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.

About the speaker

Matthias spent 15 years studying the mineralogy and chemistry of extraterrestrial materials, including meteorites, cosmic dust and products of asteroid impacts on Earth. One of his major contributions to the field of planetary science is the discovery of the first remnants of a large airburst, that is an asteroid exploding in the atmosphere, in Antarctica. Matthias is currently a technician in the physics teaching laboratory of the University of Kent.