The West Norwegian Fjords are the reference point for fjords around the world. One such fjord is Geiranger, which features in this week’s Imaggeo on Mondays. The geological setting of Geirangerfjord – and its climate – has earned the area a spot on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. During the last ice age, much of northern Europe was glaciated; covered by a large ice sheet known as the Fennoscandian I ...[Read More]
Geosciences Column: Getting a handle on glacial lakes
Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are caused when masses of meltwater are released from behind a glacier moraine. Moraines are piles of unconsolidated debris that have either eroded from the glacier valley or have been deposited by melting glaciers. When they fail, a huge volume of water can be released, threatening populations further down the valley. Moraine failure can be caused by avalanche ...[Read More]
The Geology of Skyrim: An unexpected journey
Back in January I did a talk at an event called Science Showoff, a comedy night based in London where scientists stand up in front of an audience in a pub and talk about funny stuff to do with their work. I talked about video games. Not any video game however, I talked about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. For those of you who don’t know what this is, it’s a fantasy role playing video game. It is a g ...[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: Hiking and horseshoes
The Grand Canyon is filled with fantastic geological features like this one – Horseshoe Bend – a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River. Hiking through this wonderful landscape is a joy for geoscientists and photographers alike, so no matter where your destination is, you’re bound to get distracted by an outstanding outcrop or spectacular view. Grand Canyon National Park is home to some of ...[Read More]