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{{Short description|Romanian-born Israeli–American astrophysicist (born 1945)}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox scientist
{{Infobox scientist
|box_width =
| name = Mario Livio
|name = Mario Livio
| image = Mario Livio, 2017.jpg
| caption = Mario Livio at Festival della Scienza in Genova, 2017
|image = <!--(filename only)-->
|image_size =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|6|19}}
| birth_place = [[Bucharest]], [[Kingdom of Romania]]
|caption =
|birth_date = 1945
| death_date =
|birth_place = [[Romania]]
| death_place =
|death_date =
| nationality =
|death_place =
| fields = Astrophysics
| workplaces = [[Space Telescope Science Institute]]<br>[[Technion – Israel Institute of Technology]]
|residence =
|citizenship =
| alma_mater =
| known_for = Theory of [[Type Ia supernova]]<br>[[Exoplanets]]<br>[[Accretion (astrophysics)|Accretion]] onto compact objects<br>
|nationality = Israeli-American
Emergence of life in the universe<br>''Galileo and the Science Deniers'' (2020)<br>''Why? What Makes Us Curious'' (2017)<br>''Brilliant Blunders'' (2013)<br>''Is God a Mathematician?'' (2009)<br>''The Equation That Couldn't be Solved'' (2005)<br>''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number'' (2002)
|ethnicity = Jewish
| awards = [[Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science]] (2009), International Pythagoras Prize, for Best Expository Text in Mathematics (2005), Peano Prize (2003), Carnegie Centenary Professorship (2003)
|fields =
|workplaces = [[Space Telescope Science Institute]]<br>[[Technion – Israel Institute of Technology]]
|alma_mater = [[Tel-Aviv University]]<br>[[Weizmann Institute]]<br>[[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|academic_advisors =
|doctoral_students =
|notable_students =
|known_for = ''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number'' (2002)
|author_abbrev_bot =
|author_abbrev_zoo =
|influences =
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}}
}}
'''Mario Livio''' (born June 19, 1945) is an [[astrophysics|astrophysicist]] and an author of works that popularize science and mathematics. For 24 years (1991–2015) he was an astrophysicist at the [[Space Telescope Science Institute]], which operates the [[Hubble Space Telescope]]. He has published more than 400 scientific articles on topics including cosmology, supernova explosions, black holes, extrasolar planets, and the emergence of life in the universe.[https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/search/fq=%7B!type%3Daqp%20v%3D%24fq_database%7D&fq_database=database%3A%20astronomy&p_=0&q=author%3A(%22Livio%2C%20M.%22)&sort=date%20desc%2C%20bibcode%20desc] His book on the [[irrational number]] ''[[Golden ratio|phi]]'', ''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number'' (2002), won the Peano Prize and the International Pythagoras Prize for popular books on mathematics.
==Scientific career==


