Patterns In The Void: Why Nothing Is Important

Patterns in the Void examines the great dark matter and dark regions that pervade the universe, from elementary particles to the immense areas of “vacuum” that make up most of deep space, and everything that is – or is not. Like the void itself, the book ranges in temporal and spatial scales - from our human world, down to the molecular and subatomic world, and up into the farthest reaches of the expanding universe. Building upon the great theories that broke through physics and biophysics in the twentieth century, Patterns in the Void weaves the human element into understanding modern science, telling stories of ancient sacrifices, paranormal experiences, purported alien abductions, and more – all part of the human dilemma to make sense about the vast unknown.

Sten Odenwald an award-winning astronomer with Raytheon ITSS, is currently the education and public outreach manager for the NASA IMAGE satellite program. The author of The Astronomy Cafe and The 23rd Cycle , Sten Odenwald writes a regular on-line question-and-answer column called “Ask the Space Scientist” for the Washington Post , and is a frequent contributor Sky and Telescope and Astronomy magazines. He is the recipient of the 1999 Goddard Space Flight Center Excellence in Outreach Award and the Popular Writing Award from the American Astronomical Society, Solar Physics Division. He lives in Kensington, MD.