"I think there are two types of people that do science. People that like the process and people that just want to know more, and I am very much one of the people that just wants to know more. " - Dr Helena BatesDr Helena Bates is a Planetary Scientist, currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Natural History Museum. She has a PhD in physics on the formation and evolution of asteroids through the analysis of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites,  facilitated by the university of Oxford and the Natural History Museum. She studied Geophysics at Imperial, and up until recently was actually the curator of the meteorite collection at the museum itself.This conversation was amazing. Dr Bates is a fountain of knowledge. In this conversation we cover: What planetary science is and the current mysteries that are at the forefront of the field. We talk about how to identify a meteorite - that is, how to tell if a rock you've found landed from outer space. We talk about flat earthers, alien life, how science is portrayed in the media and what science is fundamentally about. We also discuss the lack of women in some STEM fields, particularly physics, and the challenges of being an academic generally.  You can find Dr Helena Bates @Hellybates on Twitter.My socials:@jack.lawro for IG@jack.lawro for TikTokJacklawrence.net If you'd like to support this podcast, please share it with a friend, give us a rating on your particular app of choice, or you can find my patreon at patreon.com/jacklawrence