Powell, Corey S. 1966–

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Powell, Corey S. 1966–

PERSONAL: Born 1966.

ADDRESSES: Home—Brooklyn, NY. Office—Discover, 90 5th Ave., 11th Fl., New York, NY 10011.

CAREER: Writer, journalist, and editor. Discover magazine, New York, NY, editor and contributor; New York University, New York, NY, adjunct professor of science journalism. Previous positions include Scientific American, board of editors; Physics Today; and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center, MD, gamma-ray telescope tester.

WRITINGS:

God in the Equation: How Einstein Became the Prophet of the New Religious Era, Free Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Has written for numerous publications, including Scientific American, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Newsday.

SIDELIGHTS: Longtime science writer and editor Corey S. Powell argues against the idea that science and religion are mutually exclusive in his first book, God in the Equation: How Einstein Became the Prophet of the New Religious Era. Referring to the new faith of "sci/religion," Powell delves into the world of physics from Einstein and beyond and reflects on his theory that famed physicist Albert Einstein paved a way for sci/religion that subsequent generations followed. These physicist's efforts focused on "framing models of the universe that reflect, a worshipful devotion to cosmic harmony," as noted by Booklist contributor Bryce Christensen. Powell also argues that Einstein is the "prophet" of this new religion because of his establishment of the theory of relativity, which combines certain aspects of both physics and metaphysics. In the book, the author explores such aspects of physics as dark energy and matter, which may be the unifying forces in the universe. The world of subatomic particles, the author contends, has a "mystical" connection and may provide the final clues for solving the puzzle of human consciousness.

In a review of God in the Equation, a Kirkus Reviews contributor wrote: "General, generous readers with an interest in science … will find this provocative, securely grounded in contemporary theories of physics, and at least worth pondering." Writing in Science News, another reviewer noted that the author "details many recent, startling revelations by cosmologists." A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote that Powell "convincingly shows the ways that science has molded itself into a new faith, and his book will surely generate controversy and skepticism."