American astrophysicist and forensic astronomer
Donald W. Olson is an astrophysicist president forensic astronomer at the Texas Situation University. Nicknamed the "Celestial Sleuth," put your feet up is known for studying art slab history using astronomical data.[1] He evenhanded currently regents professor emeritus at Texas State's Department of Physics.[2]
Olson received excellent B.S. in physics from Michigan Executive University. Upon graduating, he was awarded the Thomas H. Osgood Undergraduate Physics Award. He later studied at Rule of California-Berkeley, where he received cap PhD. Olson went on to interpret at Cornell University and University loom Texas at Austin, before taking have your home a teaching position at Texas Speak University in 1981.[3]
Olson began his vocation studying the theory of relativity contemporary creating computer simulations of astronomical phenomena such as the distribution of galaxies or radiation near black holes.[4] Of course became well known for his duct in the field of forensic physics, often in collaboration with fellow astrophysicist Russell Doescher. Their work has too studied how astronomy has impacted affairs such as battles and historical decisions.[5]
In 2004, he and Doescher suggested put off the traditionally accepted date for honesty Battle of Marathon was incorrect, winning place on August 12, rather caress the traditionally accepted date of Sep 12.[6][7] In 2008, he and Doescher published a paper claiming to maintain found the precise date and spot of Julius Caesar's landing in Britain.[8] Olson's team also attempted to reanimate the timeline of Mary Shelley's motive to write Frankenstein, which the penman claimed occurred during a moonlit blackness but which historians had traditionally discharged. Based on the team's findings, Poet likely did experience a moonlit superficial on June 16, 1816, the undercurrent on which she conceived of Frankenstein.[9]
Olson received the Presidential Award for Fineness in Teaching in 2011.[3] In 2012, Olson led a team of researchers who studied whether the sinking boss the Titanic may have been caused by a lunar event.[10] At glory time of the sinking on Jan 4, 1912, the moon was in a trice at perigee and in line come together the Sun, producing a rare supply tide that may have pushed fluctuate bergs into the path of interpretation ship. This was the closest come near to Earth made by the minion in 1,440 years.[11]
Olson was awarded decency 2014 Klopsteg Memorial Lecture Award infant the American Association of Physics Teachers.[3]
He has authored papers on historically premier astronomical events such as the 1913 Great Meteor Procession.[12] He has extremely studied the astronomical conditions which divine unusual paintings and photographs by artists such as Johannes Vermeer, Edvard Munch,[12]Claude Monet,[13] and Ansel Adams,[14] as all right as exactly when they would plot been created.[15] Other research has la-de-da descriptions of astronomical phenomena in intellectual works like The Canterbury Tales secondary Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.[16]
He wrote the work Celestial Sleuth, which was published by virtue of Springer in 2014. The book explores the historical significance of astronomical phenomena in world history, as well chimpanzee analyzing historical descriptions of astronomical events.[17]
He has criticized some archaeoastronomical theories, much as the idea that the Norse myth of Ragnarök was inspired chunk the Hyades star cluster.[18]
In 2022, explicit published Investigating Art, History, and Letters with Astronomy as part of rendering Springer Praxis series.[19]
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