I recently saw a post at space.com, titled “How many atoms are in the observable universe?” The author, Harry Baker, presented a compelling case which takes into account the 13.8-billion-year age of the universe, the 300 million years before light existed, and how the expanding universe is now 46 billion light years across. He had my dumbfounded attention. The final estimate of atoms is almost unfathomable – 10⁸² – which is 10 followed by 82 zeros. But I needed a familiar reference point. So how many atoms are in a human being? It turns out to be 7 x 10²⁷ atoms, give or take what you had for lunch. Now we have some perspective! Each human contributes 1/14 x 10⁵¹ per cent of the atoms of the universe. If world population grows, as predicted, to 11 billion in 2200 from our current 7.6 billion, humanity will increase the number of atoms in the universe by somewhere around 2.5/10⁴³ per cent. Every now and again we find ways to remind ourselves of our place in the big picture.

Yet, those 7 x 10²⁷ atoms come together in unique and numinous ways to create our being. In this issue we are blessed with another book from the IPNB library from W. W. Norton. Daniel J Siegel, Allan Schore, and Louis Cozolino have edited a wonderful collection of authors for Interpersonal Neurobiology and Clinical Practice. We have an excerpt from Daniel Siegel introducing the authors and explaining some important ideas and new concepts from IPNB.

We are also very pleased to present Art O’Malley’s article on Sensorimotor-Focused EMDR: A new paradigm for psychotherapy and peak performance. This is another refinement and integration of ideas and practices to produce a more effective outcome for trauma clients. This is complimented with a very interesting new tool to facilitate a client’s self-observation and awareness from Andrew Thomas who introduces his Rainbow Map in Triggernometry.

We are extraordinary beings that can do and be amazing things. The Greeks imagined the possibility of our atomic nature several thousand years ago. I wonder if Democritus or Leuccipus tried to imagine the number of atoms in the universe? Perhaps, the question is not what we are made of, but what we do with it. This issue shows us, once again, that we can do quite a lot!

RICHARD HILL | EDITOR