Galactic Archaeology: Kirsten Banks: | 10 minute Genius - Ep 1 | ABC Australia

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When we look at stars we’re looking back in time.
But when it comes to the big questions of the cosmos, it feels impossible to comprehend how far away those twinkling stars really are...or whether they even exist anymore.
Fortunately, we have cosmic archaeologists to answer these mind-bending questions.
In less than ten minutes or roughly the same amount of time it takes for light to travel 180,000,000 km, Astrophysicist Kirsten Banks explains how light emitted by the stars can unlock the secrets to our galactic neighbourhood.

Kirsten Banks is currently completing a PhD in the School of Physics at UNSW Sydney. She is a proud Wiradjuri woman with an undeniable passion for all things space and astronomy.
She grew up on Ku-ring-gai country in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, always loving the sky.
Kirsten was appointed to an Astronomy Guide position at Sydney Observatory, and it was at the Sydney Observatory where Kirsten first sought out to determine where she and her ancestors came from: she learned she is of Wiradjuri descent.
Kirsten has appeared on countless radio shows and is the resident astronomer on Triple M’s Night Shift with Luke Bona.
Kirsten speaks regularly at Sydney Observatory, has presented at numerous conferences and loves to present Aboriginal Astronomy workshops.
Kirsten is also a 2017 CSIRO Indigenous STEM Award finalist.
If you’d like to follow and support Kirsten’s journey to becoming a great Science Communicator, you can follow her on Twitter - @AstroKirsten.

10 minute Genius is produced by - UNSW Centre for Ideas with Dan Ilic

#science #astrophysicist #cosmos #stars #speedoflight

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