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| Name |
Albarede, Francis |
| Location
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Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon |
| Primary Field
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Geology |
| Secondary Field
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Geophysics |
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 Research Interests
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Recently, Francis Albarède has focused on the high precision isotope geochemistry of silver and lead, leveraging his pioneering work with MC ICP MS to investigate the origin and movement of silver resources in antiquity. His European Research Council Advanced Grant project, SILVER: Isotopes and the Rise of Money, aims to understand silver fluxes across the Mediterranean and the emergence of silver coinage as a medium of exchange. By combining silver isotope fractionation with lead isotope fingerprinting of ores and coins, his team has traced metal sources, trade routes, and economic networks that underpinned the development of early monetary systems (Journal of Archaeological Science, 2024).
Beyond economic archaeology, Albarède has also developed a strong interest in the chemistry of ancient oceans. In collaboration with paleontologists, sedimentologists, and geochemists, he has explored climate changes during the Early Paleozoic and their role in the rise and diversification of eukaryotes, linking ocean redox evolution and biogeochemical cycles to critical transitions in Earth’s biological history.
He currently leads a working group of the French National Academy of Sciences on Climate Geoengineering, contributing to the assessment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM) strategies within scientific, governance, and risk frameworks. His participation in the 2025 Collège de France Symposium “Geoengineering at a Glance” underscores his commitment to applying Earth science expertise to pressing societal and planetary challenges. |
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