Conference: Prof. Gilbert Burki

OFXB's 31st anniversary celebration - Conference: Prof. Gilbert Burki – “Earth Facing the Cosmos: What Does a Cubic Centimeter of Space Contain?”

Prof. Gilbert Burki is a distinguished Swiss astronomer and astrophysicist, and an emeritus professor at the University of Geneva. A specialist in stellar physics and variable objects, he is recognized for his work in science communication, delivering numerous public lectures and publishing astronomy books accessible to a wide audience.

Earth in the Face of the Cosmos: What Does a Cubic Centimeter of Space Contain?
Earth is a cosmic vessel, subject to multiple interactions with its environment. So much so that the existence of life on Earth can seem almost "miraculous", given the many conditions required for its development. Among the well-known but fortunately rare dangers are meteorite impacts, which have threatened our planet several times. But there are also continuous, gentler interactions that can be described by the contents of a cubic centimeter of space outside Earth’s atmosphere: 6 million solar photons, 400 cosmic photons, about a dozen solar wind protons, around fifty interplanetary dust particles, and more. Cataloging this content helps us understand where we come from!