The Meteorite Hunters

Planet Earth is under attack: every day, countless meteors plummet through our atmosphere. 

Fortunately, the majority are minuscule - too small to survive the scouring of Earth's atmosphere. Those that do make it to Earth offer a unique glimpse of the world beyond our little planet. They are an invaluable scientific resource.

The oldest material on Earth - 2.5 billion years older than the Solar System- comes from a meteorite, and the earliest iron tools were made from them. In fact, the mystery of how life began on Earth may be bound up with a meteorite.

Josh Howgego meets the groundbreaking scientists, intrepid explorers and passionate hobbyists redefining our understanding of these stones in his new book The Meteorite Hunters, In Pursuit of Extra-Terrestrial Treasures and the Secrets Inside Them. 

You'll also have a chance to purchase a copy of 'The Meteorite Hunters'. 

About the speaker

Joshua Howgego is a science journalist based in London. Josh originally trained as a chemist and obtained his PhD at the University of Bristol. He also has a degree in science communication from Imperial College London.

After having written for numerous titles, including Times Higher Education, SciDev.Net and Nature, he now works as a feature editor at New Scientist magazine, where he covers physical science. 

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Image Banner: Meteor Shower Over the Lighthouse © Yoshiki Abe – shortlisted in Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024