Have you ever wondered what common thing connects fault surfaces and their characteristics with your… squeezy sneakers on a wet surface or the required frequent change of your car tyres? Well, the answer is simple. The fundamental principles of stress and friction can significantly cause this behaviour in our everyday lives. However, these two factors can also be responsible for the slip behaviour ...[Read More]
The Sassy Scientist – Diamonds in the Rough
It’s that time of year again. The academic year is ramping up, everyone is back from their summer holiday and expecting miraculous things from you, the deadlines are rolling in and there is (unfortunately) no end in sight. So of course, Paxman, like many of you, is wondering: How can I feel less pressure/stress in my work? Dear Paxman, Stress? Pressure? Surely you love your research enough that ev ...[Read More]
The Sassy Scientist – Take Some Time Off!
Yo Han feels the need to please everyone. His collaborators, supervisor, office mates, faculty staff and his family (they’re low on the list though). Overly ambitious yet with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he sighs: How can I feel less pressure in my work? Dear Yo Han, Don’t worry so much. I know it’s a stupid answer, and some people just seem to not be able to take t ...[Read More]
The geophysicist’s toybox
Simplified models or toy models explain the complex Earth processes fairly well, even though they are far from reality. In this week’s Geodynamics 101, Adam Beall, Research Associate at Cardiff University, discusses some of his favourite geophysical toy models! I remember being excited to first hear about scientists doing Earth modelling and imagined impressive computer visualisations of tec ...[Read More]