Livio has focused much of his research on [[supernova]] explosions and their use in determining the [[Metric expansion of space|rate of expansion of the universe]]. He has also studied so-called [[dark energy]], [[black holes]], and the formation of [[planetary systems]] around young [[star]]s. He has contributed to hundreds of papers in peer-reviewed journals on astrophysics. Among his prominent contributions, he has authored and co-authored important papers on topics related to [[Accretion (astrophysics)|accretion]] onto compact objects ([[white dwarf]]s, [[neutron star]]s, and [[black hole]]s).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Livio|first1=M.|last2=Ogilvie|first2=G. I.|last3=Pringle|first3=J. E.|date=1999-02-10|title=Extracting Energy from Black Holes: The Relative Importance of the Blandford-Znajek Mechanism|url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/306777|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|language=en|volume=512|issue=1|pages=100–104|doi=10.1086/306777|arxiv=astro-ph/9809093 |bibcode=1999ApJ...512..100L |s2cid=13897976 |issn=0004-637X}}</ref> In 1980, he published one of the first multi-dimensional numerical simulations of the collapse of a massive star and a supernova explosion.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Livio|first1=M.|last2=Buchler|first2=J. R.|last3=Colgate|first3=S. A.|date=1980|title=Rayleigh-Taylor driven supernova explosions – A two-dimensional numerical study|url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/doi/10.1086/183274|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|language=en|volume=238|pages=L139|doi=10.1086/183274|issn=0004-637X}}</ref> He was one of the pioneers in the study of common envelope evolution of [[binary star]]s,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Livio|first1=Mario|last2=Soker|first2=Noam|date=1988|title=The common envelope phase in the evolution of binary stars|url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/doi/10.1086/166419|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|language=en|volume=329|pages=764|doi=10.1086/166419|bibcode=1988ApJ...329..764L |issn=0004-637X}}</ref> and he applied the results to the shaping of [[planetary nebula]]e as well as to the progenitors of [[Type Ia supernova]]e.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Livio|first1=Mario|last2=Mazzali|first2=Paolo|date=2018-03-21|title=On the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370157318300243|journal=Physics Reports|language=en|volume=736|pages=1–23|doi=10.1016/j.physrep.2018.02.002|arxiv=1802.03125 |bibcode=2018PhR...736....1L |s2cid=55795891 |issn=0370-1573}}</ref> Together with D. Eichler, T. Piran, and D. Schramm he published a seminal paper in which the authors predicted that merging neutron stars produce Gamma-Ray bursts, gravitational waves, and certain heavy elements.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Eichler|first1=David|last2=Livio|first2=Mario|last3=Piran|first3=Tsvi|last4=Schramm|first4=David N.|date=1989|title=Nucleosynthesis, neutrino bursts and γ-rays from coalescing neutron stars|url=http://www.nature.com/articles/340126a0|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=340|issue=6229|pages=126–128|doi=10.1038/340126a0|bibcode=1989Natur.340..126E |s2cid=4357406 |issn=0028-0836}}</ref> All of these predictions have later been confirmed.
'''Mario Livio''' (born 1945) is an [[astrophysics|astrophysicist]] and an author of works that popularize science and mathematics. He is currently an astronomer and head of public outreach <!-- This is his description on the staff page of the Institute's web site 2009-08-15; no mention of "Senior Astrophysist" or "astrophysist" --> at the [[Space Telescope Science Institute]], which operates the [[Hubble Space Telescope]]. He is perhaps best known for his book on the [[irrational number]] ''[[Golden ratio|phi]]'': ''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number'' (2002). The book won the Peano Prize and the International Pythagoras Prize for popular books on mathematics.


In 2009, the [[American Association for the Advancement of Science]] (AAAS) Council elected him as a [[Fellow of the AAAS]]. Livio was cited for his "distinguished contributions to astrophysics through research on stars and galaxies and through communicating and interpreting science and mathematics to the public."<ref>{{cite web|author=NASA and STScI|date=18 December 2009|title=STScI Senior Astrophysicist Mario Livio Elected AAAS Fellow|url=http://m.hubblesite.org/newscenter/2009/34/|access-date=25 January 2011|archive-date=27 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927010140/http://m.hubblesite.org/newscenter/2009/34/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He is also cited in the [[American Men and Women of Science]].
==Life and scientific career==
Born in [[Romania]], Livio stayed with his grandparents when his mother and father were forced to flee the country for political reasons. Livio himself left Romania at age five with his grandparents, and the family settled in [[Israel]]. He served with the [[Israeli Defense Forces]] as a [[paramedic]] in the [[Six Day War]] (1967), the [[Yom Kippur War]] (1973) and the war in [[Lebanon]] (1982).


Since 2010, Livio has mainly concentrated on the problem of the emergence of life in the universe. In this context, he co-authored (primarily with Rebecca G. Martin) a series of works related to life on Earth and life's potential emergence on extrasolar planets.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=Rebecca G.|last2=Livio|first2=Mario|title=The Solar System as an Exoplanetary System |date=2015-09-03|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=810|issue=2|pages=105|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/810/2/105|arxiv=1508.00931 |bibcode=2015ApJ...810..105M |s2cid=119119390 |issn=1538-4357|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=R. G.|last2=Livio|first2=M.|date=2013-01-01|title=On the formation and evolution of asteroid belts and their potential significance for life|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters|language=en|volume=428|issue=1|pages=L11–L15|doi=10.1093/mnrasl/sls003|issn=1745-3925|doi-access=free|arxiv=1211.0023}}</ref> In addition, in 2015 he reviewed the scientific achievements of the Hubble Space Telescope in its first 25 years in operation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Livio|first=Mario|date=2015|title=Astronomy: Hubble's legacy|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=520|issue=7547|pages=287–289|doi=10.1038/520287a|pmid=25877188 |bibcode=2015Natur.520..287L |s2cid=4403134 |issn=0028-0836|doi-access=free}}</ref>
Livio earned a [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] degree in physics and mathematics at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], an [[Master of Science|M.S.]] degree in theoretical particle physics at the [[Weizmann Institute]], and a [[Ph.D.]] in theoretical astrophysics at [[Tel-Aviv University]]. He was a professor of physics at the [[Technion – Israel Institute of Technology]] from 1981 to 1991, before coming to the Space Telescope Science Institute.


