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Global Focus on Knowledge 2010:  The World of Diverse Matter -- The Distant Journey from Space to Earth

All of the matter on Earth and the atoms that constitute our bodies were originally created deep in outer space. Interest in the elements in and around us is very far-reaching. There are endless questions we may ask: What was that moment like when the universe was suddenly created? Why does the matter around us have such diverse properties? How is the matter that does not exist in nature, which has it own fascinating properties, created? How can we develop materials that will make our daily lives more convenient? To what extent are we human beings just matter? And so on.

With “matter” as the keyword, this lecture series will provide an overview of: international-level experiments in particle physics that are unlocking the mysteries of the creation of the universe and the origin of matter; basic research searching the outer limits of space; materials science, which uncovers laws that govern the properties of matter and develops applications for these properties; research on the discovery of drugs and materials that have salubrious effects on our bodies; and the world of materials development, which is opening up new areas in our material world. Finally we will consider wisdom that can sustain the global environment, which is reaching its limits due to the activities of mankind and its societies, which in turn have been supported by materials science.

The lectures in this series will surely give you a new perception of matter and materials. They will go beyond a narrow meaning of science, and should be of interest to not only of course science students from various fields but also students studying the arts and humanities.