Scientists in Poznań plan to establish the Impakt Morasko Science Centre, a unique facility designed to showcase the intersection of space and Earth. This initiative was discussed during an open lecture by Professor Agnieszka Kryszczyńska. The project has recently gained more attention, thanks to Dr. Anna Łosiak from the Polish Academy of Sciences, along with contributions from geologists and science communicators.
Why Morasko? It is home to the largest European cluster of meteorite craters, formed after an asteroid impact approximately 5,000 years ago. The largest of them is 100 m in diameter and 11.5 m deep! The Polish meteorite excavated in the Morasko Reserve weighed 271 kg after cleaning. It was named Kruszynka (Crumb). It is something to be proud of.
The centre will not only explore the stories of meteorites and geology, but it will also demonstrate how cosmic phenomena impact our planet, from floods and tides to global warming. Additionally, there will be an archaeological and technological section that highlights the history of those who may have witnessed cosmic impacts, along with narratives about the latest scientific discoveries.
We have a place in central Poland that is unique on a global scale, and most people, even the inhabitants of Greater Poland, do not know about it. This should be changed, emphasises Dr Anna Łosiak, a planetary geologist from the Institute of Geological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and Prof. Kryszczyńska (asteroid No. 21776 is named after her), adding that it is the only place in Europe and one of six in the world where we can find a so-called multiple crater.
Many scientists are already developing and supporting the project. The estimated cost of constructing the Centre is approximately PLN 100 million, and Greater Poland is still waiting for a large science centre that will be able to compete with the best in Poland and Europe.
It is a chance for Poznań to become a place where everyone can touch space, literally and metaphorically.
Text source: The cosmos at your fingertips in Poznań? | Uniwersyteckie.pl
Photo source: naukawpolsce.pl; Poznań/ Na Morasku znaleziono meteoryt o wadze 271 kg; photo. Jakub Kaczmarczyk