Livio has been nominated three times by the [[USA Science and Engineering Festival]] as one of the "[[Nifty Fifty Speakers]]" to talk about his work and career to middle and high school students in 2010, 2011, and 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Black Holes, Supernovae and Dark Energy –The World of Mario Livio |url=http://www.usasciencefestival.org/schoolprograms/niftyfifty/470-dr-mario-livio.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130927023106/http://www.usasciencefestival.org/schoolprograms/niftyfifty/470-dr-mario-livio.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2013 |work=Nifty Fifty |publisher=usasciencefestival.org |access-date=27 September 2013 }}</ref> Other honors include: [[Carnegie Centenary Professor]] in 2003, Danz Distinguished Lecturer in 2006, Resnick Distinguished Lecturer in 2006, Iben Distinguished Lecturer in 2008, and Terzian Distinguished Lecturer in 2011.
For the past decade Livio has focused his research activities on [[supernova]] explosions and their use in determining the rate of expansion of the [[universe]]. He has also studied so-called [[dark energy]], [[black holes]], and the formation of [[planetary systems]] around young [[star]]s. He has authored or co-authored hundreds of papers in refereed journals on these and other subjects in astrophysics. In 2009, the [[American Association for the Advancement of Science]] (AAAS) Council elected Livio as Fellow of the AAAS. Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. Dr. Livio was cited for his "distinguished contributions to astrophysics through research on stars and galaxies and through communicating and interpreting science and mathematics to the public.

Livio and his wife Sofie, a microbiologist, have three children.


==Popular works==
==Popular works==
[[File:Mario Livio 22 Sep 2013 National Book Festival.jpg|thumb|Mario Livio speaking on 22 September 2013 on the [[National Mall]] in Washington, DC during the 2013 [[National Book Festival]]]]
[[File:Golden Ratio cover.PNG|right|thumb|125px|''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number'' by Mario Livio]]
For almost twenty years Livio has popularized abstruse subjects in astronomy and mathematics through books, lectures, magazine articles, and radio and television appearances. He has delivered popular lectures at such venues as the [[Smithsonian Institution]], the [[Hayden Planetarium]], the [[Maryland Institute College of Art]], the [[Cleveland Museum of Natural History]], and the [[Glasgow Science Centre]]. He has appeared on [[PBS]], [[NPR]] and [[CBS]], among other radio and TV outlets, to discuss scientific and mathematical subjects.
Livio has popularized astronomy and mathematics through books, lectures, magazine articles, and radio and television appearances. He has appeared on TV and radio outlets including [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]], [[NPR]], and [[CBS]] to discuss scientific and mathematical subjects. Livio's first book of popular science was ''The Accelerating Universe'' (2000), which described the theory that the [[Accelerating universe|universe was expanding at a faster and faster rate]]. He explored the possible causes and the theoretical implications of continuing expansion, especially its implications for beliefs about the [[Argument from beauty#Philosophical Basis of Science and Mathematics|"beauty" of the scientific laws]] that govern the cosmos.


Livio's next book, ''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi'' (2002), concerned [[patterns in nature]] and art. He traced the influence of the [[golden ratio]] through many centuries of art, [[architecture]], [[music]], and even [[stock market]] theories.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Joyce |first1=Helen |title='The Golden Ratio' {{!}} Review |url=https://plus.maths.org/content/golden-ratio |publisher=Plus Magazine |date=1 November 2002}}</ref>
Livio's first book of popular science was ''The Accelerating Universe'' (2000), which explained in layman's terms the theory that the universe was [[Big Bang|expanding]] at a faster and faster rate. He explored the possible causes and the theoretical implications of continuing expansion, especially its implications for beliefs about the "beauty" of the scientific laws that govern the cosmos.


