GeoscientistThe Fellowship magazine of The Geological Society of London | www.geolsoc.org.uk | Volume 22 No 5 | June 2012
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IN THIS ISSUE JUNE 2012
FEATURES 16 COLUMNS INCH UP Chris King and Fiona Hyden find that UK nationals cover more Earth science than physics and chemistry together REGULARS 05 WELCOME Mente non malleo - Ted Nield on the latest blows being struck in the hammer wars 06 SOAPBOX New President David Shilston presents his 14 COVER FEATURE: FOSSIL COLLECTORS two-year agenda Ken McNamara describes an age-old 07 GEONEWS What’s new in the world of fascination with fossil sea-urchins geoscientific research 10 SOCIETY NEWS What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions 24 PEOPLE Geoscientists in the news and on the move 25 BOOK & ARTS Two reviews by Michael McKimm and Colin Summerhayes 26 OBITUARY Two distinguished Fellows remembered 27 CALENDAR Society activities this month 29 CROSSWORD Win a special publication of your choice ONLINE SPECIALS 09 16 n PERC UP YOUR IDEAS views sought on PERC update
JUNE 2012 03 Earls Court 2, Warwick Road, London. 20-22 November 2012
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0ETROLEUM 'EOSCIENCE 2ESEARCH #OLLABORATION 3HOWCASE! 21 - 22 November 2012 Earls Court 2, Warwick Road, Earl’s Court, London
Convenors: Mads Huuse 5NIVERSITY OF -ANCHESTER
Dorthe Hansen Statoil
Stuart Harker !"342!#4 $%!$,).% &2)$!9 TH *5.% Circle Oil The Petroleum Group, in conjunction with the PESBG and AAPG, is organising the Petroleum Geoscience Research Collaboration Showcase (PGRCS) as an independent international conference within the auspices Jonathan Imber of PETEX 2012 (20-22nd Nov). The PGRCS conference showcases the business challenges addressed by $URHAM 5NIVERSITY collaborative research projects, enables researchers to demonstrate societal and economic benefits from their research, and provides an early-stage forum for post-doctoral and postgraduate presentations. Chris A-L Jackson This “conference within a conference” format was successfully launched at PETEX 2010 and proved Imperial College London an excellent opportunity for industry and academia to meet, to get inspired and to develop future collaborative research links. There will be ample opportunity for graduates and potential future Nick Lagrilliere employers to connect. Maersk Oil Preference will be given to joint presentations by industrial sponsors and student/post-doc/academic researchers. This “buddy system” is intended to frame the industrial problem before technical results Douglas Paton are reported and/or to conclude by showing the applied, economic benefits of the research. We also 5NIVERSITY OF ,EEDS welcome overview presentations from the principal investigators of major Joint Industry Projects (JIPs).
Ben Sayers 35''%34%$ 4(%-%3 ).#,5$% Lynx s 0ETROLEUM SYSTEMS s 3TRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY s 2ESERVOIR GEOLOGY AND ENGINEERING s 3TRUCTURAL GEOLOGY AND BASIN EVOLUTION s 'EOPHYSICAL IMAGING AND INTERPRETATION s 5NCONVENTIONAL ENERGY AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION s !NALOGUE AND NUMERICAL MODELLING s .OVEL TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS s %NVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF PETROLEUM ACTIVITIES s #ASE HISTORIES OF JOINT INDUSTRY ACADEMIA RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
Abstracts should be no more than 2 sides of A4 and can include a colour diagram. Prizes will be awarded for the best oral and poster presentations, which includes the recipients’ attendance at the Petroleum Group’s annual dinner at the Natural History Museum in 2012.
For further information and registration, please contact: Steve Whalley, Event Co-ordinator: +44 (0)20 7432 0980 or email: [email protected] At the forefront of petroleum geoscience www.geolsoc.org.uk/petroleum ~ EDITOR’S COMMENT GEOSCIENTIST FOSSIL ECHINOIDS USED AS GRAVE GOODS. WHAT WAS THE MAGIC ALLURE OF THE FIVE-POINTED STAR? Front cover image ~ MENTE - NON MALLEO ou can’t tell me that it isn’t mostly about the gear; and for Earth scientists that traditionally meant the trusty hammer – our badge of office. Crossed hammers Geoscientist is the F 01727 893 895 Fellowship magazine of E enquiries@centuryone have long been our universal guild sign. the Geological Society publishing.ltd.uk IUGS indeed used to boast a hideous of London W www.centuryone publishing.ltd.uk logo featuring our beloved planet The Geological Society, apparentlyY impaled on a hammer; while the tag Mente Burlington House, Piccadilly, CHIEF EXECUTIVE London W1J 0BG Nick Simpson et malleo – ‘by thought and hammer’ - became T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 T 01727 893 894 enshrined in society and survey mottoes worldwide. F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 E nick@centuryone Well, if you want to use a hammer these days you’d E [email protected] publishing.ltd.uk (Not for Editorial) better watch out. ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Way back in the late Miocene, when I was doing my Publishing House Jonathan Knight The Geological Society T 01727 739 193 PhD on Gotland, my colleague and I had special Publishing House, Unit 7, E jonathan@centuryone permission to use hammers on that hallowed ground; Brassmill Enterprise Centre, publishing.ltd.uk Brassmill Lane, Bath though this did not stop one importunate radio BA1 3JN ART EDITOR journalist from running news pieces about infidels T 01225 445046 Heena Gudka F 01225 442836 conducting illegal raids on the patrimony, and putting DESIGN & PRODUCTION the island on alert. Thirty years on, such refined Library Sarah Astington sensibilities (as they seemed to us then) have spread to T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 F +44 (0)20 7439 3470 PRINTED BY the most unlikely quarters. E [email protected] Century One Publishing Ltd. Recently, a Bristol University undergraduate set off EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Copyright an avalanche of bad publicity when spied by climbers Professor Tony Harris FGS The Geological Society of using a hammer to obtain a hand specimen of Hay Tor London is a Registered Charity, EDITOR number 210161. in Dartmoor, an SSSI. To quote an email sent by local Dr Ted Nield NUJ FGS ISSN (print) 0961-5628 climber George Coiley to the website rustypeg.co.uk: E [email protected] ISSN (online) 2045-1784 “we heard a rapping and turned round to witness one
EDITORIAL BOARD The Geological Society of London of [the students] hacking at the top of Lowman with a Dr Sue Bowler FGS accepts no responsibility for the views pick (literally part of the actual tor!). ... Next followed a Mr Steve Branch FGS expressed in any article in this Dr Robin Cocks FGS publication. All views expressed, heated exchange .... The group informed me that it was Dr Joe McCall FGS except where explicitly stated acceptable because they were geologists and had to Prof. Peter Styles FGS otherwise, represent those of the author, and not The Geological take samples.” Oh dear oh dear – and thus we add Dr Jonathan Turner FGS Society of London. All rights reserved. Dr Jan Zalasiewicz FGS No paragraph of this publication may special pleading and arrogance to our sins. be reproduced, copied or transmitted Trustees of the Geological save with written permission. Users As a result of this unfortunate incident Bristol was Society of London registered with Copyright Clearance engulfed in angry e-mails from climbers, as well as one Dr J P B Lovell OBE Center: the Journal is registered with CCC, 27 Congress Street, Salem, MA from Natural England, asking them to account for (President); Professor P A 01970, USA. 0961-5628/02/$15.00. Allen (Secretary, Science); Every effort has been made to trace themselves. The Committee of Heads of University Miss S Brough; Mr M copyright holders of material in this Geoscience Departments has since circulated its Brown; Professor R A publication. If any rights have Butler; Mr D J Cragg; been omitted, the publishers offer hammer-use and core sampling guidelines to all its Professor J Francis; their apologies. members. In addition to which, we might also Professor A J Fraser; Dr S A No responsibility is assumed by the recommend the recently refurbished Geologists’ Gibson; Mrs M P Henton Publisher for any injury and/or (Secretary, Professional damage to persons or property as a Association coring guidelines, prepared in concert with Matters); Dr R A Hughes Dr matter of products liability, CHUGD and the Geological Society. A Law (Treasurer); Professor negligence or otherwise, or from any R J Lisle; Professor A R Lord use or operation of any methods, Meanwhile we shall pass over in silence the erosion (Secretary, Foreign & products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. caused by climbers’ boots and crampons, chalk External Affairs); Mr P Although all advertising material is Maliphant (Vice president); expected to conform to ethical ‘gardening’, the hammering of pitons into crevices, the Professor S B Marriott (Vice (medical) standards, inclusion in this discarded belays and festoons of rope. We all have to president); Professor S publication does not constitute a Monro OBE; Mr D T Shilston guarantee or endorsement of the live on the rockface together. Best stick to our (President designate); Dr C quality or value of such product or of the claims made by its manufacturer. guidelines, practise what we preach, and not dwell on P Summerhayes (Vice what divides us. president); Professor Subscriptions: All correspondence J H Tellam; Dr J P Turner relating to non-member subscriptions (Secretary, Publications); should be addresses to the Journals DR TED NIELD EDITOR Professor D J Vaughan; Subscription Department, Geological Mr N R G Walton Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 REFERENCES Published on behalf of the 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Email: Geological Society of [email protected]. The London by subscription price for Volume 22, n See ‘Field Work Resources’ under Education/Careers on www.geolsoc.org.uk Century One Publishing 2012 (11 issues) to institutions and n GA Guidelines on coring, prepared in consultation with GSL, CHUGD: Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam non-members is £108 (UK) or £124 / www.geologistsassociation.org.uk/downloads/GARockCoringGuide.pdf US$247 (Rest of World). Road, St Albans, Herts, n Committee of Heads of University Geoscience Departments: AL3 4DG © 2012 The Geological Society www.chugd.ac.uk T 01727 893 894 of London
