Waterloo residents who follow the city’s scientific community will soon have a new book to recommend: a local astrophysicist and researcher at the Perimeter Institute has written a popular guide to the building blocks of the cosmos that aims to explain how particles and atoms relate to galaxies and stars.
From the very small to the very large
The book, titled How to Build a Universe (Theoretically Speaking), is written by Katie Mack, a Waterloo-based astrophysicist and researcher affiliated with the Perimeter Institute. It is available for pre-order and is scheduled to be published on March 9, 2027.
In an interview recorded for CBC K-W’s The Morning Edition, Mack said the book digs into what scientists know about the subatomic world and how knowledge of particles and atoms helps explain the formation of larger cosmic structures such as stars and galaxies. She told the programme that the connection between the tiniest scales and the largest structures in the universe is what drew her to the subject.
“What I wanted to do with this book was really dig into what we know about the subatomic world, how we know about what matter is made of and how it connects to the universe as a whole,”
That link between fundamental particles and cosmology is central to Mack’s work as a cosmologist. She emphasised that while the underlying theories are mathematically expressed by physicists, the book focuses on conceptual understanding rather than equations, making the material accessible to readers without a technical background.
Local relevance and public outreach
Waterloo is home to a cluster of research institutions and universities that engage the public in science. The Perimeter Institute has a long record of outreach, public lectures and educational programmes. A book by a local researcher aimed at general audiences strengthens that ecosystem by offering a resource for teachers, students and anyone curious about the origins and composition of the universe.
During the CBC interview, Mack and host Joe Pavia discussed approaches for translating complex science into plain language. She described the theories of physics as built from mathematics but said the book uses plain-language explanations and analogies so readers can grasp the ideas without having to work through formulae.
What the book offers
From the interview and promotional details, readers can expect the book to:
- Explain what current science says about the constituents of matter at the subatomic level.
- Show how knowledge of particles and atomic physics connects to the structure and evolution of the universe.
- Provide accessible, non-mathematical explanations for readers who are not specialists.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Author | Katie Mack — Waterloo astrophysicist, Perimeter Institute researcher |
| Title | How to Build a Universe (Theoretically Speaking) |
| Availability | Pre-order; publication March 9, 2027 |
Local readers who follow Perimeter Institute programming or attend public science events may find the book a useful complement to lectures and community outreach. It is also likely to attract attention from educators seeking plain-language resources to explain cosmology and particle physics to high-school and university students.
The CBC interview was edited for length and clarity; Mack spoke with guest host Joe Pavia on The Morning Edition to discuss the book and its goals. While the interview emphasised conceptual explanations over maths, the underlying message is one commonly repeated by researchers: understanding the very small often illuminates the behaviour of the very large.
For Waterloo residents, the book is another example of homegrown expertise reaching a wider audience and of the city’s scientific institutions contributing to public understanding of complex subjects.