''The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved'' (2005) described how efforts to solve the [[quintic equation]] led to [[group theory]] and to the mathematics of [[symmetry]]. He emphasizes the crucial roles of [[Évariste Galois]] and [[Niels Henrik Abel]] in developing this branch of mathematics. The book contains biographical sketches of Galois, Abel, and several other mathematicians.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mulcare |first1=Charlotte |title='The equation that couldn't be solved' {{!}} Review |url=https://plus.maths.org/content/equation-couldnt-be-solved |publisher=Plus Magazine |date=1 March 2006}}</ref>
A self-described "art fanatic" who owns hundreds of art books, Livio put this interest to good use in his next book, ''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi'' (2002). He traced the influence of the golden ratio through many centuries of art, [[architecture]], [[music]], and even [[stock market]] theories. [[Dan Brown]], author of ''[[The Da Vinci Code]],'' endorsed the book stating, "Livio unveils the history and mystery of the remarkable number phi (pronounced 'fee') in such a way that math-buffs and math-phobes alike can celebrate her wonder ... you will never again look at a pyramid, pinecone or Picasso in the same light." (See the image to the upper right.)


''Is God A Mathematician?'' (2009) discusses the ability of mathematics to describe and predict accurately the physical world. Livio also attempts to answer a question with which mathematicians and philosophers have struggled for centuries: [[Philosophy of mathematics|Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered?]] The book was selected by the [[Washington Post]] as one of the best books of 2009.<ref name="PiticiMumford2012">{{cite book |last1=Pitici |first1=Mircea |last2=Mumford |first2=David |title=The Best Writing on Mathematics 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3fCd8vPFYEYC&pg=PA278 |year=2012 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-15655-2 |page=278}}</ref>
Livio's ''The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved'' (2005) explains how efforts to solve the [[quintic equation]] led to [[group theory]] and to the mathematics of [[symmetry]]. He emphasizes the crucial roles of
[[Évariste Galois]] and [[Niels Henrik Abel]] in developing this branch of mathematics. He also "keeps the hard stuff to a minimum," in the words of a ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' [http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0743258207&itm=1 review]. The book contains biographical sketches of Galois, Abel and several other mathematicians.


''Brilliant Blunders'' (2013) investigates serious mistakes by five notable figures in science: [[Charles Darwin]], [[Lord Kelvin]], [[Linus Pauling]], [[Fred Hoyle]], and [[Albert Einstein]].
Livio's most recent book, entitled ''Is God A Mathematician?'', was released on January 6, 2009. It discusses the uncanny ability of mathematics to describe and predict accurately the physical world. Livio also attempts to answer a question with which mathematicians and philosophers have struggled for centuries: Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered? The book was selected by the [[Washington Post]] as one of the best books of 2009, and it was also selected as a "2009 Borders Original Voices" finalist.

''Why? What Makes Us Curious'' (2017) explores the nature of human curiosity, focusing on [[Leonardo da Vinci]] and [[Richard Feynman]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Doran |first1=Christopher |title=Why?: What Makes Us Curious |journal=New York Journal of Books |date=2017 |url=https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/why-what}}</ref>

''Galileo and the Science Deniers'' (2020) seeks to place [[Galileo Galilei]]'s life and discoveries in modern scientific and social contexts, and draws a parallel between modern science denialism and the heresy charges against Galileo.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Abbott |first1=Alison |title=Galileo's story is always relevant |journal=Nature |date=May 2020 |volume=581 |issue=7806 |pages=27–28 |doi=10.1038/d41586-020-01316-6|bibcode=2020Natur.581...27A |doi-access=free }}</ref>

''Is Earth Exceptional?'' (2024), written with Nobel laureate Jack Szostak, describes cutting-edge research on the origin of life on Earth and the astronomical search for extraterrestrial life.