JUNE 2012 05 GEOSCIENTIST SOAPBOX
Serving science and profession BY DAVID SHILSTON The Society’s incoming President, David Shilston, mounts the soapbox and wishes that you lend him your ears
SOAPBOX innovation in the geosciences, to show leadership in the geosciences community nationally and internationally, to promote Soapbox is open to geoscience education, to communicate contributions from all Fellows. geoscience research and practice, and to You can always write a letter to assure high professional standards for the the Editor, of course: but benefit of society. perhaps you feel you need What would I like to achieve as your more space? 106th President? In seeking election, I gave my general objectives as: If you can write it entertainingly in n to help ensure that the various academic 500 words, the Editor would like and industrial/business ‘constituencies’ to hear from you. within the Society continue to move closer together to mutual benefit; Email your piece, and a self- Dear Fellows, my year as President- n to broaden the reach of Chartership portrait, to ted.nield@geolsoc. designate is ending and, as I step up to within the Society into sectors and org.uk. Copy can only be become President, I would like to take this disciplines where it does not yet have a accepted electronically. No opportunity to look forward, and also strong presence; diagrams, tables or other reflect a little on what I have learnt. n to develop further the Society’s outward illustrations please. It is some 20 years since the Geological facing and outreach activities (to the Society and the Institution of Geologists general public, students, teachers, Pictures should be of print were re-united as a single body. This is government, industry and fellow learned quality – as a rule of thumb, almost ancient history, and the Geological and professional institutions); and anything over a few hundred Society - our Society - now exists in two n to help the Society and its Council plan kilobytes should do. states simultaneously as both professional and manage its affairs in a period of body and learned society. rapid economic change that will touch us Precedence will always be given
As we evolve to meet the changing all, from academe to industry and from to more topical contributions. needs of geological science, the geological seasoned practitioner to undergraduate. Any one contributor may not
profession and society at large, we draw appear more often than once per strength from our dual state, so aptly CHALLENGE volume (once every 12 months). summarised in our strap-line, ‘Serving To my great relief, these objectives have ~ Science and Profession’. We are well withstood the test my time as President- placed to do this. Geological matters are designate, and I look forward to the increasingly prominent in the public challenge that the next two years will GEOLOGICAL domain; we already contribute to public bring. There will be much to do, across MATTERS ARE discourse at all levels and we have much the broad activities of the Society and more to contribute in the years ahead. interests of our Fellows - interests that INCREASINGLY extend to all corners of geoscience. I hope PROMINENT IN THE SPECTRUM that you will join me, Council and our Our Council for 2012-13 includes a good many and varied committees and groups PUBLIC DOMAIN; WE mix of people with a broad spectrum of in working together to serve our science ALREADY CONTRIBUTE backgrounds and interests. Moreover, as a and profession. TO PUBLIC DISCOURSE basis for our work, we have the Geological Society’s seven Aims, as recently re- If you wish to send your reactions and AT ALL LEVELS AND WE confirmed by Council, which state that we observations to David Shilston, please email the HAVE MUCH MORE TO wish our Society to be the respected public Editor at [email protected]. If you do CONTRIBUTE IN THE voice of geosciences in the UK, to provide not wish your letter to be published please mark lifelong professional support to it “not for publication”. All such messages will YEARS AHEAD geoscientists, to recognise and foster be forwarded confidentially, in their original form. David Shilston ~
06 JUNE 2012 GEONEWS GEOSCIENTIST Raindrops keep falling Precambrian showers help constrain density of ancient atmosphere, but pose problems for the Faint Sun Paradox. Why was the early Earth so clement? Ted Nield reports
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY Read GeoNews first in If the Sun 2.7 billion years ago was Geoscientist Online only 85% as hot as it is today, how [www.geolsoc.org.uk/ come the Earth’s surface was so equable? Most proposed answers to geoscientist ] this question involve enhanced greenhouse effect, which would also seem to presume a much more dense atmosphere. However, a new study of fossil raindrops suggests the density of the atmosphere at 2.7Ga was much the same ~ as it is today1.
FROM SUCH DATA WE MAY PRESUME THAT THE ATMOSPHERE OF ONE OF THE REMOTEST PERIODS KNOWN IN GEOLOGY CORRESPONDED IN DENSITY WITH THAT NOW INVESTING THE GLOBE … ~ nitrogen levels at twice today’s levels barometric pressure. Any difference Charles Lyell, Proceedings of Above: Fossil the Geological Society, 1851 as well. raindrops help between velocities inferred from ancient The big problem with these constrain raindrops and those produced in the The Sun is a ‘main sequence’ star, speculations about atmosphere atmosphere density lab may therefore be telling us about whose core density gradually chemistry is that no constraining data some alteration in climate density. increases with age – so raising the exist either on air density at ground After comparing the geometry of temperature at which its main fuel, level, nor prevailing barometric raindrop impact structures ancient and hydrogen, fuses to form helium. A Sun pressure. Now, a paper in Nature by modern, the authors conclude that with only 85% of modern radiance Sanjay Som and colleagues has atmospheric density at 2.7Ga was ought not to have been able to warm attempted to shed light on this problem probably somewhere between 50% our planet to above the freezing point by comparing fossil raindrops from and 105% of today’s values. If this is of water; yet, the existence of fossil tuffs of the Ventersdorp Supergroup in true, it means that very high raindrops – among other things – South Africa with rain-induced concentrations of carbon dioxide and shows clearly that liquid water did then structures produced in the laboratory nitrogen may not be invoked to explain exist at surface. This problem is by water falling on volcanic ash. the Faint Young Sun Paradox. It known to science as the ‘faint young The two parameters of importance therefore seems likely that one or more Sun paradox’. are raindrop size and terminal velocity. highly efficient greenhouse gases, such Raindrops form when the initial blob of as methane, ethane and carbonyl ALBEDO condensing water reaches a speed at sulphide, may have been responsible. Proposed solutions to the paradox which it flattens and then breaks up. tend to fall into one of two types – the The raindrops’ size is limited to a sort that propose increase greenhouse maximum that is independent of air REFERENCES effect on the one hand, and the sort density; whereas the droplet terminal that suggests the Earth’s albedo may velocity varies as the inverse of the 1 Air density 2.7 billion years ago once have been lower. Equable square root of air density. limited to less than twice modern surface temperatures at this time can So, because the density controls levels by fossil raindrop imprints by be explained by invoking high CO terminal velocity, estimates of this can Sanjay M. Som, David C. Catling, 2 Jelte P. Harnmeijer, Peter M. Polivka & concentrations, but carbon isotope be converted into density, which in turn Roger Buick. Nature 484,359–362 work on fossil soils suggests that CO2 can be used to, if not define, at least April 19 2012 doi:10.1038/nature10890 alone cannot do the trick, requiring place limits on likely prevailing
JUNE 2012 07 GEOSCIENTIST MCCALL’S WORLD
IN BRIEF
n HOMININS The National Geographic Magazine (August 2011) carried an article relating to the report by Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand of of a new intermediate species between Austraopithecus and Homo found Impact crater breaks China duck in ‘death trap caves’ (open, collapsed) in limestone around China secures its first large impact structure, global imbalance remains Malapa, 25 miles NW of Johannesburg. The 1.98 Ma The Ritland impact structure5 XIUYAN CRATER Above: Panoramic Australopithecus sedba shared measures 2.5 km in diameter and is photo of the newly six important characteristics with I have remarked previously on the infilled with later sediments of identified Xiuyan Crater, China Australopithecus, but six more uneven global distribution of confirmed Cambrian age, so it may be of earlier with Homo. However A. sedba impact structures, especially only a Cambrian or Proterozoic age, up to as the next ancestor of Homo will single one in the deep ocean (Eltanin) 900 Ma.
