Mineralogie, Hamburg

What made Earth a habitable planet?

Our research group focuses on studying the interactions between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere with the biosphere over geological timescales, as interpreted from rocks, minerals, and meteorites. Using advanced analytical techniques in isotope geochemistry, we explore a range of topics, from the formation of terrestrial planets in the early Solar System to the evolution of Earth’s earliest surface environments where life may have originated and evolved. Additionally, we investigate the mineralisation processes of minerals crucial for a sustainable future. Central to our work is our collection of over 90,000 specimens, which, along with our developing analytical infrastructure for geochemical methods, forms the heart of our work.