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Monica Grady

Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University
Monica Mary Grady CBE (born 1958) is a leading British space scientist, primarily known for her work on meteorites. Since 2005, she has been Professor of Planetary and Space Science at the Open University, and is currently Head of the Department of Physical Sciences.

Prior to 2005, Grady was based at the Natural History Museum in London, where she curated the UK's national collection of meteorites. She graduated from the University of Durham in 1979, then went on to complete a Ph.D. on carbon in stony meteorites at Darwin College, Cambridge in 1982. Since then, she has built up an international reputation in meteoritics, publishing many papers on the carbon and nitrogen isotope geochemistry of primitive meteorites, on Martian meteorites, and on interstellar components of meteorites. She gave the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 2003, on the subject "A Voyage in Space and Time". Asteroid (4731) was named Monicagrady in her honour.

Grady was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to space sciences. She is the first UK scientist to be President of the international Meteoritical Society.

Grady is the oldest of eight children; her youngest sister, Dr Ruth Grady, is a Senior Lecturer in microbiology at the University of Manchester. Grady's husband, Professor Ian Wright is also a meteoriticist.

Space Science Series

Six space missions to look forward to in 2024

Jan 04, 2024 04:40 am UTC| Science

Its going to be a bumper time for space missions in 2024 especially to the Moon, our nearest neighbour. And thats following on from an already epic 2023. Im a laboratory scientist, so I always like to have a proper...

Space Science Series

A Nasa spacecraft is on course to deliver material from an asteroid to Earth – here's what we could learn

Sep 23, 2023 00:49 am UTC| Science

Around 15 years ago, I was on a European Space Agency (Esa) committee, looking at Esas strategy for proposed forthcoming space missions. Under consideration was a mission to an asteroid. Over dinner, one of the committee...

Physicist who found spherical meteor fragments claims they may come from an alien spaceship – here's what to make of it

Jul 11, 2023 07:36 am UTC| Science

Avi Loeb, a physicist from Harvard University in the US, has recovered 50 tiny spherical iron fragments from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean that he claims may be material from an interstellar alien spaceship. Loeb is...

Mars 2020: the hunt for life on the red planet is about to get serious

Aug 01, 2020 14:54 pm UTC| Science

Next spring is going to be a busy time for Mars. In close succession, three spacecraft will arrive at the planet, joining the dozen or so craft already circling Mars. Two of the spacecraft were launched in the past couple...

How did the Earth get its water? Asteroid sample gives a surprising answer

May 02, 2019 16:45 pm UTC| Science

Water is essential for life on Earth and is one of our most precious natural resources. But considering how our planet formed, it is quite surprising how much water we still have. The Earth aggregated from a cloud of gas...

Curious Kids: how does gravity pull things down to Earth?

Aug 21, 2018 17:04 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children of all ages. The Conversation is asking young people to send in questions theyd like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome: find details on how to enter...

Economy

Rising Jet Fuel Costs from Iran Conflict Push Airfare Higher Across Europe

Disruptions to global oil supplies linked to the Iran conflict are driving a sharp increase in jet fuel prices, adding significant costs to air travel across Europe. According to analysis from campaign group Transport ...

UK Wage Growth Slows to 3.6% as Inflation Pressures Complicate Bank of England Outlook

British wage growth showed signs of cooling, though not as sharply as analysts had anticipated, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Regular pay, which excludes bonuses, rose by 3.6%...

US-Iran Peace Talks Fuel Market Optimism Amid Ongoing Tensions

The United States has expressed renewed confidence that peace talks with Iran could resume soon in Pakistan, raising hopes of easing geopolitical tensions that have disrupted global energy markets. A senior Iranian...

Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of Fed Nominee Hearing

Asian currencies traded within a narrow range on Tuesday as geopolitical uncertainty surrounding potential U.S.-Iran peace talks kept investors cautious. With a temporary ceasefire set to expire later this week, traders...

Gold Prices Slip Amid Iran Tensions and Fed Chair Uncertainty

Gold prices edged lower during Asian trading on Tuesday as investors weighed geopolitical risks and monetary policy uncertainty. The precious metal remains range-bound, with traders closely monitoring developments...

Politics

Pakistan Halts $1.5 Billion Sudan Arms Deal After Saudi Arabia Withdraws Support

Pakistan has reportedly paused a $1.5 billion defense deal to supply weapons and fighter jets to Sudan after Saudi Arabia withdrew financial backing and urged Islamabad to abandon the agreement. According to Pakistani...

UN Secretary-General Race 2027: Key Candidates Competing to Replace Antonio Guterres

The race to select the next United Nations Secretary-General is gaining momentum as global leaders position themselves for the top diplomatic role. The 10th UN chief will assume office on January 1, 2027, for a five-year...

Philippines Says U.S. Access to EDCA Bases Limited by Land Issues and Delays

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has revealed that the use of military bases accessible to the United States under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) remains limited, citing unresolved land...

Trump Maintains Iran Naval Blockade as Ceasefire Deadline Nears

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the naval blockade against Iran will remain in force until a formal agreement is reached with Tehran, adding uncertainty ahead of a looming ceasefire deadline later this week. In...

Gaza Violence Continues Despite Ceasefire as Israeli Strikes and Clashes Escalate

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least five Palestinians on Monday, according to Palestinian health officials, highlighting ongoing violence despite a fragile ceasefire agreement. The incidents occurred in...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell Earns $85.8M as IPO Buzz Grows

SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell earned $85.8 million in total compensation last year, according to details from the companys S-1 filing, positioning her among the highest-paid executives in the...

John Ternus Signals Apple’s Future with Product-First AI Strategy

Apples incoming CEO John Ternus is already shaping expectations for the companys future, and his stance on artificial intelligence reveals a clear direction. Unlike competitors such as Microsoft and Google, which are...

Jeff Bezos Eyes $10 Billion Funding Round for AI Venture Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is reportedly closing in on a massive fundraising deal for his artificial intelligence startup, signaling a major move in the rapidly expanding AI industry. According to a Financial Times report citing sources...

Apple Stock Dips as Tim Cook Steps Down, John Ternus Named Next CEO

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares slipped more than 1% in after-hours trading Monday following a surprising leadership transition announcement. The tech giant revealed that longtime CEO Tim Cook will move into the role of...

Amazon Expands AI Bet with Up to $25 Billion Investment in Anthropic

Amazon is significantly deepening its artificial intelligence strategy by announcing a new investment of $5 billion in AI firm Anthropic, with the potential to reach up to $25 billion based on performance milestones. This...