not go unchallenged: the article and none in China1,2. In contrast, within This adds one more to the
admits that some fossil fragments Fennoscandia no less than 62 are proliferation of impact structures in bearing hints of Homo are half a listed3 , though only 26 of these were Fennoscandia - which has never been million years~ older. associated with shock effects and can satisfactorily explained (though many be regarded as confirmed. Now we not entirely convincing explanations have a confirmed structure from the have been offered for the known NEW Liaodong Peninsula in NE China, the inbalance in global distribution)1,2. It is INTERMEDIATE Xiuyan Crater4, measuring 1.8 km in accepted that differences in age of diameter and situated at 40° 21’ 55’’ N target terrain will contribute to SPECIES BETWEEN and 123° 27’ 34’ E. within a imbalance, but this does not seem to AUSTRAOPITHECUS Proterozoic metamorphic terrain. The be an adequate explanation for such AND HOMO most likely age is about 50,000 years, marked contrasts as between China but accurate dating of the impact must and Fennoscandia, and between FOUND IN ‘DEATH await 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating. Fennoscandia and the British Isles, TRAP CAVES’ In the same issue a new find is where no single large structure is reported in SW Norway, adding one recognised! This inbalance surely ~ more to the Fennoscandian population. deserves more research. Big little Bexhill find The placidity of BC’s geology is only skin-deep
recognised ‘Chemeron Beds’, in PALAEONTOLOGY Baringo, Kenya (formerly part of Louis The world’s smallest carnivorous non- Leakey’s ‘deposits of Lake Kamasia’, avian dinosaur appears to have turned which in fact never existed!) but which up in Sussex. About 30cm long in life, yielded a single bone that was at the it weighed about 200g. Nicknamed the time the oldest hominin fossil known. ‘Ashdown Maniraptoran’, it lived during Perhaps surprisingly, even from this the early Cretaceous, 145-100 Ma, and small fraction of the dinosaur skeleton,
was found in Wealden rocks. It has the finders could deduce that it would of Portsmouth Image © Mark Witton/University been described in the latest issue of have walked with its body and tail held Cretaceous Research by Steve in a horizontal position, and been a Sweetman and Darren Naish of bird-like, bipedal, feathered dinosaur Portsmouth University6. with a short tail and long neck, long The site of the find was Pevensey Pit slim hind legs, and feathered, clawed at Ashdown Brickworks, Turkey Road, forelimbs. It was probably omnivorous, northwest of Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. eating small animals and insects as well All that has been discovered is one as fruit and leaves. It was found by an cervical vertebra, but vertebrate amateur fossil hunter, Dave Brockhurst, Palaeontology is like that – I once was who has found a dozen dinosaur fossils involved in naming the newly at this site.
08 JUNE 2012 Joe McCall, Geoscientist’s longest- serving Editorial Board member and McCALL’S Distinguished Service Medallist 2011, reflects on geology in the news WORLD
‘Palaeontology is full of surprises’ REFERENCES
Burgess Shale star Anomalocaris turns up unexpectedly 1 McCall, G J H 2006 Meteorite cratering: Hooke, Gilbert, Barringer and beyond. In G J H McCall, A J Bowden, R J, Howarth Germany10 was obviously an PALAEONTOLOGY Below: (eds): The History of Meteoritics and Anomalocaridid, though not Anomalocaris Key Meteorite Collections Geological How true is Richard Fortey’s remark! identified as such. This article has a (reconstruction) Society, London, Special Publication Anomalocaris, the Cambrian’s fiercest creationist flavour, but the probable was also the terror 256, 443-469 of Ordovician seas predator and grandest of Walcott’s lesson to be learnt from these 2 McCall, G J H 2009 Half a century of Burgess Shale fossil finds in British discoveries is that the fossil record is progress in research on terrestrial impact structures: a review Earth Science Columbia, has now appeared in the extremely incomplete, not that it is Reviews 92, 99-116 Ordovician of Morocco, ‘king-sized’ wrong (harking back to diluvian 3 Henkel, H, Pesonen, L J 1992 Impact 7,8 and a metre long . The discovery thinking). I would not be surprised if craters and craterform srucrures in was made in the Fezouata rock an Anomalocaridid is found like the Fennoscandia Tectonophysics 216, formation, 488-472 million years old, Coelacanth, swimming off the 31-40 in southeastern Morocco. Another remote Comoro Islands, which I 4 Chen, M, Koeberl, C, Xiao, W, Xie, X, article by Thomas9 reports that a lone visited on the flying boat ‘Canopus’ Tan, D 2011 Planar deformation fetaures fossil found in the Devonian of in 1942. in quartz from impact-produced polymict breccia of the Xiuyan Crater, China Meteoritics and Planetary Science 46(5), 729-736 5 Riis, F, Kalleson, E, Dypfik H Krogli, S O,Nielson O 2011 Meteoritics and Planetary Science 46(5), 748-761 6 A tiny maniraptoran dinosaur in the Lower Cretaceous Hastings Group: Evidence from a new vertebrate- bearing locality in south-east England by Darren Naish & Steven C Sweetman. March 2011 www.sciencedirect.com/ science/article/pii/S0195667111000334 7 Callaway, E 2011 Cambrian super- predators grew large in arms race www nature com/news/2011/110525/ full/news 2011 318 html?WT mc_id=TW 8 Van Roy, P, Briggs, D E G 2011 Nature 473, 510-513 9 Thomas, B 2011 Out of place marine fossil disrupts evolutionary index www icr org/article/6207/ 10Kuhl, G, Briggs, D E G, Rust, J 2009 A great appendage arthropod with a radial mouth from the Lower Devonian, Hunsriik State, Germany Science 323(5915), 771-773
JUNE 2012 09 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS SOCIETYNEWS ELECTION – FELLOWS Cores captured at ICDP drilling project in Lake Van The following names are put forward for election to Fellowship at the OGM on 27 June 2012.
ADAMS Natalie Louise; ADAMS Steven James; AGYEMANG Freduah; AHMED Samia; ALJUHANI Abdulkhaliq; AMY John Philip; ANDERSON Ryan; ANDY Norman; ARINZE Simon Chukwuka; ASHWORTH John David; ATTECK Charlotte; BACON Robert; BAKER Ross Andrew; BAREN Katherine; BARTLETT Tasmin; BEAMISH Gareth; BEATTIE Alan David; BEDDARD Rebecca; BEEVER Alexander Michael; BENTON Ian; BILLING Ian Michael; BILSLAND Mark Christopher; BIRCH Philip; BIRCHALL Roger; BLANCHARD Ian; BOUCHERY Thomas Paul; BROSNAN Claire Marguerite; BRUNTON Andrew; BRZESKI John Joseph; BUCKLEY Ruth; BURNSIDE Neil Murray; BUSFIELD Marie; CADDY Daniel James; CARTER Steven Prem; CHAKRABARTI Ananda Kumar; CHALK Thomas Ben; CHAMBERLAIN Mark Ian; CHEN Huanjie; CHURCH Jonathan Michael; CHURCHILL James Mark; CLARKE David; CLEGG William Humphrey; COCKERTON Philip Alan; COLLINGS Images © ICDP Christian Julian; COOPER Thaddeus; COOPER Mark Alan Richard; CORBIN Stephen Graham; CRAVEN Oliver; CRESSWELL Stephen; CURRAN Thomas David Desmond; DAVID Dominic James; DAWSON Christopher; DAWSON Stuart; DAWSON Duncan William Stewart; DOHERTY Michael James; DOWNES Timothy John; DOWNEY William Samuel; DRISCOLL Samuel Alexander; EATON Robert Guest; EBY George Nelson; ELKINS Anthony James; EMERY Andrew Richard; EVANS Samuel Thomas; FAIRFULL SMITH Lynsey; FINNIGAN Jon Andrew; FOX Lyndsey; GALLOP Michael Charles; GARDINER David United Kingdom to join ICDP Jack; GARDNER Heather Elaine; GARDNER Robert; GEER Julian; GKROZOS Christos; GLAZIER Daniel; GOVAN Craig Robert; HAGUES The UK has never participated as a member of the International Christopher Dominic; HAMMER Erik; HARRIS Peter Roy; HAWES Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). All this is about to change, Richard John; HAYDEN Rhys; HAYTHORNWAITE James Robert; HICKS Jason Frederick; HILL Nigel Lance; HO Poyao; HOBBS Joseph writes Melanie Leng Alexander; HOUGHTON Richard; HUGHES Hannah; IVOR Adrian As geologists and geoscientists (and as emphasised in recent ‘forward looks’ Alexander; JOHNSON Patrick Jarah; JONES Gareth Meirion; JONES on our science www.ukgeoscience.org.uk ) it is essential that we have access Shirna Catherine; JOSEPH James Harley; KALNINS Lara; KEECH Alexander; KEEN Richard; KELLY Sean Burton; KING Felix Jonathon; to key geological sections that can be well constrained in terms of time and KONTOCHRISTOS Nikolaos; KOT Yat Fung; LACEY Agatha; LAUNDER formation. This allows us to determine the processes of global change that affect Dominic; LEE Michael David; LIDSTER Anthony; LILEY Ruth Mary; LIVERMORE Andrew Bromley; LLOYD Kevin; LODOLA Domenico; the Earth and to understand the controls on resource development. In addition, LUCASS Martin Peter; MACKAY Alexander Donald; MANTON Ben through instruments in the drill holes we can monitor and model natural hazards Mikko; MARWOOD Stephen Christopher; MAUND Nigel Howard; and fluid-related biological processes in the sub-surface. MCCABE Peter; MCINTYRE Iain Andrew; MCKENNA Gregory Thomas Courtney; MCLAUGHLIN Laura; MESSA Jon Francis; MICHNOWICZ Philip Barker (Lancaster University) and Melanie Leng (University of Leicester Sabina; MOORE James; MOORE Jonathan Howard; MORTIMER James and NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, BGS) prepared a brief on UK Ian; MORTIMER Sarah Jane; MUDIGANTI Arun Kumar; MULHALL involvement in ICDP that, along with BGS as co-funder and UK manager of the Philip; MURRAY Nicholas; NAIK Sharata Kuamar ; NAZARUK Sofia Angelina; NEWSON Andrew; O’ROUKE Simon David; O'GORMAN programme, we had planned to submit to the NERC International Opportunities Bryan; OSELAND Richard Peter; OWEN Gareth; PACE Stephen; PAGE Fund for the call in autumn 2011. However, NERC do not pay memberships from Robert; PANDEY Sudhir Kumar; PASSMORE Sophia Katherine; PATTON Ashley Merry-Eve; PEARCE Julian Anthony; PEDDER Rosalind; this fund. Subsequently, using funding that BGS obtains from providing services, PIDCOCK Richard Julian; PILATOVA Katarina; POINTON Christopher NERC agreed that BGS could invest in membership of ICDP on behalf of the