Geology Seminar 9 - Palaeontology 3 - The Molluscs Part 1

To fill in one of the gaps in sequence I have recorded Seminar 9 (to an empty room, which is not the easiest thing to do).  This is a third talk on the topic of palaeontology - the study of fossils.  In this talk I look at the Bivalves and the Gastropods, two important fossil Groups, as Part 1 of The Molluscs.  Part 2 will be Seminar 11 which I have yet to record - another gap in sequence.

Perhaps not one of my finest recordings, lack of an audience was off putting on this occasion, and a few minor slide glitches - transitions of bullet points to tweak (now done for the future).

So stand by for oysters, molluscs and clams plus a few escargo to sample.  Enjoy!

Geology Seminar 12 - Geological Maps Part 1

Virtually every second year geology degree student will spend several weeks of their summer vacation in the filed producing their own 1 to 10,000 scale geological map by overlaying geological information obtained from the study of outcrops in the field onto a 1 to 10,000 base map.  Nowadays modern technology has replaced paper at least in part but I image that paper field slips are still used to record the geology in the field for transfer to a clean back-up copy in the evening and eventual transfer to the final map.  This process has not changed for many years. UK students studying geology at GCSE or A-Level will also spend time learning about geological maps and using them, although the basics will be taught using simplified or idealised "cartoon maps" which have been prepared to demonstrate certain features.  Often these are based on real geological settings but they have been simplified because real geology is often far more complex and variable. 

The first geological map can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians and it shows several features that are used on modern geological maps such as those produced for the UK by the British Geological Survey.

In Seminar 12 I introduce geological maps an cover their history, focusing particularly on the history of maps in the UK, key features and their use.  In the final part I demonstrate through use of a cartoon (i.e. simplified) geological map how a student would go about constructing a geological cross section from the map on a blank template.

Those attending the seminar at the time of the drawing were given the cartoon map and blank section to have a go at completing the cross section as "homework".  I wait to see if anyone has a go.

Geology Seminar 7 - Palaeontology Part 1

Seminar 7 has now been re-recorded - required because there were problems with the recording file when I last ahve the talk to a live audience.

In Seminar 7 I introduce the subject of palaeontology, a topic which geology students spend a considerable proportion of the GSCE, A-Level or Degree Level geology courses studying.  I start by looking at the evolution of life on Earth including the Cambrian "Explosion".  I also look at the fossilisation processes and methods of preservation. 

The set of seminars produced to date includes several presentations on the major fossil groups, the first of which, the Trilobites, was covered in Seminar 8. 

Geology Seminar 10 - Geological Structures

Happy New Year to those viewing my blog.

Continuing the series of Seminars has resumed after the Christmas break.  Seminar No. 10 on Geological Structures has been delivered for the second time to interested Graduates within the company.

Within the category of Geological Structures I look at geological folds, faults and diapirs together with unconformities and non-conformities.


The sharp-eyed reader will have spotted that I still have not got round to posting recordings for Seminars No. 7 (which I promised to do previously) and No. 9 due to a lack of suitable recording for No. 7 and a perceived relative lack of interested in Palaeontology in the case of No. 9.  I am intending to record files for both and post them over the next few weeks.

Geology Seminar 19 - The Brachiopods

A seventh Seminar on Palaeontology looking at a fifth group of fossils, the Brachiopods.  These are a group of twin shelled marine organisms which were common in the Palaeozoic Era but declined during the Mesozoic Era until becoming rare in the present day as a result of competition with more successful life forms and no doubt climatic change.  Good indicators in the fossil record of shallow marine tropical conditions and intolerant of pollution in the present day.

Geology Seminar 8 - Palaeontology (The Study of Fossils) - Part 2

There was a problem with the recording file for Seminar 7, which was an Introduction to the subject of Palaeontology or the Study of Fossils, but the recording files for Seminar 8 - Palaeontology - Part 2 came out fine after holding the Seminar on 9th November at 12.30 (UK GMT). 

Seminar 8 has been delivered in two parts.  I start with a demonstration of some of the fossils in my own personal collection, most of which I have collected myself during various field trips from studying GSCE geology back in 1991 through to field trips in more recent years.  There are also a few fossils I have either received as gifts from relatives / friends and even a couple I have bought, either because I particularly liked the look of them or I knew I was not likely to be visiting anywhere to acquire an example myself or a combination of the two.  Most of the specimens are not of museum quality but are typical of the type of fossils you can (or could in some cases) collect from the various locations described.  Most if not all of the fossil groups represented in the slides will be talked about in more detail during subsequent Seminars on the topic of Palaeontology.

I should note, unless the collection locations are publicly accessible, e.g. beach locations in Dorset) and their is no ban on collecting specimens that any access or collecting should only be done with permission of the landowner.  Safety is also important, particularly with working and even closed quarries.  All visits to quarries, particularly working ones, was with permission and as part of a party of geologists. 

