SVOLUME CIENTIS26 NO 9 ◆ OCTOBER 2016 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTISTT GEThe Fellowship Magazine of theO Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 READ GEOLSOC BLOG! [GEOLSOC.WORDPRESS.COM] Tipping point Ted Nield on Britain’s worst mining-related disaster, 50 years ago ENGINEERING LEGACY QUAKES & NUKES CAMBRIAN KERFUFFLE What did we learn from the David Cox on how seismicity Nina Morgan uncovers a historical Aberfan Disaster of 1966? affects major buildings – and hysterical – geo-spat New publications To add to your bookshelf FELLOWS RECEIVE UP TO Browse the Online Bookshop for these and other titles from the Geological Society and other earth science publishers, visit: 50% www.geolsoc.org.uk/bookshop DISCOUNT ON SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS The Geological Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Brassmill Enterprise Centre, AND MEMOIRS Brassmill Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK Tel +44 (0)1225 445046 Email:
[email protected] GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS 16 21 10 27 FEATURESFEATURES IN THIS ISSUE... 18 Aberfan’s engineering legacy Paul Maliphant, Helen Reeves, Bob Leeming and Darren Bryant ask – what did we learn from Aberfan? REGULARS 05 Welcome Ted Nield thinks things have changed since the 1960s, but not in the way we assume 06 Society News What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions 09 Soapbox How are seismic waves transmitted to buildings? David Cox investigates 21 Letters we welcome your views 22 Books and arts Six new books reviewed by Ted Nield, Kevin Privett, Catherine Kenny, Jonathan Scafidi