Richard; POLAT Ceylan; POUND Matthew James; PRAST William; Earth Science Sector to build national capability for the UK geoscience RADIVEN Charlotte; RAJA Babar Naz Safdar; REED Katherine Louise; REED Anna Katharine Lucy; RENWICK Allan Michael; ROBB Jane community. This will allow UK geoscientists to fully participate in both IODP and Elizabeth; ROBERTSON Morag Elizabeth; ROBINSON Scott; ICDP and to develop synergies between these programmes. At the same time ROBINSON Steven; ROGERSON Michael; ROSE Michael John; ROWAN BGS will work with European countries through ECORD-IODP Mark Geoffrey; RUDLING Christopher James; RUSH Jenny; RUSSELL Hannah; SADHU Ashish Kumar; SAKS Marta Agnieszka; SANTANGELI http://www.ecord.org/ and the European members of ICDP to create a James Robert; SATCHWELL Michael Andreas; SCHINDLER Rolf; European infrastructure for scientific research drilling. SHARP Alastair David Lindsay; SHAUKRY Daniel; SHAWLEY Natalie; SHELDRICK Thomas John; SHIELDS-ZHOU Ying; SHIELDS-ZHOU The cost of membership of ICDP is significantly lower than IODP in that ICDP Graham Anthony; SIMMONDS Elizabeth Jane ; SKILLERNE DE provides operational support and scientific evaluation support for approved BRISTOWE Bernard; SLEIGHTHOLME Laura; SMITH Emma Lois; drilling proposals, but it is up to the proposing scientists to use an “a la carte” STOCKWELL Lucy; STROUD Sarah Jane; SWARTZ Melissa; TAM Chi Kan; TAYLOR Peter Alexander Stephen; TEDD Katharine; THERON funding mechanism to generate the operational, management and science costs Robert Basil; THEUNISSEN Richard; THOMAS David; THOMAS Lisa; for a particular drilling project. THOMPSON Elizabeth; THORPE William James; TOSCA Nicholas Representatives of the geoscientific community are invited to attend a “kick- James; TOTH Charlotte; TRINCA TORNIDOR Alessandro; TUCKER Roger Morris; VIETE Daniel Ricardo; VOWLES Katie Michelle; VOYLE off” event at the British Geological Survey (Environment Research Centre, Katherine Rhiannon; WADSWORTH Fabian; WALKER Carolyn; WALKER Keyworth) on Tuesday 3 July 2012. Kelly; WANG HIN Lee; WATKINS Michael; WEBSTER David Lawrence Rollit; WILSON Faye Holly Ann; WILSON Adam; WOODS Darren; WOODS Richard; WRAXTON Terry Paul; ZILLIG Amanda More information and registration: www.bgs.ac.uk/icdp/home.html
10 JUNE 2012 SOCIETY NEWS GEOSCIENTIST
FROM THE LIBRARY The library is open to visitors Monday-Friday 0930-1730. For a list of new acquisitions click the appropriate link from http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/info President’s Day 2012 Rare map of the month
President’s Day at Burlington House on 13 June will begin with the Annual General Meeting at 11.00, followed by a buffet lunch with the award winners (members with ticket only – £27.50 each). As in previous years, the recipients of the major medals have been invited to give a short talk on their subject, and the Awards Ceremony will be followed by presentations by the Lyell, Murchison, William Smith and Wollaston medallists. To obtain luncheon tickets please send cheques (made payable to ‘The Geological Society’) to Stephanie Jones at Burlington House or email [email protected]. (To help us plan, please also contact Stephanie if you wish to attend the afternoon events for which there is no charge. )
For talk abstracts and more information check out www.geolsoc.org.uk/presidentsday12 Image © Steve Heap / Shutterstock
Map showing the distribution of source of the contaminated water. cholera in London and its environs, Also marked is the boundary of the from June 27th to July 21st 1866 area of the Metropolitan Main [geologically coloured]. 1867 Drainage System which was not in A decade after John Snow charted operation in July 1866 – it is a brown cholera cases in Soho, fence enclosing the majority of the demonstrating the link with cholera cases. The city was contaminated water, a new outbreak implementing construction of sewage Olympic fun & games of cholera devastated the East End of and water treatment systems but the London, claiming 5,596 lives East End section had yet to be Burlington House will remain open during the Olympic (including those of Assistant Librarian completed. Games (27 July – 12 August and 29 August – 9 Wendy Cawthorne’s great great Based on geological mapping by September). Although staff wish to provide a full service grandparents). Using Snow’s method Robert Mylne, the map was to Fellows, particularly with regard to the Library, there of illustrating each death with a small presented to the Society by William may be disruption to travel which will mean that opening black dot, this map offers much Whitaker, renowned pioneer of hours may alter at short notice. So that you don’t have poignancy and intrigue. Could the hydrogeology and author of a wasted journey, please ring the Society before setting pointillist cluster that blackens out an numerous publications for the out. Fellows are recommended to look at area north of Limehouse be a slum? Geological Survey. The significance of www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/ from where there is a What journey was made by the lone the geological colouring is unclear. link to London 2012 Games. dot shown as far west as However the map would have been Marylebone? Where streets are not useful in recognising the position of marked they can be easily discerned wells and other water supplies, as FUTURE MEETINGS by the straight rows of black dots well as indicating what if any part the that signal each infected household. geology of the wider Thames Valley Dates for meetings of Council and Ordinary The first deaths are indicated with might have played in the epidemic. General Meetings until June 2013 shall be a red circle just off Bow Road. Their as follows: proximity to the canal and reservoir of High quality prints of this map, together n 2012: 27 June, 26 September, 28 November the East London Water Company is with many others from the Library’s n 2013: 6 February (1500); 10 April telling: epidemiologist William Farr historic collection, are available to buy quickly identified the company as the at www.geolsoc.org.uk/mapsale
JUNE 2012 11 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS
[lectures] Shell London SOCIETYNEWS... Lecture Series New Planning Policy Framework
Chris Eccles* writes: After the draft retained the main requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework withdrawn documents PPG14 and (NPPF) was published last year, it PPS23. The new policy is also explicit was criticised for being relatively over requirements for ground weak on planning requirements investigations requiring that: “adequate relating to the risks from ground site investigation information, prepared hazards and potentially contaminated by a competent person, is presented” land. It also contained no guidance as part of planning applications. This for the preference for developing is the only area in the whole document brownfield land. Much lobbying took where competency of professional place for these factors to be people is mentioned. addressed. So how are planning authorities to Groundwater Sustainability in a The final version of the NPPF was assess who is a “competent person?” Changing World issued and implemented on 27 It is likely that as a minimum they will Speaker – Prof. Paul Younger March 2012 and radically reduces the require reports to be written or planning guidance from about 1300 approved by chartered professionals, 27 June 2012 pages to only 59 plus 23 pages of but may also seek additional levels of Groundwater is overwhelmingly the biggest fresh water supplementary technical guidance. competency to be demonstrated resource; yet because it is invisible, it remains relatively The final version did include some through attainment of higher levels of ignored and misunderstood by policy makers. Virtually additional clauses, which require professional qualification through ubiquitous, groundwater is in many ways a more stability of land due to natural personnel being UK Registered useful resource than surface water; though natural hazards or anthropogenic activities Ground Engineering Professionals variations in geology and climate mean that careful such as mining and historic pollution (RoGEP) or through the Specialist in planning is necessary if it is to be used sustainably. to remain a requirement for planning Land Condition (SiLC ). The Society Paul L Younger is Director of the Newcastle Institute applications. The final version also actively supports both UK RoGEP and for Research on Sustainability, based at Newcastle addressed the brownfield issue by SiLC and encourages all geologists University. A hydrogeologist and environmental adding “encouragement” for re-use working in the development and engineer by background, he has more than 25 years’ of “land that has been previously ground engineering industries to experience of the investigation and exploitation of been developed (brownfield land), become chartered first, and then seek groundwater, ranging from village water wells in the providing that it is not of high the additional qualifications to Andes to some of the deepest onshore boreholes in environmental value.” demonstrate their specialisation and the UK. Based on these additions many professional commitment. practitioners in ground engineering n Programme – Afternoon talk: 1430pm Tea & and environmental practice are now * Chris Eccles TerraConsult Ltd. and Coffee: 1500 Lecture begins: 1600 Event ends. relatively satisfied with it, as it has member of GSL Chartership Committee n Programme – Evening talk: 1730 Tea & Coffee: 1800 Lecture begins: 1900 Reception. Image © Goodluz / Shutterstock.com FURTHER INFORMATION Please visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/ shelllondonlectures12. Entry to each lecture is by ticket only. To obtain a ticket please contact the Society around four weeks before the talk. Due to the popularity of this lecture series, tickets are allocated in a monthly ballot and cannot be guaranteed.
