black holes, and then...what’s that? Multi-messenger astronomy just acquired a new messenger? Amazing! The rabbit holes were being dug faster than I could run, and each month—no, each week—brought new discoveries and fresh insights. Not only did some of the residents in our universe change in a flash, but so did our understanding of them. 

In a quiet moment of reflection, I mapped out the rabbit holes and realized that they were all part of a single warren...Now, many years later, I can say without hesitation that I do not know plenty about the universe, thank you very much. I have only begun to appreciate the interconnectedness of the short-lived, often violent events and the enduring, well-behaved stars—and us.” 

May we all be more excited rather than daunted about the secrets the universe is keeping, as much as James is!

 

One of the places astronomy took its first steps into the study of transient phenomena was the Harvard College Observatory, where women were the workhouse “computers” charged with making sense of huge amounts of observational data. (Similar to the computers at NASA, before it was called NASA, who were instrumental in helping jumpstart the space program, landing a man on the moon. See Hidden Figures, the book and the movie.) One of these computers was Henrietta Leavitt, who was nicknamed the “Variable Star Fiend.” (Hell yeah!) 

“In a universe of messy interactions, extreme conditions, and epic explosions, reliability is a very useful feature indeed.” 

If Leavitt wasn’t badass enough for you, she has a law named after her now, because she discovered a certain class of variable stars—ones which brighten or dim on a predictable timescale—that helped astronomers calculate cosmic distances. A step which helped us grasp how small we are and how large the universe is. As a result, these variable stars were called “standard candles.” (Leavitt and other pioneering women astronomers are starting to get their due. Leavitt now has a radio telescope named after her. Finally!)

 

It was thanks to her work that astronomers were able to grasp not only the huge scale of the universe, but that the universe itself is expanding.  

“Reliability allows astronomers to use Leavitt’s law to gauge cosmic distances, divining the energy output from timing in a Cepheid variable star’s ups and downs.” 

While supernovae and black holes and gravitational waves are cool and all, I found myself unduly interested in the chapters about the unpredictable phenomena that may take aim at life on Earth. Paramount among them are gamma ray bursts (GRBs), which astronomers tentatively linked to extremely energetic supernovae, whose particles could tear apart the ozone layer that protects us from the worst of the sun and other cosmic radiation not conducive to life. And then scour the planet of its life. (Sweet dreams!)

 

It may be consoling to know that we are unlikely to be subject to such an event any time soon, seeing as GRBs have only been observed by astronomers looking at distant galaxies.  

(This whole idea about GRBs made me think of Supernova Era, by Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin, where an energetic supernova kills everyone over age 13 after mere months, leading to a transition to a human society where children run the show. Think Lord of the Flies but worse. This book sometimes keeps me up at night.)

 

Overall, James’ book is an accessible account of the advances of transient astronomy and the stories of the astronomers behind them. I would recommend any curious soul to read Things That Go Bump in the Universe.

 

Happy reading! 

--BookOwl