Efforts to slow the rate of global temperature rise in the 21st Century have for some time focussed on non-CO2 species or so-called ‘short-lived forcers’. As far as aerosols are concerned, black carbon (often referred to as soot) has been the main avenue to explore due to its capacity to warm the atmosphere by absorbing …[Read More]
Latest posts
Science snaps (1): Africa’s Ups and Downs
Each week we’ll be featuring our favourite ‘science snaps’ on the blog. These posts will showcase images, photos, films and figures that we encounter on a day-to-day basis, as well as things which we simply think are cool and should be gawped at. All of the contributors to Between a Rock work in various veins …[Read More]
EGU 2014 – got an idea?
Have a great idea for a conference session but haven’t quite put it into practice? Now’s your chance! Until this time next month (13 September) you can submit your session ideas and take part in organising the scientific programme for the EGU General Assembly in 2014. What you need to do: Take a look at …[Read More]
GfGD News and Updates
The summer is a busy period for many people and it can be hard to keep track of all that is going on. We’re taking the opportunity today to give you an update on GfGD’s work, and key ways in which YOU can get involved… Blog & Image Competition There is still time (just!) to …[Read More]
Guest Blog: A Summer of Volcanic Observation in Ecuador (3)
David Litchfield completed a second undergraduate degree in Geosciences with the Open University and is currently studying part-time for an MSc in Geophysical Hazards at UCL. He has a broad interest in hazard monitoring methods and how geoscientists communicate their findings with those who need it, and retains a strong connection with the Andean highlands …[Read More]
Feeling blue: A lesson in perseverance
Mel Auker is a PhD student in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol and is a regular contributor to Between a rock and hard place. In her own words, she’s an “applied mathematician bumbling my way through a geology PhD”. Here she provides us all with some Monday afternoon inspiration. Read …[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: Mammoth structures, springs and snowmelt
Spring waters are rich in minerals, carrying with them dissolved components of the rocks they have travelled through. The water that discharges at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park is highly alkaline (contains a lot of dissolved CO2) and rich in calcium, but as the water cools, the calcium precipitates to form the white …[Read More]
Murky waters – what counts as good water quality?
Flo Bullough discusses the meaning of good and bad water quality, what’s in our tap water and what policies control the content of drinking water. Pressure on water supply and quality has been high on the public and media agenda over the last 18 months. The widely publicised drought in early 2012, recent reports that …[Read More]
Sustainable Development in the Himalayas – GfGD’s Role in a Major Upcoming Conference
In June 2014 a conference will take place in Leh (Ladahk Region, India) with a focus on sustainable resource development in the Himalayas. The conference is being organised by the Geological Society of London, in collaboration with the Institute of Energy Research and Training at the University of Jammu, India and many other stakeholders. It …[Read More]
Soils at Imaggeo: Sand dunes at the east shore of Lake Michigan, USA
Simon Schneider, R&D Programme GEOTECHNOLOGIEN , Potsdam – Germany The coastal sand dunes along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan make up the largest collection of freshwater coastal dunes in the world. They provide valuable information that will help to manage and protect them and yields important insights into both the development of coastal dunes …[Read More]