TS
Tectonics and Structural Geology

Columnar basalts

Features from the Field: Columnar Basalts and why Hexagons are nature’s favourite shape

May 26, 2023
Features from the Field: Columnar Basalts and why Hexagons are nature’s favourite shape

What does an insect eye, Saturn’s North pole, beeswax, and a rock formation called columnar basalts all have in common? They are all hexagonal in shape. Why is this the case? Hexagons are the most efficient way to fill a space with the least amount of material The science of bubbles and bubble sculptures is very interesting and I do encourage you to go check out some other blogs that talk ab ...[Read More]

Geomythology. Giant’s Causeway – the mythical stone way

January 25, 2023
Geomythology. Giant’s Causeway – the mythical stone way
Alphonse Dousseau (1796-1876)

Ireland is famous for retaining a rich heritage of folk tales, which are thousands of years old. They tell stories about great heroes, wars and loves, fantastic creatures such as leprechauns, fairies, banshees, giants and so on. Among them, there is a Middle Earth time myth, concerning a “small” giant, named Finn McCool, who built a great stone way connecting Northern Ireland with the western Scot ...[Read More]