Mercury beyond MESSENGER: Recent Progress from the Earth and Planets Laboratory

NASA’s MESSENGER mission transformed what we know about Mercury, from its surface chemistry to its unexpected magnetic field. But the mission left behind just as many questions as it answered—especially about the planet’s mysterious interior. In this Neighborhood Lecture, Carnegie Science Staff Scientist Anne Pommier will guide us through the latest discoveries about Mercury, drawing from recent work across the Earth and Planets Laboratory.

Blending insights from planetary science, geophysics, and high-pressure lab experiments, Pommier will explore what we now know—and still hope to learn—about Mercury’s formation, composition, and inner workings. Whether you're a space enthusiast or a planetary science expert, this event is your chance to dive deeper into the science that’s reshaping our understanding of the Solar System’s smallest planet.

Details

The presentation will begin at 6:30 PM EDT in the Greenewalt Auditorium of Carnegie Science’s Broad Branch Road Campus in NW, Washington, DC. (Doors at 6:00 PM EDT.)