Tom Siegfried

Tom Siegfried

Contributing Correspondent

Tom Siegfried is a contributing correspondent. He was editor in chief of Science News from 2007 to 2012, and he was the managing editor from 2014 to 2017. He is the author of the blog Context. In addition to Science News, his work has appeared in Science, Nature, Astronomy, New Scientist and Smithsonian. Previously he was the science editor of The Dallas Morning News. He is the author of four books: The Bit and the Pendulum (Wiley, 2000); Strange Matters (National Academy of Sciences’ Joseph Henry Press, 2002);  A Beautiful Math (2006, Joseph Henry Press); and The Number of the Heavens (Harvard University Press, 2019). Tom was born in Lakewood, Ohio, and grew up in nearby Avon. He earned an undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University with majors in journalism, chemistry and history, and has a master of arts with a major in journalism and a minor in physics from the University of Texas at Austin. His awards include the American Geophysical Union's Robert C. Cowen Award for Sustained Achievement in Science Journalism, the Science-in Society award from the National Association of Science Writers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science-Westinghouse Award, the American Chemical Society’s James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public, and the American Institute of Physics Science Communication Award.

All Stories by Tom Siegfried

  1. Physics

    New type of catalyst could aid hydrogen fuel

    A substance that can switch states might make an efficient catalyst for extracting hydrogen from water.

  2. Science & Society

    Physicist’s story of science breaks historians’ rules

    Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg says evaluating science’s past requires knowledge of the present.

  3. Physics

    Like birds of a feather, sperm flock together

    Studies of sperm show that they swim in groups because of the elasticity of the mucus they travel through.

  4. Materials Science

    Playing with building blocks for metamaterial design

    Legos show promise as a low-cost method to assist scientists in developing novel metamaterials.

  5. Math

    Experts issue warning on problems with P values

    A report from the American Statistical Association warns against misinterpretation and misuse of a common statistical test.

  6. Science & Society

    Historian puts new spin on scientific revolution

    The Invention of Science offers readers an unconventional perspective on the origins of modern science.

  7. Physics

    Gravity waves exemplify the power of intelligent equations

    Discovering gravity waves confirms Einstein and illustrates the power of the human mind to discern physical phenomena hidden in mathematical equations.

  8. Physics

    ‘Gravity waves’ is an OK way to refer to gravitational radiation

    There’s not lexicographical basis for complaints that ‘gravity wave’ is incorrect usage for gravitational waves.

  9. Particle Physics

    Entanglement is spooky, but not action at a distance

    Recent experiments on quantum entanglement confirm that it’s spooky, but it was not, as Einstein implied, action at a distance.

  10. Particle Physics

    Quantum spookiness survives its toughest tests

    Recent experiments on quantum entanglement confirm that it’s spooky, but it was not, as Einstein implied, action at a distance.

  11. Physics

    Physics’ metamorphosis explored in slim new book

    From ancient Greek philosophy to quantum mechanics, a new book charts the evolution of physics.

  12. Science & Society

    Happy Birthday to Boole, with 11001000 binary candles

    George Boole’s 200th birthday is occasion to celebrate the 1s and 0s of computer language.