Contact: Naomi Newbold, The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG, T: +44 (0) 20 7432 0981 E: [email protected]
If the cap fits: how are authorities to assess competence?
12 JUNE 2012 SOCIETY NEWS GEOSCIENTIST
[Chartership & accreditation news] Accrediting excellence at home, abroad and in house
Bill Gaskarth, Accreditation Officer, Right: Accreditation reports the accreditation of a new Officer Dr Bill MSc course, the first ever company Gaskarth (with folder) and Prof. Peter Styles training scheme and a new Saudi (Keele University) Arabia university course. visit Dharan Heriot Watt University’s Institute of Petroleum Engineering recently applied for Accreditation of its Petroleum Geoscience MSc. Assessors from the Accreditation Panel favourably reviewed the programme and it was duly accepted for Accreditation at the Panel meeting on April 3rd. The Society has previously accredited MSc programmes from Manchester, Newcastle and Portsmouth Universities and the full list can be found on the Society’s website. Accreditation means that the programme has been peer reviewed congratulations are offered to Gammon Construction (Hong Kong) and found to provide the opportunity Professor Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani and was assessed by a panel from the for graduates to gain the necessary his staff. The Department has strong Professional Committee and skills for entry into the geoscience links with Saudi ARAMCO and oil Accreditation and has now been profession. Students graduating from related companies where graduates accepted. We look forward to a an accredited programme will be readily achieve employment. steady stream of Gammon trainees eligible to apply for Chartered status a The students of the Department joining the Society and achieving year earlier than those whose degree entered the Imperial Barrel Award Chartered status. is not accredited. Graduates will be competition for the first time last year Accreditation is part of the natural attractive in the market place, while for and won the Middle East section. In progression of the Society’s plans universities, it demonstrates that their the worldwide final they came third. for the support of the profession. vocational training has been This year they have again won their The Accreditation Scheme has been recognised as sound by the area section and are competing in the well received and a number of other profession. In this new era of high final in California. companies (both in the UK and in fees, where emphasis is on, holding Hong Kong) have expressed an an accredited degree is undoubtedly COMPANY TRAINING interest in applying. an asset. The Society, through the Professional Committee, launched a scheme in Information about the Society’s DHARAN 2011 to Accredit Company Training scheme can be gained from the Degrees in Petroleum Geology and Programmes, replacing the previous Society’s website under Chartership Exploration Geophysics at the King ‘Endorsement’ of these programmes. and Professional or by contacting the Fahd University of Petroleum and The scheme is designed to help Chartership Officer Minerals, Dhahran, have been candidates with their applications for ([email protected]). accredited. The accreditation visit was Chartership by working with undertaken by Peter Styles and Bill companies to monitor career and skills Scrutineers’ Day took place on 23 Gaskarth (picture) who recommended development. Under the scheme March 2012. Some 23 Scrutineers acceptance after seeing the excellent candidates will be advised as to their attended the day in Burlington House. facilities at the University. The eligibility and readiness for Many had already attended a previous University is celebrating its 50th Chartership, allowing earlier training day and were there for a anniversary this year and they are application and assisting in successful ‘refresher’. Bill Gaskarth’s full report pleased to achieve accreditation as applications. of the day can be found online part of their celebrations. Our The training programme of attached to this story.
JUNE 2012 13 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE
t was a cold Spring day in 1887 on today, but in 17th Century Europe such the Chilterns when amateur thoughts were not only radical, but archaeologist Worthington Smith verged on the heretical. One who found made one of his most impressive this out to his cost was the late 16th discoveries – the skeletons of a Century Frenchman Bernard Palissy, who young woman and a child that had became the first martyr to palaeontology. Ilain entwined in their shallow grave for He died of malnutrition and consumption about 4000 years. But there was two years after being incarcerated in the something very strange about this burial. Bastille for having had the temerity to They were not alone. Hundreds of balls propose that some fossils were “sea- of flint, each engraved with a five-pointed hedgehog [sea urchins] which in the star, lay with the fragile bones – a course of time had been turned to stone”. cornucopia of fossil sea urchins. And to Hooke’s similar ideas had, in part, Smith’s expert eye, they all seemed to been prompted by the little fossils he have been buried very carefully with the called ‘button-stones’ and ‘helmet-stones’ bodies in their chalky grave. Yet of all the that he had collected as a boy on the Isle possible grave goods that could of Wight. The former are what we now accompany the deceased pair into the know as ‘regular’, radially symmetrical, afterlife, why choose such strange objects? sea urchins, the latter being the bilaterally symmetrical ‘irregular’ heart urchins. PETRIFIED Both types occur commonly as fossils in It has only been for the last three hundred Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks in England, years or so that most people have and throughout much of Europe and the accepted the view that fossils represent Mediterranean region. the petrified remains of organisms that once lived millions of years ago. In 1665 COLLECTING the great English physicist, astronomer, Archaeological evidence from these areas geologist, chemist, architect and reveals that, like Hooke, people have microscopist Robert Hooke published his been intrigued by fossil sea urchins and seminal book Micrographia, in which he have been collecting them for literally argued that fossils “do owe their hundreds of thousands of years. Fossil formation and figuration, not to any kind collecting has, undoubtedly, a proud and of Plastick virtue inherent in the earth, extraordinarily long heritage. But what but to the Shells of certain Shell-fishes did these prehistoric collectors make of which...came to be.... filled with some their fossil finds? Did they see them as kind of Mudd or Clay or petrifying sports of the Devil? Or were they gifts Water, or some other substance, which in from the Gods? And why did they tract of time has been settled together sometimes bury them with their dead? and hardned [sic] in those shelly Long before people began popping moulds into those shaped substances fossil urchins in their graves, their distant we now find them.”. ancestors had found more practical ways
This may come as no surprise to us to use them in their daily lives. But these ▼
PREHISTORIC FOSSIL COLLECTORS Ken McNamara* believes early evidence of a fossil collecting instinct betrays the origin of humans’ aesthetic sense, as our ancestors first ‘reached for the stars’ Neolithic skeleton from Whitehawk causewayed camp, Brighton, found in 1933 buried with a fossil sea urchin (left, by shoulder) GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE
▼ were not the kind of people that you and I would immediately recognise, for it is not just our species, Homo sapiens, that collects fossils. Other species of our genus Homo, living hundreds of thousands of years ago, were equally fascinated by them. But why fossil sea urchins in particular? What was it about these particular fossils that made them attractive to people so long ago? The answer lies, I believe, in the distinctive five-pointed star emblazoned on them. The earliest evidence we have for someone collecting a fossil sea urchin is a flint hand axe made about 400,000 years ago and found in the gravels of Swanscombe, Kent. Taking pride of place on the axe is the distinctive five-rayed star pattern of the fossil urchin Conulus. Such an Acheulian hand axe is usually worked to a sharp edge on both sides. This one, though, has only been worked on one side. The last blow caused a sliver Drawing by of the fossil to break off, making it likely Worthington G. that the flint knapper reasoned he would Smith of skeleton only destroy more of the fossil if he of woman (he called Maud) and worked the other side. This prescient child that he collector was probably a member of found on the species Homo heidelbergensis and Dunstable Down in 1887. The appears to have been particularly taken skeleton was by its five-pointed star. It seems that ours buried with hundreds of fossil was not the first species to evolve an sea urchins aesthetic sense. A third species, Homo neanderthalensis, also liked collecting fossil urchins. A number of distinctive Mousterian culture scrapers have been found in France, some made entirely from these fossils, others, like the Swanscombe hand axe, incorporating them into the tool. And this tradition seems to have continued right through to Homo sapiens, many flint tools made about 5000 years ago that contained, or were constructed from, fossil urchins, having been found near a Neolithic flint mine at Spiennes in Belgium. NEOLITHIC The Neolithic marks the time when many societies gave up their nomadic hunter- gatherer existence and established permanent settlements. This is when we first find evidence of fossil urchins being Fossil urchin Echinocorys used as grave goods. For thousands of scutatus years before the Common Era, people had preserved in flint, collected been burying all sorts of items with their by Mr Alan loved ones, to the great delight of Smith from a archaeologists. As well as objects of field in Linkenholt, personal adornment, such as clothing and Hampshire, and jewellery, articles were usually those known by him considered to be of some practical use in as a ‘shepherd’s crown’ and kept the afterlife – weapons, animals, pots, by the front door bowls, tableware and such like. So why of his cottage
16 JUNE 2012 FEATURE GEOSCIENTIST
