Origins Center
Center for the study of origins and evolution of life, planets and the universe
What is the Origins Center
The Origins Center is a Dutch initiative that aims to bring together a broad range of scientific disciplines to address one of the biggest challenges in science: the origin of life on earth and in the universe. Its aim is to spark and facilitate transdisciplinary research between scientists associated with Dutch universities and research institutes that addresses the following five gamechangers:
Disciplines represented in the Origins Center include astronomy, biophysics, chemistry, ecology and evolution, mathematics and computational science, molecular biosciences, and planetary and geosciences.
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Some of the drives behind the Origins Center include leading scientists in the fields of astrophysics, chemistry and ecology.
Prof. Louise Vet
Ecology
Prof. Rens Waters
Astrophysics
Prof. Ben Feringa
Chemistry (Nobel Prize 2016)
History of the Origins Center
The Origins Center sprang from the Dutch National Science Agenda. This agenda came about after a nation-wide consultation of the general public regarding the problems scientists should focus on. The response was distilled down to 16 key topics. The question of the origin of life on earth and in the universe emerged as one of the most fundamental of these. A number of workshops were organized bringing together scientists from a diverse spectrum of background to elaborate this topic. The momentum and enthusiasm that arose in the process culminated in founding the Origins Center.