Science Matters for 2022 will focus on the meteorite that fell in Murchison in 1969. This has proved to be of global significance to our knowledge of the origins of our solar system.

Around 100 kgs rock fragments were found by local citizens and donated to scientists from around the world for analysis. It was a rare type known as carbonaceous chondrite that contained amino acids that are the building blocks of life and grains of dust that formed the sun.

These fragments gave rise to new science projects including space missions to asteroids, investigation of the origins of life and water on earth, the origins of our solar system and how to better detect and track meteors.

As a thank you to the citizens of Murchison who gave up the valuable meteorite fragments to science, scientists from across Australia and the world gathered at Murchison 50 years later to share their findings with Murchison community. Their talks will form the basis of presentations and discussion for Science Matters in the first quarter of 2022.

This series of science talks will be led Derek Poulton. Inspired by the Murchison talks, Derek has built a meteor camera, one of 500 across the world that form the Global Meteor Network. Building and operating your own meteor camera will be an optional science activity in 2022.  This could be the catalyst for the formation of an Astronomy group.

As always, the views from the science group will determine the topics to be explored during the year. This could include a visit to the Meteorite Museum in Murchison.

Contact: Allan Wilson 0427 399 648
Time: Third Monday at 1.30 – 2.45 pm