== Personal life ==

Livio was born in Bucharest, [[Romania]], and lived with his grandparents when his mother and father were forced to flee the country for political reasons. He had to leave Romania at age five with his grandparents.<ref name="On Being with Krista Tippett">{{cite web|url=http://www.onbeing.org/program/mario-livio-mysteries-of-an-expanding-universe/transcript/7678|title=Mario Livio – Mysteries of an Expanding Universe|website=On Being with Krista Tippett|access-date=September 3, 2015|archive-date=October 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027091721/http://www.onbeing.org/program/mario-livio-mysteries-of-an-expanding-universe/transcript/7678|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope he was offered a position at the Space Telescope Science Institute, and he moved to the U.S.

Livio and his wife Sofie, a microbiologist, have three children.

== Books ==

* {{cite book |title = The Accelerating Universe: Infinite Expansion, the Cosmological Constant, and the Beauty of the Cosmos |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons|John Wiley]] |year=2000 |isbn=0-471-39976-0 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=1koR3dWiCO8C |postscript=;}} foreword by [[Allan Sandage]].<ref>{{cite web |title = Review: ''The Accelerating Universe'' by Mario Livio, foreword by Allan Sandage |date=28 February 2000 |website=Publishers Weekly |url = http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-471-32969-5 }}</ref>
* {{cite book |title=The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number |publisher=[[Broadway Books]] |year=2002 |isbn=0-7679-0815-5 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=bUARfgWRH14C }}<ref>{{cite journal |last = Markowsky |first = George |title = Review: ''The Golden Ratio'' by Mario Livio |journal=Notices of the AMS |date=March 2005 |volume=52 |issue=3 |pages=344–347 |url = https://www.ams.org/notices/200503/rev-markowsky.pdf }}</ref>
* {{cite book |title = The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry |publisher=[[Souvenir Press]] |year=2006 |isbn=0-285-63743-6 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_Ol31GmIAZgC }}<ref>{{cite journal |last = Schattschneider |first = Doris |author-link = Doris Schattschneider |title = Review: ''The Equation that Couldn't be Solved'', author Mario Livio |journal=Convergence |publisher=[[Mathematical Association of America]] |date=July 2007 |url = http://www.maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/the-equation-that-couldnt-be-solved }}</ref>
* {{cite book |title = Is God a Mathematician? |date=6 January 2009 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] 2009 |isbn=978-0-7432-9405-8 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ebd6QofqY6QC }}<ref>{{cite news |last = Kaufman |first = Marc |title = Review: ''Is God a Mathematician?'' by Mario Livio |date=8 February 2009 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/05/AR2009020502876.html }}</ref>
* {{cite book |title = Brilliant Blunders |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |year=2013 |isbn=9781439192375 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=BES_T--GtrcC }}<ref>{{cite news |last = Zimmer |first = Carl |author-link = Carl Zimmer |title = Review: ''Brilliant Blunders'' by Mario Livio |newspaper=[[NY Times]] |date=7 June 2013 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/books/review/brilliant-blunders-by-mario-livio.html?_r=0 }}</ref>
* {{cite book |title = Why? What Makes Us Curious |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |year=2017 |isbn=978-1476792095 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3hlpDQAAQBAJ }}<ref>{{cite news |last = Sample |first = Ian |title = Churchill essay on the possibility of alien life discovered in US college |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=15 February 2017 |url = https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/feb/15/winston-churchill-essay-alien-life-discovered-us-college-are-we-alone-in-the-universe }}</ref>
* ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Galileo.html?id=VF22DwAAQBAJ Galileo and the Science Deniers.]'' [[Simon & Schuster|Simon and Schuster]]''.'' 2020. [[International Standard Book Number|ISBN 978-1501194733]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Livio |first=Mario |title=Galileo and the Science Deniers |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2020 |isbn=978-1501194733 }}</ref>
* ''Is Earth Exceptional?  ''Basic Books. 2024. ISBN 978-1541602960<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Livio |first1=Mario |title=Is Earth exceptional? the quest for cosmic life |last2=Szostak |first2=Jack W. |date=2024 |publisher=Basic Books |isbn=978-1-5416-0296-0 |edition= |location=New York}}</ref>

