Following on from the adventures in the Natural History Museum in London, checking out some of their extant crocs and the material of Theriosuchus pusillus, a dwarf croc from the Upper Jurassic of England, I made a trip to the Royal Veterinary College just north of London to see what they had on offer. John …[Read More]
Retired blogs
Hurricane Sandy: A round up of the coverage from Haiti to New York
We thought we would summarise the coverage of Hurricane Sandy and direct you to some of the wide-ranging political, scientific and development based discussion that has arisen in the last few weeks; simply follow the links in this article. Hurricanes are just one of the many natural disasters that affect countries in the Caribbean, such …[Read More]
Crocodiles! They’re everywhere!
The Natural History Museum in London contains some of the most diverse vertebrate Palaeontological collections in the world, in terms of number of species. As part of my PhD, I have to learn detailed crocodile anatomy, mostly skeletal (osteology), to help identify and describe the particular group I’ll be researching into. The Zoology Department would …[Read More]
Geology Photo of the Week # 10 – Nov 4-10 – A Mysterious Monster!
I apologize for the delay posting this. I was in Washington DC earlier this week to take in a Supreme Court hearing that never actually happened due to Hurricane Sandy. My flight out was also delayed and thus many other things in my life are delayed right now including this post. This photo poses a …[Read More]
Water Series (2): Fluoride Contamination in Drinking Water
This week, as part of our ‘water series’ we will focus on fluoride contamination in drinking water. In some parts of the UK we add fluoride to our drinking water, because small amounts can help to protect your teeth. However, too much fluoride (>1.5mg/L) can lead to a serious medical condition called fluorosis, affecting the …[Read More]
What do people know already about geoscience?
The previous post addressed the issue of why academics should bother with science communication and outreach activities, based on a recent article by Prof. Iain Stewart and Ted Nield. This next post in the series is concerned with what the general public already know about geology/geoscience, and how this underpins what should be, or needs …[Read More]
Friday Photo (55): Photos from Industry – Man Operating Machinery at a Mine in China
Man Operating Machinery at a Mine in Anhui Province, China There are many large mining operations covering Anhui Province, China. They tend to have limited safety regulations. The mines can ruin the landscape, cause pollution and can be dangerous places for people to work. However, this primary industry is fuelling China’s rapid growth and development. Our …[Read More]
Why bother communicating?
Every breed of scientist is coming under increasing pressure and encouragement to communicate their research and knowledge to the wider public. For each discipline, sub-discipline, and not-quite-a-discipline, there are differences in the way science needs to be, and should be communicated, depending on the appeal of the subject, and the target audience(s). A recent paper …[Read More]
Introducing the GfGD National Committee (2)
We have advertised a range of positions on our national committee over the past month. The positions have been filled by enthusiastic, dedicated people and the team will be working together for the year ahead. Having a national committee will increase both the capacity of GfGD to produce resources and support University groups, and also …[Read More]
Water Series (1): The Quantity and Quality of Groundwater
The water available in or near your home can vary dramatically over short distances. In Manchester, there is a robust supply of fresh water from the Lake District, whereas in London (only 200 miles away) the water has passed through limestone, leaving it with a cloudy taste and causing limescale build-up. Signs up on the …[Read More]