Almost all of our conference tickets have been sold (there may still be one or two left, but get them quickly!) and we are now just one week away from our first National Conference. If you’ve booked a ticket you will be receiving an email this week with all that you need to know – including the programme and directions (a map can be found here). As we enter the final countdown to what ...[Read More]
Green Tea and Velociraptors
What do we know about the origin of flowering plants?
This is a guest post by Dan Peppe. He is an Assistant Professor in the Geology Department at Baylor University. His research interests are focused on reconstructing ancient climates and ecosystems in North America and East Africa and on developing new and improved palaeoclimate and palaeoecological proxies using methods in paleobotany, sedimentary geology, and paleomagnetism. More information a ...[Read More]
Geology Jenga
10 Minute Interview – Volcanic Lightning, amongst other things!
It has been a while since our last 10 Minute Interview, we thought it was time to post another. They are proving to be some our most successful posts. Sourcing people to take part hasn’t been too difficult (yet!) but if you think you might like to contribute, Dan & I are always looking for people to speak to, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think you might want to help us! ...[Read More]
Green Tea and Velociraptors
Palaeontology rocks!
OK, so the usual joke is Geology rocks, but Catherine Bennett, who describes herself as a “Dinosaur-loving, bike-riding, dog-owning, tuna pasta eating pop star!!” created this cool video with the remixed title. It stars many palaeontologists I know from the UK, and is a really nice way of showcasing the diversity of palaeontologists and palaeontology we have here. Enjoy! Link including ...[Read More]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Rocky secrets – fifty shades darker?
Mel Auker is an Earth Sciences PhD student in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol. A mathematician by trade, Mel’s PhD uses numerical approaches to better understand past, present, and future global volcanic hazard and risk. You might remember Charly’s “Fifity Shades of Grey” post, highlighting the colourful spectrum of rocks; fifty shades of grey they are not. On a pur ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Volcanic and Biological Hotspots
Geology for Global Development followed Professor Iain Stewart’s BBC two TV series (June 2013), ‘Rise of the Continents‘ with interest. In the first episode, Iain mentioned something that really caught our attention – the strange volcanoes along the East African rift valley and their effect on soils and wildlife. Each year, as the rainy season transforms the Serengeti, a n ...[Read More]
An Atom's-Eye View of the Planet
X-ray vision gives new view of the core
Our planet’s interior is complex and has many layers. Their formation and structure contain many unsolved mysteries. But new research is providing some clues about how Earth’s internal structure may have evolved. If you were to take a journey to the centre of the Earth you would find most stuff there is made of just three elements, at least until you’re about around 3000 km below the surface. Thes ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Friday Photo (100): Road Disappearing Under Wind-Blown Sand
Maintaining roads in remote mountainous areas is no easy task, especially in the face of active geological processes. Here wind blown sand is covering a road, making it impassable. (c) Geology for Global Development 2013
Geology for Global Development
GfGD National Conference – Keynote Lecture
Dr Martin Smith is the Science Director of BGS Global Geoscience, and will be giving the keynote lecture at our upcoming conference (tickets still available). Urbanisation: Managing the Subsurface Urbanisation and smart phones increasingly define our society and interaction with the environment around us. Both are expanding rapidly and represent major opportunities and future challenges for today& ...[Read More]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Science snap (7): Thrusting under our noses
As Earth Science researchers, we are extremely fortunate that fieldwork often necessitates trips to exotic and far-flung places. But sometimes we are guilty of ignoring the riches right on our doorstep. In Bristol (UK), perhaps our greatest geological asset is the Avon Gorge. At the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, torrents of icy meltwater scoured out a 2.5km long gouge through a series of Devoni ...[Read More]