Chemistry for life and the circular economy

Michael Londesborough explains Earth's uniqueness and richness in terms of its "circular" chemistry by taking us on the journey of a single atom of Carbon. The journey illustrates the "circular" chemistry of Earth as opposed to the general linearity of entropy and the chemistry of other planets. Can the linear become the circular?  He explains that the circulatory nature of organic chemistry on earth gives us a wealth of opportunity for innovation, and choice. Our choices will determine our success as a species.

About the speaker

Michael was born in 1978 in London, England. He graduated with a first-class degree with honours in Chemistry and attained his Ph.D at Leeds University, England in 2002. Currently he working at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Czech Academy of Science, on the boron hydrides and their application in optics and microelectronics. Previously, Michael worked as a consultant with Semequip Inc. (2006-2009). In 2015 he published the discovery of the first borane laser and is currently focused on the useful emission of light from boron hydrides.

He has represented his Institute at the academic congress of the Czech Academy of Sciences, is the chairman of his institute's scientific council, and is a member of the Academy's council for the popularization of science. Michael is the author of 47 original scientific papers, has two contributions to books on modern boron chemistry, and one international patent.