== Lectures, a selection ==
* {{cite web |url= http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/PHP_Global/colloquia_pop.php?id=189 |title= Beauty in a Dark Universe |work= Robert Cormack Bequest workshop |format= Lecture |date= 13 May 2005 |publisher= University of St.Andrews |access-date= 27 January 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070611123909/http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/PHP_Global/colloquia_pop.php?id=189 |archive-date= 11 June 2007 |url-status= dead }}
* {{cite web |url= https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/206208 |title= The World According to the Hubble Space Telescope |format= Lecture
|work= Events at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from Sept. 4 through 21 |date= 2008 }}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov11/TerzianLecture.html |format= Review |first= Vivek |last= Venkataraman |date= Nov 17, 2011 |title= Terzian lecturer presents Hubble telescope's top discoveries |work= Cornell Chronicle |publisher= [[Cornell University]] }}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
=== Books by Mario Livio ===
* ''The Accelerating Universe: Infinite Expansion, the Cosmological Constant, and the Beauty of the Cosmos'', Wiley 2000, ISBN 0-471-39976-0
* ''The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number'', Broadway 2002, ISBN 0-7679-0815-5
* ''The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry'', Souvenir Press 2006, ISBN 0-285-63743-6
* ''Is God a Mathematician?'', Simon & Schuster 2009, ISBN 978-0743294058


===External links===
==External links==
*[http://www.mariolivio.com/ Mario Livio's personal web site]
* {{Official website|http://www.mario-livio.com/}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-sW9uL4ICA YouTube video of Mario Livio's Plenary Presentation to the International Mars Society Convention, University of Maryland, 2009) ]
* {{YouTube|z-sW9uL4ICA|Video of Mario Livio's Plenary Presentation}} to the International [[Mars Society]] Convention, [[University of Maryland]], 2009
*[http://www.pbs.org/deepspace/experts/week2b.html PBS question-and-answer session with Mario Livio on astronomy]
* {{cite web |url= https://www.pbs.org/deepspace/experts/week2b.html |title= Mysteries of Deep Space – Q&A with Mario Livio |work= Ask The Experts |publisher= [[PBS]] }}
* {{C-SPAN|1024454}}

{{Authority control}}


<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME= Livio, Mario
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Astronomer and popular science author
|DATE OF BIRTH= 1945
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Romania]]
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Livio, Mario}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Livio, Mario}}
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[[Category:1945 births]]
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[[Category:Romanian Jews]]
[[Category:Romanian Jews]]
[[Category:Romanian emigrants to Israel]]

[[Category:Academic staff of Technion – Israel Institute of Technology]]
[[it:Mario Livio]]
[[Category:Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni]]
[[he:מריו ליביו]]
[[Category:Weizmann Institute of Science alumni]]
[[Category:Tel Aviv University alumni]]
[[Category:Mathematics popularizers]]

Latest revision as of 07:41, 7 December 2024

Mario Livio
Mario Livio at Festival della Scienza in Genova, 2017
Born (1945-06-19) June 19, 1945 (age 79)
Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania
Known forTheory of Type Ia supernova
Exoplanets
Accretion onto compact objects
Emergence of life in the universe
Galileo and the Science Deniers (2020)
Why? What Makes Us Curious (2017)
Brilliant Blunders (2013)
Is God a Mathematician? (2009)
The Equation That Couldn't be Solved (2005)
The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number (2002)
AwardsFellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2009), International Pythagoras Prize, for Best Expository Text in Mathematics (2005), Peano Prize (2003), Carnegie Centenary Professorship (2003)
Scientific career
FieldsAstrophysics
InstitutionsSpace Telescope Science Institute
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Mario Livio (born June 19, 1945) is an astrophysicist and an author of works that popularize science and mathematics. For 24 years (1991–2015) he was an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which operates the Hubble Space Telescope. He has published more than 400 scientific articles on topics including cosmology, supernova explosions, black holes, extrasolar planets, and the emergence of life in the universe.[1] His book on the irrational number phi, The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number (2002), won the Peano Prize and the International Pythagoras Prize for popular books on mathematics.

