Cosmic Wonder by Nathan Hellner-Mestelman

Cosmic Wonder: Our Place in the Epic Story of the Universe, written and illustrated by Nathan Hellner-Mestelman, undertakes an ambitious project: to explain complex theories and facts about our universe and ourselves in an entertaining and relatable way. Cosmic Wonder is billed as young adult nonfiction, and perhaps part of the motivation for writing the book was Hellner-Mestelman’s observation, stated in the book’s preface:

In the past, when classmates have told me that they hate science, it’s occurred to me that they probably didn’t hate science itself, just the abstractness of the way it was taught. As soon as we bring ourselves into the picture … it becomes a method of learning more about ourselves as well as learning more about the world.

Throughout Cosmic Wonder, Hellner-Mestelman does a good job of putting the reader in the picture. He makes mind-boggling concepts about space and distance more understandable by using comparisons. For example, describing the position of the Earth relative to the Sun, he notes: “If our planet were the size of a blueberry, the distance from the Earth to the Sun would be the length of a football field.” By making the facts more relatable, he makes them easier to grasp.

In a book stuffed with theories, facts, and figures, some levity is always appreciated, and Hellner-Mestelman delivers. For example, in a section discussing the somewhat depressing ultimate fate of the universe, he writes: “Eventually, there won’t be enough raw materials left for new stars to form, and the very last star in the universe will fade away. The universe’s review rating will go from one star to none.”

The formation of our solar system, facts about our galaxy, the origin of life, DNA/RNA, dark energy, the importance of gravity, and the laws of thermodynamics are among the topics discussed. While I’ve always had an interest in science, it wasn’t my major field of study at university. Thanks to Hellner-Mestelman’s knack for explaining difficult concepts in understandable terms, many of these areas became clearer to me than they had previously been.

Cosmic Wonder doesn’t always come across as light reading. The sections involving the ultimate demise of the universe, for example, don’t make for pleasant contemplation. Despite the seriousness of some of the subject matter, Hellner-Mestelman is able to convey the “wonder” aspect alluded to in the book’s title. The universe we inhabit is a pretty cool place! All in all, Cosmic Wonder was an interesting book that sparked new thoughts about the cosmos and humanity’s place within it.

Nathan Hellner-Mestelman is an avid writer and science communicator, aged 16. A contributor to Sky’s Up and the former SkyNews magazine, he is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and does outreach at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. His work has been featured in the Lonely Planet Anthology, Physics World Magazine, and Math Horizons, and his recent award-winning film, Universe Versus You, has been screened at film festivals internationally. He lives in Victoria, B.C.

Publisher: Linda Leith Publishing (April 15, 2024)
Paperback 8″ x 5″ | 215 pages
ISBN: 9781773901596

Lisa Timpf

Website

Lisa Timpf is a retired HR and communications professional who lives in Simcoe, Ontario. Her writing has appeared in New Myths, Star*Line, The Future Fire, Triangulation: Habitats, and other venues. Lisa’s speculative haibun collection, In Days to Come, is available from Hiraeth Publishing. You can find out more about Lisa’s writing at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/.