Hello everyone! Gosh! It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged, I apologise! I am in the deepest, darkest hole that is called thesis writing. To make matters worse, the post today isn’t even my own! Having said that, it is a a fantastic guest post by Ekbal Hussain. on why scientist SHOULD communicate the science that they do! Ekbal’s main interest lies in natural hazards a ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD in the Himalaya (4) – Some Initial Photos!
The GfGD team are safely in Leh, having arrived yesterday morning. The flight from Delhi took us over some amazing landscapes and very visible geology. Upon arrival we were informed that the Dalai Lama would also be arriving soon – giving us a fascinating insight into some aspects of local culture. We’ll be starting our project in the local schools on Friday – with the GfGD team ...[Read More]
WaterUnderground
Two great science communication tools for conferences and teaching: smart screens and cell phones
A few weeks ago at the European Geosciences Union in Vienna I learned about two dead-easy and great science communication tools for conferences. These are great for any conference hall or meeting, but could be just as easily be used in the classroom to make a more exciting in class research presentations. For better or worse, most of us are carrying them (or looking at them!) right now: a smart s ...[Read More]
GeoSphere
Guest Post: Dr. John W. Jamieson – Using seafloor mapping to find missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370
On March 8th, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Evidence from satellite tracking suggests that the aircraft may have crashed into the Indian Ocean several 1,000 kms west of Australia and this is where the search is now focused. No debris or oil slick related to the aircraft has so far been found. However, signals consistent with the “p ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD in the Himalaya (3) – Tweet your questions!
This weekend two of the GfGD National Team will be travelling out to India to take part in a major international event on sustainable resource development in the Himalaya region. Joining others from around the UK, India and beyond, our focus will be on hazards education. We’ve written earlier this week about the work we’ll be doing and the booklet we have produced. We’d like to i ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD in the Himalaya (2) – Hazards Booklet
Many of you may remember that earlier this year we advertised an opportunity to help put together a small booklet on natural hazards relevant to the Himalaya. The book was to have a focus on disaster risk reduction and landslides (the earthquake section being written by the BGS School Seismology Programme). Here is the finished work – This 40 page booklet covers topics ranging from what is e ...[Read More]
Green Tea and Velociraptors
Grim reaper or gentle giants?
Therizinosaurs were some of the true freaks of the dinosaur world. I mean that in the nicest possible way for something that looked like the sick offspring of a giant chicken and Freddie Kruger. Perhaps the weirdest things about them were these long, scythe-like claws, that although may have seemed deadly, probably weren’t unless you were a particularly scrummy looking piece of foliage. That’s rig ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD in the Himalaya (1) – Project Overview
This time next week, GfGD will be participating in a major international event and conference focused on sustainable resource development in the Himalaya. The event, composed of a conference, fieldtrips and educational project will examine aspects relating to water resources, environmental change, disaster risk reduction, geotourism, renewable energy and natural resource management. Background Our ...[Read More]
Polluting the Internet
Sand gets everywhere
Saharan dust is currently escaping the confines of the desert and making a break for it over the Atlantic Ocean towards South America. Below is a true colour image from the MODIS instrument on the TERRA satellite from this morning (6th June). You can see the dust from the desert over the ocean; note the constrast between the darker blue ocean surface and the lighter shade where the dust resides. B ...[Read More]
WaterUnderground
and we have a winner….Coolest Hydrogeology Paper of 2013 Winners announcement
From Matt Currell on Linkedin: It is with great pleasure that I can announce the winners of the first ever ‘coolest paper of the year’ competition, organised by the steering committee of the ECHN. Big congratulations to the authors of our winning paper: Şebnem Arslan et al: Environmental isotopes and noble gases in the deep aquifer system of Kazan Trona Ore Field, Ankara, central Turk ...[Read More]