Kent Physics Centre
Evening talks on physics open to the public.
Talks are Tuesday evenings at 7pm in SIBSON Lecture Theatre 3 and will run about once a month.
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Upcoming Talks
Tuesday 12th November 2024
Matthias van Ginneken (University of Kent)
Cosmic Messengers: A History of Meteoritics
The study of extraterrestrial matter, from meteorites passing by cosmic dust to sample returned from asteroids, has a long and fascinating history. For centuries, humans have been intrigued by stones from the sky,” but it was only relatively recently that scientists began to understand the true nature and significance of meteorites and cosmic dust.
This talk explores the development of the science of meteoritics, tracing its evolution from early observations to the modern era of sophisticated analyses. We will examine key discoveries that revolutionized our understanding of these celestial messengers, particularly focusing on the “Antarctic meteorite revolution” – a period of unparalleled discovery driven by the unique conditions of the frozen continent.
During this talk, I will explore this history and explain how scientists have learned to decipher these celestial objects. This journey reveals how meteoritics has helped us unravel the mysteries of the early solar system, shedding light on the formation of planets and the building blocks of life.
The next talk after this will be on Tuesday 3rd December. You can see our full schedule of talks for the 2024-2025 academic year here.