The Discovery of Cosmic Voids

The large-scale structure of the Universe is dominated by vast voids with galaxies clustered in knots, sheets, and filaments, forming a great 'cosmic web'. In this personal account of the major astronomical developments leading to this discovery, we learn from Laird A. Thompson, a key protagonist, how the first 3D maps of galaxies were created. Using non-mathematical language, he introduces the standard model of cosmology before explaining how and why ideas about cosmic voids evolved, referencing the original maps, reproduced here. His account tells of the competing teams of observers, racing to publish their results, the theorists trying to build or update their models to explain them, and the subsequent large-scale survey efforts that continue to the present day. This is a well-documented account of the birth of a major pillar of modern cosmology, and a useful case study of the trials surrounding how this scientific discovery became accepted.

• Thompson shares his personal experience of making a historically significant scientific discovery
• An easy to follow, non-mathematical explanation of our current model of the Universe is included as background
• The author demonstrates why dark matter is a necessary part of modern cosmology
• The contributions of the many scientists whose work led to the discovery of cosmic voids and the understanding of large-scale structure are clearly explained