place fossil urchins in graves? Either they must have meant much to the deceased when they were alive, or they had a meaning to them in the afterlife. Graves with both cremated and interred remains have been found to contain fossil urchins. In an Anglo- Fossil urchin Micraster Saxon grave in Bury St Edmunds in cortestudinarium Suffolk, England, a woman lies grasping preserved in flint, collected by a fossil urchin in her hand; in a grave of Mr Alan Smith the same age near Cambridge another from a field in woman, who suffered from leprosy, is Linkenholt, Hampshire, and buried in her bed with a leather bag known by him as around her neck, containing a sole fossil a ‘shepherd’s urchin to accompany her into the crown’ and kept by the front door afterlife. And high on the chalk of his cottage downland in the Isle of Wight, five out of a cluster of 12 Bronze Age barrows excavated in the mid-19th Century contained burnt human bones, and all bar one contained a fossil urchin. All this points to a great spiritual significance attached to these fossils for thousands of years, from at least the Made about Neolithic. Although the Bronze Age 400,000 years grave found by Worthington Smith ago by Homo heidelbergensis yielded an impressive haul of more than and incorporating 300 fossil urchins, this pales into the base of a fossil sea urchin, insignificance when compared with the displaying the two to three cubic metres of fossil five-pointed urchins found in a Bronze Age site near star motif to best effect Héricourt in France. It has been calculated that this could represent an astonishing 20–30,000 fossils. At the other extreme large barrows (burial mounds) are known from Brittany that when excavated were found to contain nothing but a single fossil urchin - not even a body. Fossil urchins were not always found with the dead. Sometimes they show evidence of having been valued by the living, though not as tools. For instance, a cache of fossil urchins discovered in the remains of a settlement in Studland, Dorset that was inhabited between the first and fourth centuries seems to have been deliberately buried under the houses a number of times during this period - and always close to doors and windows! As no written record exists of why people did these things, the only way we can glean some insight into their motives is from the folklore attached to the fossils. Further, it may even be possible to link this with the myths that may have grown up around them – myths that may now be represented merely by a folk name, such as Neolithic hand axe with fossil ‘shepherds’ crowns’ or ‘fairy loaves’. urchin collected Together, archaeology, mythology and by Roland folklore allow a greater understanding of Meuris at Camp à Cayeux in the motives behind the activities of
Belgium prehistoric fossil collectors. ▼
JUNE 2012 17 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE
▼ THUNDERSTONE One myth is that of the ‘thunderstone’. A fossil urchin with a stone axe in a pot in an Iron Age cremation deposit in Kent indicates a link with Norse mythology through the god Thor. Folklore gathered in Denmark and southern England in the early 20th Century revealed that both fossil sea urchins and stone axes were called ‘thunderstones’ and were thought to have been thrown to Earth by Thor. But Thor was not only a malevolent thunder god. He was also the peasants’ god, who gave them protection. So these fossils were placed near windows and doors not only to ward off Thor’s frequently over-exuberant lightning strikes, but also to protect the house from evil. The other folk names commonly used for fossil urchins in England - ‘shepherd’s crowns’ and ‘fairy loaves’ - both likely derived from Celtic or pre- Celtic terms and beliefs in the association of these objects with the afterlife. Their frequent occurrence in burial mounds (sites of passage from this life to the next) points to a significance attached to ensuring the rebirth of the bearer. These spiritual beliefs degenerated in Christian times into folk traditions of ‘good luck’, so that ‘fairy loaves’ placed on window sills were thought to ensure that bread would rise and help keep the milk fresh. They were still also placed bear to doors Church-in-the- to help keep the devil at bay. Perhaps Wood, a Gypsy “tin tabernacle”, this is why at the entrance to the Bramdean, churchyard surrounding a gypsy church Hampshire. The (known as a ‘tin tabernacle’) constructed date it was built, 1883, has been in Hampshire in 1883, 40 fossil sea framed using urchins were set in cement in the shape fossil sea of the date. urchins One of the more obvious clues to the activity of prehistoric fossil collectors comes from fossil urchins that have had a hole deliberately drilled through them. This activity goes back to the Upper Palaeolithic when, 35,000 years ago, fossils were drilled and used in necklaces. At one of the earliest known Neolithic settlements in the eastern Mediterranean, a site in Jordan nearly 11,000 years old called ‘Ain Ghazal, all fossil urchins recovered had been drilled. Iron Age urn This behaviour continued for thousands found in 1910 of years, but was not just confined to the with a eastern Mediterranean. Drilled urchins cremation near Tunbridge have turned up in archaeological sites Wells. In the urn from North Africa, to France, to were a broken Neolithic axe Gloucestershire. Was the only reason for and a fossil sea drilling these fossils to wear them as urchin. In necklaces? Probably not. Many were Scandinavian folklore both almost certainly used as spindle whorls were known as while spinning wool. There may also ‘thunderstones’
18 JUNE 2012 FEATURE GEOSCIENTIST Right: Fossil urchin from ‘Ain Ghazal in Jordan that about 9000 years ago had a hole drilled through it, implying that the five-pointed star was representative of the human body
Woodcut said to be from 1497 depicting the have been a star. It spangles our myth of the ovum spiritual element to clothes, sits on our anguinum. The Celtic tradition in this activity related footballs and proudly Gaul was that to the five-pointed appears on more than Image: from Bassett M., 1982 they were originally balls of star motif. 50 national flags. froth exuded by a The importance of the It clings to our food mass of entwined five-pointed star pattern is packaging, our clothes, our snakes at midsummer. The reinforced by the discovery beer bottles and coffee shops. snakes tossed the of some fossil urchins from It even tattoos our bodies. And at Formed stones – folklore and fossils ball into air. If Neolithic and Iron Age sites in Jordan Christmas you can’t walk down a street caught before hitting the ground that have been altered to enhance the without being assailed by this heavenly it retained great five-rayed star pattern. Could these symbol glittering in decorations magical powers. But the catcher people have been seeing an image of and sitting smugly on top of the was not safe until themselves in this pattern – like the Christmas tree. they had crossed classic ‘stick drawing’ of the human The fossil sea urchin with its the river through
(NMW) which the snakes form? Just think of Leonardo da Vinci’s distinctive star is unique as an object were unable ‘Vitruvian Man’ – arms outstretched, legs whose significance can be traced through to swim apart, head held aloft – a human five- many cultures over hundreds of pointed star. This might explain one of thousands of years. Its importance has the drilled urchins from ‘Ain Ghazal, changed from an early aesthetic attraction where the hole was drilled off-centre, of the five-pointed star by early hominid through what could be interpreted as the species to being an object imbued with junction of the legs – a potent fertility power and great spiritual significance, object, perhaps. one that was thought to ease the passage into the afterlife. Its power then faded as APOTROPAIC it firstly came to be seen more as an object But of all the altered urchins found by that protects against evil, before prehistoric collectors, the most striking, becoming just a lucky object. surely, is one found at Heliopolis in To find out where the urchin lies in our Egypt which had hieroglyphs inscribed imagination today you just have to travel on it in about 1500 BCE. These tell us the to the north-west corner of Hampshire. name of the priest, Tja-nefer, who found Here, high on Salisbury Plain, sits the it and also where he found it – in ‘the little village of Linkenholt. For millennia, quarry of Sopdu’, a god sometimes those who have ploughed the flinty fields known as the ‘Morning Star’. The around the village found an abundance of Flint fossil presence of the distinctive five-rayed star ‘shepherd’s crowns’. And what did they urchins inset around original on this fossil and the extensive use of this do with them? They collected them of medieval window symbol by ancient Egyptians in their course, and in the 12th Century when of St Peter’s in burial chambers to symbolise the stars in they built their flint church, what else to Linkenholt, Hampshire in the sky to which the spirit of the pharaoh do but set some around a window on the about the returned, suggests that these fossils north side of the church – the devil’s side 14th Century might have played an important role in – no doubt to try to keep him out. When Egyptian funeral rites. rebuilt in the late 19th Century, the As the perceived powers of fossil villagers could not bear to lose this urchins declined with changing belief window and its protective fossil wreath, systems, so we find the five-rayed star so they were reinstalled. As the fossils pattern increasingly being used on its had obviously done such a good job, why own in many societies. It was as though not have more? So a window on the the star had been sloughed off the fossil. south side was also garlanded with Five-pointed stars were being used in fossil urchins. decorations nearly 5000 years ago in And what of the local farmers? They Mesopotamia, and the symbol’s use as an still collected the fossils, in days of horse apotropaic object (one that protects and plough, and took them home where against evil) was widespread throughout they were placed in pots by the front door Europe and the Mediterranean region – faint, fossilised memories of protecting through to the Middle Ages. Not unlike the house. But if you asked them why, fossil sea urchins, it was used commonly they would simply reply, “Well, it’s just in mediaeval times above doors of something you do, isn’t it?”. n houses or stables to protect against the devil. This star also came to symbolise * Ken McNamara is a Senior Lecturer in the Dept traits such as chivalry, courtesy, piety and of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge kindness, which is why Sir Gawain’s and Director of the Sedgwick Museum. He is author shield was decorated with such a star. of The Star-Crossed Stone, published by University These days it is not easy to escape this of Chicago Press.
