The Mars Debate: A Madison Perspective

Read about Valley's most recent published research on the Mars Rock.

The Mars Rock, known to scientists as ALH84001, is a small meteorite that has generated a landslide of controversy.

An overview of the scientific controversy surrounding the meteorite, which has become one of the most important and studied rocks in history, will be presented by John W. Valley, a UW–Madison geochemist, in a public lecture on Thursday, May 15.

The free lecture will be held at 3:30 p.m. in Room AB20 Weeks Hall, 1215 W. Dayton St.

Valley, who considers himself outside the community of people who study meteorites, has subjected features of the meteorite to sophisticated scientific analysis. He will conduct a geochemical tour of the meteorite and provide an overview of the scientific issues at the heart of the debate.