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 bit of a conundrum…since I don’t have a clue what it is! I have an idea, but I’d l ...[Read More]
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GeoLog
Imaggeo on Mondays: Glimpse of heaven
The text of this week’s Imaggeo on Mondays comes from the photographer herself, Madlen Gebler, who tells us the tragic story behind this stunning picture. This picture was taken on the 2nd of March 2008 on board the research vessel Polarstern during the expedition ANT XXIV-3. After a four-week cruise we arrived in Atka Bay, Antarctica, in front of the German Antarctic research station Neumayer. I& ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
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 development of teeth and bones. This strong dosage dependency can lead ...[Read More]
Green Tea and Velociraptors
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 to be, communicated, and how.
GeoLog
Geosciences Column: The Longyearbyen CO2 Lab – Drilling for a greener future
In this month’s Geosciences column, Ingrid Anell introduces Norway’s Longyearbyen carbon capture and storage project and presents its first results. The world’s northernmost community, Longyearbyen, located at latitude 78 degrees north, is making progress towards becoming the world’s first CO2 neutral community. Geologists at UNIS, the University Centre in Svalbard, have determined that just ...[Read More]
Green Tea and Velociraptors
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 by Iain Stewart (from TV, ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
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 the number of opportunities for you to become involved with o ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Imaggeo on Mondays: Flowers in the Atacama
The Atacama desert in Chile is one of the driest regions in the world. Rain has never been recorded in parts of the desert and the average rainfall is typically one milimetre per year or less (for comparison, the average annual precipitation in Munich, where the EGU Executive Office is located, is over 960 millimetres). However, every five years or so, rare bouts of local rainfall are triggered by ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
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 London underground at the moment are encouraging people to save water by taki ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Roundup of EGU Twitter discussion on L’Aquila
On Friday, the EGU hosted a prolific Twitter discussion on the “Consequences of the L’Aquila verdict on the dialogue between science and society” where dozens of participants shared and discussed their thoughts on the verdict, the scientific uncertainty surrounding earthquakes, and the outcomes of the decision for scientific research, communication, and education. You can now read the ...[Read More]