The second part of Seminar 8 looks at a group of fossils that were important during the Palaeozoic Era (Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian Carboniferous and Permian periods), say 542 to 252 Million years ago.  This is the Trilobites, a now extinct group of Marine Arthropods. 

Although out of sequence, Seminar 7 will be posted as soon as I get the file re-recorded on Lync.

The next planned Seminar will be another new one, number 19 which will cover The Brachiopods a group of marine twin-shelled organisms which may look superficially like bivalves (which are molluscs) but have a totally different morphology. 

Seminar 18 - Glacial Geology Part 2

Hot off the press, the recording for Seminar 18 which was delivered at lunchtime today.

Seminar 18 is the second of two on Glacial Geology during which I look at Glacial Deposits, some of the features they can form and some of the engineering issues which can occur when working in glacial deposits.

The first Seminar on Glacial Geology was Number 16.

Seminar 3 - Sedimentary Rocks

Finally after having to do a complete re-record Seminar 3 has been nailed and is now ready for publication.  Due to the number of slides and the resulting file size without unacceptable loss of quality I have had to split the presentation into two parts.  Part 2 naturally should be watched after Part 1.

As a reminder Seminar 3 covers the first of the three major rock groups, the Sedimentary Rocks.  An important group of rocks for those in the UK and in the UK construction business rocks from this group will generally be those which structures are either founded on or lie within.  This rule certainly applies to most of England and large parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well, plus our friends in the Republic of Ireland.

Part 1:

Part 1 covers what sedimentary rocks are, how geologists classify them, the processes of erosion, transport and deposition of sediment, sedimentary structures and the lithification and diagenesis.

Within Part 1 I am not convinced that my verbal description of how cross bedding forms is that clear so I have reproduced the decription from Wikipedia, which gives as good a description as I have come accross. 

  Cross-bedding is formed by the downstream migration of bedforms such as ripples or dunes in a flowing fluid (or under the action of wind in the air). The fluid flow causes sand grains to saltate (migrate or carried within the fluid close to the sediment surface) up the upstream ("stoss") side of the bedform and collect at the peak until the angle of repose is reached. At this point, the crest of granular material has grown too large and will be overcome by the force of the depositing fluid, falling down the downstream ("lee") side of the dune. Repeated avalanches will eventually form the sedimentary structure known as cross-bedding, with the structure dipping in the direction of the paleocurrent (reproduced under Wikimedia Creative Commons Share-Alike License).

I hope that this description together with the images in the set of slides for part 1 (Slide 27) will make how cross beddings form understandable.

and Part 2:

Part 2 looks at a number of common sedimentary rocks. 

The posting of Seminar 3 means I am now up to date with Seminars being delivered since I started this blog, although it is slightly out of sequence in terms of posting date.  The next Seminar will be No. 18, which will be the second of two on Glacial Geology (the first one was No. 16).  This will be a new one not delivered previously.  In terms of the re-runs, No. 7 is the next in sequence which will be the first of several on aspects of Palaeontology or the study of fossils.  As usual when the recording files are available they will be posted for the reader to view. 

Seminar 6 - Metamorphc Rocks

Still a problem with the recording file for Seminar 3, but there is now a recording for Seminar 6 which is on Metamorphic Rocks, the third and last of the three major rock groups.  The Seminar was delivered to a live audience and via Lync on 15th September but technology problems required a re-record!  I suspect I will be forced to do the same for Seminar 3 in due course.


Within Seminar 6 I talk about metamorphic processes and describe some common metamorphic rocks and textures.  I also look at metamorphic grades and terranes. 

Sharp eyed viewers will also notice that the template has changed, this is for corporate reasons in case I decide to post the recording on a company version of You Tube which is shortly due to be launched. 

Seminar 18, the second part of the talk on Glacial Geology is programmed for next week and follows on from Seminar 16.

Seminar 5 - Volcanoes

Linking nicely to Seminar 4, No. 5 is on the subject of Volcanoes, which are the source of many of the finer grained igneous rocks.  I cover the type of volcanoes, eruption styles and eruption products.  Some famous eruptions are considered as well with observations on some of the volcanoes which can be seen around the world.  The topic of whether volcanic eruptions can be predicted is also discussed.

The next Seminar in sequence, No. 6 will look at the third and last of the rock groups, the Metamorphic Rocks.

Seminar 4 - Igneous Rocks

The fourth Seminar is the series is on the second of the three rock groups; Igneous Rocks.  I look at the different types of igneous rocks, how they can form from the other two rock groups, how geologists classify them and common examples.

What has happened to Seminar 3, you ask?  Problem with the recording file I'm afraid which will need sorting out or re-recording.

