The Extra-Terrestrial Chemist
We once again venture into the unknow of astrochemistry via this awe inspiring conversation with Chris Shingledecker. He’s an ace story teller that seamlessly transitions from how he found this career, to the history of the field, and into the exciting discoveries that he and his colleagues are making. Chemistry is in fact happening in outer space, with a richness and diversity that you might not expect. Move beyond terrestrial chemistry with us in this mind-opening episode.
Bringing Chemistry to Life · Paolo Braiuca, Chris Shingledecker
Show Notes
Visit https://www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast/ to access the extended video version of this episode and the guest content sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest. You can also access the extended video version of this episode via our YouTube channel to hear, and see, more of the conversation!
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Among the various chemical disciplines we have discussed so far, astrochemistry is by far the most surprising. And Chris Shingledecker is a surprisingly charming member of this relatively new and growing scientific niche. He’s managed to naturally balance his passions for chemistry, born from a chemical set received as a gift in his childhood, and for astronomy, that grew in him during middle school. This is a great story of someone who took his education and professional path in his own hands and gave it the shape he wanted to follow his interests and passions.
Chris is now living the excitement of a new science. So many things to understand and explain given such fast progress in the field. We learn about what a young discipline astrochemistry is, where until three or four decades ago it was thought chemistry could not occur in outer space, and hear how Chis and his colleagues are quickly showing that chemistry beyond the boundaries of planet Earth is in fact extremely rich, diverse, and complex.
This is a fascinating discussion about the story and the future of astrochemistry, a jump into new ideas about the origins of life on our planet and hypothetical other worlds.
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