Scientific career

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Livio has focused much of his research on supernova explosions and their use in determining the rate of expansion of the universe. He has also studied so-called dark energy, black holes, and the formation of planetary systems around young stars. He has contributed to hundreds of papers in peer-reviewed journals on astrophysics. Among his prominent contributions, he has authored and co-authored important papers on topics related to accretion onto compact objects (white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes).[1] In 1980, he published one of the first multi-dimensional numerical simulations of the collapse of a massive star and a supernova explosion.[2] He was one of the pioneers in the study of common envelope evolution of binary stars,[3] and he applied the results to the shaping of planetary nebulae as well as to the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae.[4] Together with D. Eichler, T. Piran, and D. Schramm he published a seminal paper in which the authors predicted that merging neutron stars produce Gamma-Ray bursts, gravitational waves, and certain heavy elements.[5] All of these predictions have later been confirmed.

In 2009, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Council elected him as a Fellow of the AAAS. Livio was cited for his "distinguished contributions to astrophysics through research on stars and galaxies and through communicating and interpreting science and mathematics to the public."[6] He is also cited in the American Men and Women of Science.

Since 2010, Livio has mainly concentrated on the problem of the emergence of life in the universe. In this context, he co-authored (primarily with Rebecca G. Martin) a series of works related to life on Earth and life's potential emergence on extrasolar planets.[7][8] In addition, in 2015 he reviewed the scientific achievements of the Hubble Space Telescope in its first 25 years in operation.[9]

Livio has been nominated three times by the USA Science and Engineering Festival as one of the "Nifty Fifty Speakers" to talk about his work and career to middle and high school students in 2010, 2011, and 2013.[10] Other honors include: Carnegie Centenary Professor in 2003, Danz Distinguished Lecturer in 2006, Resnick Distinguished Lecturer in 2006, Iben Distinguished Lecturer in 2008, and Terzian Distinguished Lecturer in 2011.

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Mario Livio speaking on 22 September 2013 on the National Mall in Washington, DC during the 2013 National Book Festival

Livio has popularized astronomy and mathematics through books, lectures, magazine articles, and radio and television appearances. He has appeared on TV and radio outlets including PBS, NPR, and CBS to discuss scientific and mathematical subjects. Livio's first book of popular science was The Accelerating Universe (2000), which described the theory that the universe was expanding at a faster and faster rate. He explored the possible causes and the theoretical implications of continuing expansion, especially its implications for beliefs about the "beauty" of the scientific laws that govern the cosmos.

Livio's next book, The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi (2002), concerned patterns in nature and art. He traced the influence of the golden ratio through many centuries of art, architecture, music, and even stock market theories.[11]

The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved (2005) described how efforts to solve the quintic equation led to group theory and to the mathematics of symmetry. He emphasizes the crucial roles of Évariste Galois and Niels Henrik Abel in developing this branch of mathematics. The book contains biographical sketches of Galois, Abel, and several other mathematicians.[12]

Is God A Mathematician? (2009) discusses the ability of mathematics to describe and predict accurately the physical world. Livio also attempts to answer a question with which mathematicians and philosophers have struggled for centuries: Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered? The book was selected by the Washington Post as one of the best books of 2009.[13]

Brilliant Blunders (2013) investigates serious mistakes by five notable figures in science: Charles Darwin, Lord Kelvin, Linus Pauling, Fred Hoyle, and Albert Einstein.

Why? What Makes Us Curious (2017) explores the nature of human curiosity, focusing on Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Feynman.[14]

Galileo and the Science Deniers (2020) seeks to place Galileo Galilei's life and discoveries in modern scientific and social contexts, and draws a parallel between modern science denialism and the heresy charges against Galileo.[15]

Is Earth Exceptional? (2024), written with Nobel laureate Jack Szostak, describes cutting-edge research on the origin of life on Earth and the astronomical search for extraterrestrial life.

Personal life

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Livio was born in Bucharest, Romania, and lived with his grandparents when his mother and father were forced to flee the country for political reasons. He had to leave Romania at age five with his grandparents.[16] Following the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope he was offered a position at the Space Telescope Science Institute, and he moved to the U.S.

Livio and his wife Sofie, a microbiologist, have three children.

