University of Warwick astrophysicists have pinpointed four white dwarfs surrounded by dust from shattered planetary bodies which once bore striking similarities to the composition of the Earth.

Using the Hubble Space Telescope for the biggest survey to date of the chemical composition of the atmospheres of white dwarf stars, the researchers found that the most frequently occurring elements in the dust around these four white dwarfs were oxygen, magnesium, iron and silicon – the four elements that make up roughly 93 per cent of the Earth.

For more information: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/four_white_dwarf

The University of Warwick is looking to significantly enhance and expand its activities and capabilities in Condensed Matter and Materials Physics by supporting a series of new appointments in Physics.

This initiative builds on significant recent investment, including a new Materials and Analytical Sciences building (joint with the Department of Chemistry) and over £10M of capital investment in Advanced Materials and Energy research from the Science Cities programme. Warwick is now equiped with a wide range of state-of-the-art preparation and analysis facilities that can be applied to bulk and thin film materials and devices.