EGU Blogs

Cryospheric Sciences

Surviving in cold environments: from microbes under glaciers to queer scientists in the current social context

Mario Toubes-Rodrigo July 5, 2019

On the 5th of July we will celebrate the International Day of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer, and people that do not identify themselves as cis and/or straight) People in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM). Many people will ask: “Why is this day important?” Being a queer scientist in particular, and a queer person in general, can sometimes reminds us of how livi ...[Read More]

GeoLog

GeoPolicy: Preventing mercury leakage from a WWII submarine

Chloe Hill July 5, 2019

I recently had the opportunity to interview Matthias Kaiser, a professor at Bergen University and, at the time of the interview, Director of the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities. He is part of an expert team that has given scientific advice to Norwegian policymakers, highlighting the issues that should be considered when dealing with the U-864 submarine wreckage and its carg ...[Read More]

GD

Geodynamics

The Sassy Scientist – Jekyll: Mantle dynamics

The Sassy Scientist July 5, 2019

Every week, The Sassy Scientist answers a question on geodynamics, related topics, academic life, the universe or anything in between with a healthy dose of sarcasm. Do you have a question for The Sassy Scientist? Submit your question here. Senna asks: I’m torn between mantle dynamics and lithosphere dynamics as a research topic. Which shall I choose? Dear Senna, This is an easy one: mantle dynami ...[Read More]

GMPV

Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Petrology & Volcanology

What I learned from chairing my first EGU session

EGU Guest blogger July 4, 2019

By Emily Bamber (PhD Student, University of Manchester) At this year’s EGU meeting I was invited to co-convene the GMPV 5.7 session ‘Magma ascent, degassing and eruptive dynamics: linking experiments, models and observations’. At first, I felt nervous, as a PhD student who has so far only attended and presented at a few conferences. Afterwards I felt happy to be part of a session which presents cu ...[Read More]

GfGD

Geology for Global Development

The link between development and resource use

Heather Britton July 3, 2019

This month the GfGD blog revolved around the theme of Resources. Blog author Heather Britton explores the link between the use of natural resources and development. How feasible are the various options available to us, to reach a use of resources aligned with sustainable development? From the ideology of a circular economy, a switch to renewable resources and increasing efficiency, what might help ...[Read More]

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Geodynamics

It doesn’t work! (Asking questions about scientific software)

Editorial team 1 July 3, 2019

Numerical modelling is not always a walk in the park. In fact, many of us occasionally encounter problems that we cannot directly solve ourselves, and thus rely on help from others. In this month’s Wit & Wisdom post, Patrick Sanan, postdoctoral researcher at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics group at ETH Zurich, will talk about asking the right questions about scientific software. As an experienc ...[Read More]

HS

Hydrological Sciences

Quality through Equality – tackling gender issues in hydrology

EGU Guest blogger July 3, 2019

Quality through Equality – tackling gender issues in hydrology Results of a 1-day workshop organised by the University of Bristol’s Water Engineering Group “Science has a diversity problem” (Nature, 2019), and hydrology and the water sciences are no exception. For example, overall only 36% of all EGU medal awardees are female. With 31% of all nominations going to female researchers (Ka ...[Read More]

GeoLog

Imaggeo on Mondays: Robotics at the service of the polar science

Angelo Odetti July 1, 2019

This picture was taken in the Arctic in May 2018. It shows the unmanned marine vehicle Proteus in front of the tidewater glacier Conwaybreen in the Kongsfjorden in Spitsbergen in the Svalbard Archipelago. The front of tidewater glaciers is an almost vertical wall of ice standing over the sea where direct measurements are very critical due to the possibility of sudden fall of enormous blocks of ice ...[Read More]

GMPV

Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Petrology & Volcanology

#mineralmonday: lazurite

Mike Jollands July 1, 2019

#mineralmonday: your weekly* dose of obscure mineralogy, every Monday** [*not guaranteed; **or possibly Tuesday-Sunday] What is it? Lazurite. Take a deep breath, the formula is Na3CaAl3Si3O12S. That’s a lot of elements to digest, what does it mean? Well, the aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si) form tetrahedra (4-faced 3D triangular shapes), with oxygen (O) on the points. These are arrange ...[Read More]

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Geodynamics

The Sassy Scientist – Key Papers

The Sassy Scientist June 29, 2019

Every week, The Sassy Scientist answers a question on geodynamics, related topics, academic life, the universe or anything in between with a healthy dose of sarcasm. Do you have a question for The Sassy Scientist? Submit your question here. Luca asks: What is (in your opinion) the key paper in geodynamics and why? Dear Luca, There is not one key paper. It is simply impossible to point at one paper ...[Read More]