Books

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Lectures, a selection

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References

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  1. ^ Livio, M.; Ogilvie, G. I.; Pringle, J. E. (1999-02-10). "Extracting Energy from Black Holes: The Relative Importance of the Blandford-Znajek Mechanism". The Astrophysical Journal. 512 (1): 100–104. arXiv:astro-ph/9809093. Bibcode:1999ApJ...512..100L. doi:10.1086/306777. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 13897976.
  2. ^ Livio, M.; Buchler, J. R.; Colgate, S. A. (1980). "Rayleigh-Taylor driven supernova explosions – A two-dimensional numerical study". The Astrophysical Journal. 238: L139. doi:10.1086/183274. ISSN 0004-637X.
  3. ^ Livio, Mario; Soker, Noam (1988). "The common envelope phase in the evolution of binary stars". The Astrophysical Journal. 329: 764. Bibcode:1988ApJ...329..764L. doi:10.1086/166419. ISSN 0004-637X.
  4. ^ Livio, Mario; Mazzali, Paolo (2018-03-21). "On the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae". Physics Reports. 736: 1–23. arXiv:1802.03125. Bibcode:2018PhR...736....1L. doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2018.02.002. ISSN 0370-1573. S2CID 55795891.
  5. ^ Eichler, David; Livio, Mario; Piran, Tsvi; Schramm, David N. (1989). "Nucleosynthesis, neutrino bursts and γ-rays from coalescing neutron stars". Nature. 340 (6229): 126–128. Bibcode:1989Natur.340..126E. doi:10.1038/340126a0. ISSN 0028-0836. S2CID 4357406.
  6. ^ NASA and STScI (18 December 2009). "STScI Senior Astrophysicist Mario Livio Elected AAAS Fellow". Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  7. ^ Martin, Rebecca G.; Livio, Mario (2015-09-03). "The Solar System as an Exoplanetary System". The Astrophysical Journal. 810 (2): 105. arXiv:1508.00931. Bibcode:2015ApJ...810..105M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/810/2/105. ISSN 1538-4357. S2CID 119119390.
  8. ^ Martin, R. G.; Livio, M. (2013-01-01). "On the formation and evolution of asteroid belts and their potential significance for life". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 428 (1): L11–L15. arXiv:1211.0023. doi:10.1093/mnrasl/sls003. ISSN 1745-3925.
  9. ^ Livio, Mario (2015). "Astronomy: Hubble's legacy". Nature. 520 (7547): 287–289. Bibcode:2015Natur.520..287L. doi:10.1038/520287a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 25877188. S2CID 4403134.
  10. ^ "Black Holes, Supernovae and Dark Energy –The World of Mario Livio". Nifty Fifty. usasciencefestival.org. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  11. ^ Joyce, Helen (1 November 2002). "'The Golden Ratio' | Review". Plus Magazine.
  12. ^ Mulcare, Charlotte (1 March 2006). "'The equation that couldn't be solved' | Review". Plus Magazine.
  13. ^ Pitici, Mircea; Mumford, David (2012). The Best Writing on Mathematics 2012. Princeton University Press. p. 278. ISBN 978-0-691-15655-2.
  14. ^ Doran, Christopher (2017). "Why?: What Makes Us Curious". New York Journal of Books.
  15. ^ Abbott, Alison (May 2020). "Galileo's story is always relevant". Nature. 581 (7806): 27–28. Bibcode:2020Natur.581...27A. doi:10.1038/d41586-020-01316-6.
  16. ^ "Mario Livio – Mysteries of an Expanding Universe". On Being with Krista Tippett. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  17. ^ "Review: The Accelerating Universe by Mario Livio, foreword by Allan Sandage". Publishers Weekly. 28 February 2000.
  18. ^ Markowsky, George (March 2005). "Review: The Golden Ratio by Mario Livio" (PDF). Notices of the AMS. 52 (3): 344–347.
  19. ^ Schattschneider, Doris (July 2007). "Review: The Equation that Couldn't be Solved, author Mario Livio". Convergence. Mathematical Association of America.
  20. ^ Kaufman, Marc (8 February 2009). "Review: Is God a Mathematician? by Mario Livio". Washington Post.
  21. ^ Zimmer, Carl (7 June 2013). "Review: Brilliant Blunders by Mario Livio". NY Times.
  22. ^ Sample, Ian (15 February 2017). "Churchill essay on the possibility of alien life discovered in US college". The Guardian.
  23. ^ Livio, Mario (2020). Galileo and the Science Deniers. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1501194733.
  24. ^ Livio, Mario; Szostak, Jack W. (2024). Is Earth exceptional? the quest for cosmic life. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 978-1-5416-0296-0.
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