Discovery - Unstoppable: Inge Lehmann

From growing up in a progressive Denmark to studying mathematics at a gender-segregated Cambridge University, Inge Lehmann had to power through the shock of cultural change to pursue her love of mathematics. Whilst managing several seismological stations, Inge notices the peculiar readings in the data she was collecting. Was the Earth’s composition actually different to what the experts had thought?

Dr Julia Ravey and Dr Ella Hubber tell the story of Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann who used earthquakes to uncover the truth about the composition of the Earth’s inner core. With contributions from Dr Lif Lund Jacobsen and Dr Trine Dahl-Jensen.

(Photo: A black and white photo of Inge Lehmann, She is looking into the camera with a neutral expression and she is wearing a dark woolen cardigan. Credit: Neuhaus, Even (6.2.1863-20.4.1946) /Royal Danish Library)

Producer/presenter: Ella Hubber and Julia Ravey
Assistant producer: Sophie Ormiston, Anna Charalambou and Josie Hardy
Sound designer: Ella Roberts
Production co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano
Editor: Holly Squire

Published on Monday, 12th May 2025.

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