Planetary Defence | Assoc Prof Nick Timms & Prof William Rickard
Picture this: there’s an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. What exactly would we do – and who’s working behind the scenes to keep us safe? In this episode, David Karsten is joined by Associate Professor Nicholas Timms and Professor William Rickard to explore the fascinating science of planetary defence.
o How a Moon rock changed a career [00:58]
o Planetary defence 101 [02:32]
o Space rocks and the tools unlocking their secrets [04:50]
o What Asteroid Bennu is teaching us about life’s building blocks [07:40]
o The story of WA’s Mother’s Day meteorite [10:24]
o Popcorn asteroids, Apophis and the DART mission [15:45]
o Potentially hazardous objects: Whose problem is it anyway? [19:47]
o The future of planetary defence and space research [22:17]
Learn more
- John de Laeter Research Centre
- Police officer finds meteorite that lit up WA's skies
- Pristine asteroid samples reveal secrets of the ancient solar system
Connect with our guests
Associate Professor Nicholas Timms, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Nick is a leading expert in rock and mineral deformation and geochronology and has focussed his recent research on impact cratering and extra-terrestrial geology. Deeply immersed in the field, Nick is director of the Space Science and Technology Centre at Curtin University, a team member for NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission and member of the CASA Moon NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI).
Professor William Rickard, Director, John de Laeter Centre
Professor Will Rickard is an experienced materials scientist with a successful record in applied research and analytical facility management. He collaborates widely with researchers and industry as the subject matter expert for advanced materials characterisation. Will is the Director of the John de Laeter Centre where he manages a suite of core research facilities and co-ordinates a number of projects in defence, materials science and geoscience disciplines.
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Got any questions, or suggestions for future topics?
Email thefutureof@curtin.edu.au
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Transcript
Behind the scenes
Host: David Karsten
Content creator and recordist: Caitlin Crowley
Producer: Emilia Jolakoska
Social Media: Celeste Fourie
Executive Producer: Anita Shore
First Nations Acknowledgement
Curtin University acknowledges all First Nations of this place we call Australia and the First Nations peoples connected with our global campuses. We are committed to working in partnership with all Custodians and Owners to strengthen and embed First Nations’ voices and perspectives in our decision-making, now and into the future.
Music
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