JUNE 2012 19 Corporate Supporter: 2EGISTRATION .OW /PEN
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John Argent BG Group 24-26 October 2012
Ian Cloke The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London Tullow
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At the forefront of petroleum geoscience www.geolsoc.org.uk/petroleum Meteorite million years…until now SIZE OF DINOSAURSWONDER GAS ESIDENT OBAMA TO DELAY $7BN OIL PIPELINE T REXCOLUMNS JUST GOT BIGGER shaleINCH gas flame UP Chris King and Fiona Hyden* find that UK national papers cover more Earth science than physics and chemistryas rolled quake into one city survey of UK national The Sunday Telegraph and The This survey repeatedrdal a similar fa Above: Geological ds newspapers in late stories outnumber Sunday Times. The papers were analysis of the same newspapers 2011 has shown that, physics and surveyed over three separate carried out in March/April 20032 chemistry put while the great together weeks spanning a five-week where 200 science-based articles preponderance interval in late 2011 (weeks covering 151 different stories of science stories beginning 9 October, 23 October were identified and categorised. coverA health/medical and and 6 November). The findings of both surveys are environment/ecology, Earth science shown in the table and associated accounted for more stories than ANALYSIS pie-charts. physics and chemistry together. We indentified 170 science articles The table and graphs show Our survey focused on ‘quality’ covering 148 different stories and the following: newspapers, since they contain a subdivided them according to the n that the very high percentage of higher proportion of science following categories: ‘health/medical’ stories recorded content than the popular tabloids1. n Health/medical in 2003 had increased to more Eight newspapers were chosen to n Environment/ecology than half of stories by 2011 (54%); give a broad representation of n Biology n the number of stories about newspaper coverage across this end n Physics ‘Earth science’ had increased in of the newspaper market: The Daily n Chemistry 2011, to 10% of all the stories; Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The n Earth science n while no stories related to Guardian, The Times, The Independent n Technology chemistry appeared in the 2003 n on Sunday, The Mail on Sunday, Public understanding of science survey, ‘chemistry’-related stories ▼
JUNE 2012 21 TABLE 1
Findings of the 2011 survey Findings of the 2003 survey Science topic No. of stories % of stories No. of stories % of stories
Health/Medical 80 54 60 40
Environment/Ecology 24 16 27 18 comprised 2% of data in 2011; n Biology 10 7 23 15 the numbers of ‘environment/ecology’- and Physics 6 4 7 4 ‘physics’-focused stories remained similar; Chemistry 3 2 0 0 n the percentage of stories related Earth Science 14 10 10 7 directly to ‘biology’ and to ‘technology’ approximately Technology 7 5 16 11 halved (to 7% and 5% respectively); Public understanding of science 2 1 8 5 n the percentage of ‘public Table 1: Not categorised 1 1 0 0 Findings of the understanding of science’ stories 2011 survey set reduced from 5% to 1%. Total 147 100 151 100 against those of the 2003 survey As the two surveys were taken eight years apart, one sampled TABLE 2 newspapers from spring and the Headline Newspaper Date other from autumn, so it seems fair to combine the data to give a Undisturbed for million years…until now The Times Tuesday 11/10/11 perspective on the UK newspaper Meteorite smashes through roof of Comette The Guardian Tuesday 11/10/11 coverage as a whole over this time. family's Paris home The results of the two surveys Kazakh gas sector quietly gains momentum The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 11/10/11 taken together give a rank order of: n Health/medical (47%) Scientists count every grain of sand in erosion The Times Thursday 13/10/2011 n study Environment/ecology (17%) n Biology (11%) T rex just got bigger The Daily Telegraph Thursday 13/10/2011 n Earth science (8%) n Airlines feel the heat as volcano rumbles The Guardian Friday 14/10/2011 Technology (8%) n Physics (4%) The wonder gas that could cut your energy bill The Times Sunday 23/10/2011 n Public understanding of science (3%) Earthquake death toll may reach 1,000 The Times Monday 24/10/2011 n Chemistry (1%) 1,000 feared dead in Turkish earthquake as The Guardian Monday 24/10/2011 survivors left to fend for themselves These results need to be set Gone with the wind: the dinosaurs who kicked up The Times Thursday 27/10/2011 against the percentage of science- a stink related stories found in UK Migration clue to giant size of dinosaurs The Guardian Thursday 27/10/2011 newspapers overall. One of the newspaper articles covered by the Did all life begin in a Greenland volcano? The Daily Mail Friday 28/10/2011 2003 survey contained the following observation: ‘The ratio of Origins of life traced to a volcano in Greenland The Daily Telegraph Friday 28/10/2011 ‘arts’ to ‘science’ writers on most Scientists scour suburbs for the rare space rock The Times Monday 07/11/2011 broadsheets is still something in that fell to earth the region of 20:1. It’s very rare for Commodities. Advocates keep the shale gas The Daily Telegraph Monday 07/11/2011 flame alight serious science stories to fight their way on to front pages.’ ‘There is Hope amid ruins as quake city bids cathedral The Times Thursday 10/11/2011 farewell no escaping the fact that science is Table 2: The a difficult thing to cover. Any half- Obama to delay $7bn oil pipeline The Times Friday 11/11/2011 eighteen Earth science related trained reporter can hammer out a The science column. The law that shows why headlines from story on child poverty, The Guardian Saturday 12/11/2011 the 2011 survey wealth flows to the 1% immigration or archaeology. It’s rather more difficult to attempt
Image © Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com something on superstrings, RNA interference, or nanotechnology’3. This comment is supported by the findings of the Science Museum Media Monitor1 that, between 1946 and 1990, science stories occupied only around 5% of the total space in UK newspapers. When it comes to getting science Similar levels of science coverage coverage, were found elsewhere; Greek geology is newspapers contained 2% science simply that little 4 bit more stories ; US newspapers contained compelling... 2%5; and the Australian press, 2.9% FEATURE GEOSCIENTIST
Public understanding of science Technology Not categorised of science-related stories6. Most of Right: Diagrammatic Earth Science these surveys also found the findings of the Health/Medical 2011 survey set high level of medical/health against those of the Chemistry coverage identified in the UK 2003 survey surveys1,4,5, while the Italian press Physics also showed high levels of biomedical coverage7. Of course ‘quality’ newspapers 2011 are only one of the media outlets available today, and the balance of Biology science stories appearing elsewhere in the media, such as on the radio, Internet or TV, may reveal a different story. However, a survey of European TV coverage found that only 8% of stories (218/2676) were science-related8, a similar coverage to the 5% in UK Environment/Ecology newspapers, reported above.
