Talk by Dr Tim Gregory

On 26th January 2022 at 7:30pm, Dr Time Gregory gives us our first talk of the new year “Sky Stones: Tales from a collapsing nebula”

The talk will be delivered by Zoom to the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. Email hello@bathastronomers.org.uk to reserve one of the 12 seats available. Members unable to attend at the Museum can join via Zoom.

About the Talk

Earth’s geological history is recorded in the rocks beneath our feet, but there is a limit to how far back in time these rocks can take us. Meteorites – stones that fall to the Earth’s surface from outer space – are the leftover debris from the era of planet formation, and so can take us back to the earliest years of our Solar System’s history. By studying meteorites we have come to learn what our Solar System is made from, how it formed, and exactly when it all began.

About Tim

Dr Tim Gregory is a cosmochemist turned nuclear chemist. Following an internship at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and his PhD in cosmochemistry – the science of meteorites – he took a position as a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Bristol and was a visiting researcher at the British Geological Survey. Specifically, he researched the coming together of our Solar System 4.6 billion years ago by studying the chemical and geological make-up of meteorites. It was during his PhD and subsequent research that he wrote his first book, Meteorite. Cosmochemistry combines two of his great loves in life: rocks and space.

In 2020 Tim took a sideways career step out of academia and into the world of industry as a nuclear chemist. He now counts atoms for a living, applying his scientific mindset and analytical expertise in an industry setting. When he is not in the lab, he is usually either writing, playing his guitar, or hiking in the Cumbrian fells.

In 2017, Tim surpassed thousands of applicants for a place in the six-part BBC2 series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?, where he was put through the full rigours of astronaut selection and reached the final three.

Since then, he has gone on to present a segment about meteorites on BBC4’s The Sky at Night and has made live television appearances on BBC BreakfastBBC Look North, and BBC Points West. He has a monthly spot on BBC Radio Bristol to talk about space exploration and regularly features on local and national radio to talk about events in the world of space science.

Tim loves nothing more than sharing his love of science and the wonders of the natural world. He regularly speaks to audiences of all sizes and ages on topics such as cosmochemistry, nuclear science, and the importance of science in society. His enthusiasm is infectious and his deep knowledge shines through.