On the Origin of the Elements

The United Nations General Assembly and UNESCO proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements, IYPT2019, taking into account its 150th anniversary. The Swiss Physical Society (SPS) and the Platform MAP (Mathematics, Astronomy & Physics) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) will celebrate this important milestone with a special symposium on Friday, 30 August 2019 in Zürich as the closing event of the joint annual meeting of SPS and ÖPG.

Under the title On the Origin of the Elements three overview talks will highlight the role of physics in the IYPT2019. Given by renowned specialists, they will cover the history of the discovery of the 118 elements, Big Bang and stellar nucleosynthesis, and the creation of heavy elements in stellar explosions. Each presentation will allow for enough time to answer questions from the audience.

Talks:

1. Celebrating 150 years Periodic Table, historical remarks and current situation by ​Heinz W. Gäggeler (PSI & Uni. Bern)
2. Big Bang and stars, two hot environments for making elements by Georges Meynet (Uni. Genève)
3. Stellar Explosions and the Heavy Elements by Friedrich-Karl Thielemann (Uni. Basel)