After all the thunderous weather this weekend and being British, I thought I’d do a weather themed science snap. Don’t bolt yet; it’s a volcanic-weather themed! This is a picture of mammatus clouds following the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. These clouds are pretty rare, unusual and distinctive. Formally, the Glossary of Meteorology defines mammatus clouds as “hanging protuberances, like p ...[Read More]
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GeoLog
Geosciences Column: From the desolate to the diverse, a story of volcanic succession
When a volcano erupts and spews lava onto the surrounding terrain, it is merciless in its destruction. All that is green on the land is engulfed in flame, or buried by an insurmountable mass of molten rock. Whatever charred remains of what lies beneath it will not see the light of day once the lava cools, turning the landscape into a barren black mass of solid basalt. But volcanoes around the worl ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD Social Event
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Science snap (#30): Aust Cliff, Gloucestershire
One of the most fascinating things about geology is its ability to reveal global events from evidence contained within a single outcrop. The cliff exposure at Aust in Gloucestershire, UK, is a spectacularly colourful example of this. Located beneath the original Severn Bridge, and running alongside the Severn Estuary, the 40m tall rock face records the drowning of an ancient desert by rising sea l ...[Read More]
GeoLog
From paper to press release: making your research accessible to the wider public
During the General Assembly, EGU Media and Communications Manager Bárbara Ferreira shared her science writing skills and media know-how in a workshop demonstrating how to write a press release or post about the latest geoscience. Here are her take-home messages… “When you communicate science, no one else is more important than your audience.” Bárbara opened with one of the most fundamental points ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Imaggeo on Mondays: The most powerful waterfall in Europe
On the menu this Monday is the opportunity to indulge in some incredible Icelandic geology. Take a look at a tremendous waterfall and the beautiful basalt it cuts through… Iceland is famous for its striking landscapes, from fiery volcanoes and fields of basalt to violent geysers and pools of the most fantastic blue. One of the country’s many geological gems is Dettifoss waterfall – a 100-met ...[Read More]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Science Snap (#29): African Fairy Circles
If you’re wandering among the arid desert that stretches from Angola to South Africa, you may notice the ground pot-marked by millions of circular barren patches. These striking features are known as “Fairy circles”, and can grow up to 15 meters in diameter. Tall grasses often surround these circles, further accentuating these miniature crop circles. How these Fairy Circles form is hotly de ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD Conference 2014 – Present a Poster
At the GfGD Conference 2013, we had a number of excellent posters from both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as some from recent graduates working on various aspects of relating to development. This year we will again be giving students and recent graduates the opportunity to present relevant work and contribute your ideas on the conference topics. Posters could be based on: UNDERG ...[Read More]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Aim high, shoot low? UK recycling rates missing the target
In 2008, the EU set a target for member countries to achieve a 50 % household recycling rate by 2020; last week, an amendment raised this figure to 70 % . The graph below shows the latest available data for the UK. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or an Earth scientist for that matter) to work out that at the current rate of progress, we aren’t going to hit the 70 % required by 2020 ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Imaggeo on Mondays: Turkey’s cotton castle
This week, Imaggeo on Mondays is brought to you by Josep Ubalde, who transports us to a wonderful site in western Turkey: a city of hot springs and ancient ruins dubbed cotton castle, after the voluminous white rocks that spread from the spring’s centre… Pamukkale is lies in Turkey’s inner Aegean region, within an active fault that favours the formation of hot springs. The spring’s hot water ...[Read More]