Gerta Keller is a professor of paleontology and geology in the geo sciences department at Princeton University with a wonderful personality. Gerta has over 240 scientific publications focused on major earth catastrophes and mass extinctions, including the biotic and environmental effects of meteorite impacts and volcanism.
In our conversation with Gerta, we cover: her courageous journey – against all odds – in attaining a university degree, the mechanics of major earth catastrophes, the mystery surrounding the KT boundary and the dinosaur mass extinction, the impact theory and theory of deccan volcanism, and the deep trials and tribulations of advocating for a non-consensus theory in the scientific community.
As a heads up, this episode contains some explicit language.
About and from Prof. Gerta Keller:
- Website: https://massextinction.princeton.edu/
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerta_Keller
- Deccan Volcanism: https://massextinction.princeton.edu/deccan-volcanism
Assorted links:
- 2004 BBC documentary: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22682z
- The Atlantic article on Prof. Keller and the impact theory controversy: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/09/dinosaur-extinction-debate/565769/
- Princeton alumni magazine article: https://paw.princeton.edu/article/dissenter
- Geoscientist online article: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/keller
- K-T Boundary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous%E2%80%93Paleogene_boundary
- Iridium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium
- Zircon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon
- The Trouble with Physics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Physics
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Music:
- Music used in this podcast: Simplex Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 - Chipper Doodle Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0