Why Lithium in the Universe is an Elemental Mystery, with Professor Brian Fields
About this episode
Professor Brian Fields discusses the mysteries of lithium formation in the universe.
It's the lightest metal on the periodic table and a crucial component in our modern technologies... but lithium also presents a fascinating cosmological problem. Professor Brian Fields joins WONDER podcast from the University of Illinois and shares with us the mysteries of primordial lithium formation in the universe - a story that takes us from interstellar dust to the big bang itself. Turns out, geologists aren't the only ones hunting for lithium... Thanks to the Geological Society of Australia for making this episode of WONDER possible! Find us at www.thegeoco.com.au Instagram @thegeoco Got questions? Get in touch- hello@thegeoco.com.au GeoCo connects to you from the traditional country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, South Australia. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.
People in this episode
Host: GeoCo
Guest: Professor Brian Fields
Topics covered
- lithium
- cosmology
- primordial formation
- big bang
- interstellar dust
- geology
Keywords
- lithium
- cosmological problem
- primordial lithium
- big bang
- interstellar dust
- modern technologies
Sponsors
Geological Society of Australia
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: GeoCo
Places: Adelaide Plains, Australia, Illinois, South Australia
More episodes of Wonder
- Does life regulate the Earth's atmosphere? The Gaia hypothesis with Professor Ben Mills (Part 1)
- How gold nuggets grow with Dr Chris Voisey (Part II)
- The electric growth of gold in earthquakes with Dr Chris Voisey (Part I)
- From the Himalaya to Uluru, Dr Melanie Finch explains how the greatest mountains on Earth grow
- The Brilliant Stone Structures that Preserve Earth's Earliest Life with Heidi Allen
- The Lightest Metal on Earth with Professor Carl Spandler
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Wonder podcast page.