Seminar 5 links nicely to No. 4, being on Volcanoes and is the last recording files I have "on the stocks".

Taking Time - Seminar 2 - Geology and Time

One aspect that can be difficult to grasp when first studying geology is the timescales involved.  Humans normal consider time in terms of hours, days, months, years decades and centuries.  The geologists generally consider time in terms of millions of years.  Anything less than 10,000 years is not considered to be significant!  This is because of the long timescales that geological processes occur over.

The second Seminar focuses on Time and its relationship to Geology.  I look at the timescales relevant to the geologist in terms of the Age of the Earth and the geological periods before looking at how the geologist dates rocks using a variety of techniques including Radiometric Dating. 

There is an old story of a museum guide who was leading a tour around a natural history museum and stopping beside the skeleton of a dinosaur he proudly stated that it was 60,000,007 years old.  The people in the group were impressed and one asked how the skeleton could be dated that accurately.  The answer was "the skeleton was dated by an expert to be 60,000,000 years old and that was 7 years ago".  Geology does not use that precise a timescale!

Here is the recording of Seminar 2 freshly compressed for the viewer. 

Everybody walks the Dinosaur - Seminar 17

Before delivering Seminar 17 on the Dinosaurs, a colleague asked if two young relatives of hers (grandsons) living on the Isle of Wight would be allowed to view the presentation because they were interested in Dinosaurs.  Of course I said, but thought they might find the content a bit too high level for them.  The standard of the material is aimed to be A Level Geology / First Year Geology Degree Level which is posisbly a bt much for ages 6 and 8.  Saying that I was giving my 9 year old nephew some coaching for the 11+ exams which he will be sitting in a year or so.  The test questions we were going through look alot harder than those I had to answer when I sat the 12+ exam, mind you that was over 20 years ago now!

Anyway I digress.  The recording for Seminar 17 has been compressed and is published below for the viewer.

Whilst I am on the topic of dinosaurs, my nephew and niece recently visited the Natural History Museum in London and confirmed that "Dippy" the Diplodocus is still in place in the entrance hall, although the plan is for the skeleton to move out to be replaced by a whale skeleton in 2017.

Going forward the remaining recordings I have on file plus new ones will be published in sequence as and when I get the files compressed.  I am still not completly happy with the fix I have for getting the file size down but until I find an alternative, it will have to do.

Cooking with Gas - Seminar 1

Two milestones achieved today, firstly the IT department sorted out an interim fix in order to allow me to compresses .mp4 files down to a more user friendly size for uploading onto the blog.  The video quality has suffered a bit but hopefully is acceptable.

Secondly I have got round to recording Seminar 1, the first in series which I did not record on either of the two occasions I delivered it previously.

As referred to in my first Post, Seminar 1 is essentially an introduction to the topic of Geology and at a very high level covers topics which will be talked about in greater detail in subsequent Seminars, each of which will focus on a particular aspect.  I also introduce a number of historical and current geologists who I consider to be particularly notable (those living who are not on the list should not be offended; I need to keep the presentation down to a realistic length and you omission in no way demeans your importance in the field of geology).

So far I have not had any comments or feedback on previous posts or on the Seminar recordings.  Any feedback is welcome, good or bad in the name of continuous improvement.

Now that I have a mechanism to compress file sizes down I will progressively upload the recordings I have filed for Seminars 2 to 5 and 17 for the viewer to peruse.  Seminar 17 will probably be next (yes I realise this is out of sequence) because I have a request to make the recording available for two budding geologists.  Happy viewing.

Geoethics

Is this a new branch of Geology?

This morning I received and email flier from the Geological Society publicising a new Publication on Geoethics: The Role and Responsibility of Geoscientists. 






The description of the publication on the Geological Society Publishing House web site is as follows:



Can be yours for £85.00 or £42.00 if you are a Fellow or member of another qualifying organisation.

I am sure that this publication has its genesis with the court case in Italy where there was an attend to prosecute scientists for not accurately predicting that an earthquake was going to occur.  This was the L'Aquila earthquake which occurred 2009 (not the ones which occurred in 1461 or 1703!). 

In October 2012 six Italian scientists (and one government official) were prosecuted for failing to predict that the earthquake was going to occur.  As I stated in Seminar 15, prediction of earthquakes is not an exact science and the prosecution and sentencing of 6 years in jail apiece was not considered by many to be sound.  Fortunately the convictions were overturned in November 2014.

The trial and prosecution seems to have partly been due to the fact that an Italian lab technician claimed to have predicted that a major earthquake was going to occur in the area a month before after measuring increased levels of radon gas being emitted from the ground.  Predicting earthquakes using radon emissions has been studied by scientists, but the results are inconsistent.