Joseph (Joe) Kirschvink
Nico and Marilyn Van Wingen Professor of Geobiology
Research Options
Research Areas
Profile
Science progresses by a process called hypothesis testing, which involves proposing an idea and then subjecting it to experimental tests. However, someone has to initially propose scientifically plausible hypotheses for this process to work. Prof. Kirschvink has originated several such ideas aimed at increasing our understanding of how biological evolution has influenced, and has been influenced by, major events on the surface of the Earth. In more-or-less chronological order, the major contributions include: (1) the idea that biogenic magnetite produced by the magnetotactic bacteria ("magnetofossils") might be responsible for the magnetization of some sedimentarty rocks; these magnetofossils now provide the strongest evidence for early life on the planet Mars. (2) Another major idea is that the magnetic field sensitivity in animals might be due to small chains of the same biogenic magnetite functioning as specialized sensory organelles; this work has provided a solid biophysical basis for understanding magnetic effects on animal
... Read More
Publications
Please see Joe Kirschvink's research page for a complete list of publications:
Instructor: Kirschvink
Instructors: Fischer, Kirschvink
Instructors: Fischer, Kirschvink
Instructors: Avouac (a), Kirschvink (b), Wernicke (c)
Instructor: Kirschvink
Instructor: Kirschvink
Instructor: Kirschvink