GOOD NEWS Public understanding of science While we may regard it as ‘good Technology news’ that Earth science content of UK newspapers is greater than Health/Medical that directly related to biology and Earth Science much greater than that given over to physics and chemistry, this is no time for the Earth science community to sit on its laurels. Physics A recent survey of communication 2003 by academic staff to the public9 across 13 European countries including the UK, found that “that popular science publishing is undertaken by a minority of academic staff and to a far lesser extent than scientific publishing” (p48). Similarly, in a paper Biology entitled: Scientists are talking, but 10 mostly to each other , Suleski and Environment/Ecology Ibaraki found “that reliance on journal publication and subsequent coverage by the media * Chris King is REFERENCES as the sole form of communication Professor of Earth en masse is failing to communicate Science Education 1 Bauer, M, Durant, J, Ragnarsodottir, A & Rudolphsdottir, A (1995) Science and science to the public” (p115). in the School of Technology in the British Press, 1946 – 1990 London: The Science Museum Thus, although Earth science is Public Policy and 2 Hyden, F & King, C (2006) What the papers say: science coverage by UK national doing relatively well in coverage Professional newspapers School Science Review 88(322), 81-86 by newspapers in this country, we Practice, Keele 3 Rusbridger, A (2003) Making sense of Life The Guardian 3403 London: The Guardian could and should do more to University. 4 Dimopoulos, K & Koulaidis, V (2003) Science and technology education for citizenship: communicate our science to the E: c.j.h.king@ the potential role of the press Science Education, 87, 241 – 256 public more effectively. educ.keele.ac.uk 5 Pellechia, M (1997) Trends in science coverage: a content analysis of three US newspapers Public Understanding of Science, 6, 49 – 68 AUTHORS’ NOTE Dr Fiona Hyden is 6 Metcalfe, J & Gascoigne, T (1995) Science journalism in Australia Public understanding Both UK newspaper surveys were an associate of science, 4, 411 – 428 undertaken as part of the work of lecturer with the 7 Bucchi, M & Mazzolini, RG (2003) Big science, little news: science coverage in the Italian defending the position of Earth science in Open University and daily press, 1946-1997 Public Understanding of Science, 121, 7-24 the English National Curriculum for a consultant 8 León, B (2008) Science related information in European television: a study of prime-time Science; the first prior to the 2007 sedimentologist in news Public Understanding of Science, 174, 443-460 revision of the curriculum and the second the oil industry. 9 Bentley, P & Kyvik, S (2011) Academic staff and public communication: a survey of popular as part of the debate around the current E: fionahyden@ science publishing across 13 countries Public Understanding of Science, 201, 48-63 revision. The revised National Curriculum oilquest.co.uk; 10Suleski, J & Ibaraki, M (2010) ‘Scientists are talking, but mostly to each other: a for Science will be taught in maintained [email protected] quantitative analysis of research represented in mass media’ Public Understanding of Science, 191, 115-125 schools from 2014 onwards. eele.ac.uk
JUNE 2012 23 GEOSCIENTIST PEOPLE
Geoscientists in the news and on the move in the UK, PEOPLE Europe and worldwide CAROUSEL IN MEMORIAM WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/OBITUARIES All fellows of the Society are entitled to entires in this column. THE SOCIETY NOTES WITH SADNESS THE PASSING OF: Please email [email protected], quoting your Allen, Anthony William* Humphreys, Adrian* Oates, Francis* Fellowship number. Cockett, Alan Stanley* Kwolek, Julian Kenneth* Price, Ivor C* Edwards, Wilfrid Thomas* MacLean, Ronald G* Uko, Suzuki* Egerton, Robert* Mills, Stephen John* Williams, Colin L* n MIKE HAMBREY Castle on 3 April for his research Hepworth, Barrie* O’Connor, Steven James Young, Roger Andrew* Mike Hambrey, on glaciers in Antarctica and the In the interests of recording its Fellows' work for posterity, the Society publishes Professor of obituaries online, and in Geoscientist. The most recent additions to the list are Arctic. He was first awarded the shown in bold. Fellows for whom no obituarist has yet been commissioned are Glaciology in the Medal in 1989, and now joins a marked with an asterisk (*). The symbol § indicates that biographical material has Institute of short list of recipients who have been lodged with the Society. Geography and earned the award twice. He has If you would like to contribute an obituary, please email [email protected] Earth Sciences, to be commissioned. You can read the guidance for authors at taught geology and physical www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. To save yourself unnecessary work, please do Aberystwyth University, received a geography at Aberystwyth since not write anything until you have received a commissioning letter. second clasp to his Polar Medal 1998, and from 1999-2009 was Deceased Fellows for whom no obituary is forthcoming have their names and from HM the Queen at Windsor Director of the Centre for Glaciology. dates recorded in a Roll of Honour at www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. DISTANT THUNDER Food for thought Geologist and Science writer Nina Morgan contemplates an unusual menu
The son of a Wealthy merchant the Geological Magazine. “On be encouraged to continue his that sells copies of it. Their and distiller, and a keen collector these occasions every youthful researches in a subject so replete menu includes prints, of plants with a strong interest in geological student found in him a with interest, and in the postcards and greetings geology, James Scott willing instructor and a sincere prosecution of which he has cards and coffee mugs – all Bowerbank (1797 – 1877) and kind friend. The treasures of already displayed so much zeal at very reasonable prices. accumulated a large collection of his Museum, the use of his and ability.” Just the thing to tempt British fossils. He used these in microscopes, and his personal The book also brought the appetite. his own studies in palaeobotany assistance were at the disposal Bowerbank to the attention of a and sponges, but was also of every one.” public with a taste for ACKNOWLEDGEMENT happy to make them available to The published fruits of palaeontology. It even inspired a Some early collectors and other researchers. The Bowerbank’s studies included A popular cartoon illustrating collections of fossil sponges ‘palaeontological soirées’ held at History of Fossil Fruits and Seeds delicacies on offer at the represented in the Natural his home led to the formation of of the London Clay. With ‘Dinotherium Dining Rooms’, History Museum London, by the London Clay Club, in which illustrations by James De Carle located next to the’ Megatherium Sarah Long, Paul Taylor, Steve members devoted themselves to Sowerby, the book made a big Mansion, the Daily House in Baker and John Cooper, studying London Clay fossils, impact in the scientific society of London for Antediluvium Grub’. published in 2003, in The and making a complete list of the the day. “The author is entitled to As well as 80,000,000 New Geological Curator, 7(10), pp. species. In 1847, in the tea-room great praise in undertaking the Fossil Fruits, and sponge cake 353-362; The obituary of at the Geological Society, illustration of one of the most (Bowerbank was also a keen James Scott Bowerbank FRS Bowerbank proposed the difficult and important collector of fossil sponges), FLS FGS President of the formation of a society to publish departments of diners were offered choices such Palaeontographical Society, undescribed British fossils. This fossil botany” as Haunch of Mastodon and published in the Geological became known as the gushed a Real Fossil Turtle soup. Magazine, Decade 2, vol 4, Palaeontographical Society. reviewer Although fossil food is no pp. 191-2; and information Amateurs, too, benefited from writing in longer offered on any about the print that appears his generous nature. “From Annals and menu today, you can still on the website www.sspl 1844-1864 Dr Bowerbank was in Magazine feast your eyes on – or prints.com/image/105114/u the habit of receiving once a of Natural drink your coffee from – a nattributed-highbury-grove- week, at his residence in Park History in copy of the original in-1846. Thanks also to Eric Street, and afterwards at 1840: “and lithograph. The Science Robinson, for sending me a Highbury Grove”, recalled an we trust and Society Picture Library copy of the lithograph that anonymous obituarist writing in that he may is just one of the outlets inspired this vignette
24 JUNE 2012 BOOKS & ARTS GEOSCIENTIST Extended versions of these ] [reviews may be read on the website
of his work become crystal-clear under and his team discovered from palaeoclimate the gallery’s lights and it is hung at such a analyses that the extent of medieval height that you can really get up close to warming was likely about the same as it parts of the country that are a bit of a was in the mid 20th Century, and much less neck-stretch in Burlington House. than that since 1970. The data followed a The connections throughout the curve reminiscent of a ‘hockey stick’. If exhibition are there to be made or not Lamb had added his Chinese data to his UK made: making your own connections is data he might have got a similar result. the point. It is also great fun: I recommend The ‘hockey stick’ was anathema to those putting on the headphones to be who wanted ardently to believe that late serenaded by Ray Charles (full name Ray 20th Century warming was not anomalous Exhibition: Patrick Keiller, Charles Robinson) as you watch the other and had nothing to do with our emissions travellers wend their way through the of CO2. Vituperation followed from the The Robinson Institute gallery, their faces quizzical and pleased, global warming nay-saying community, not In The Robinson Institute, Patrick Keiller perhaps exasperated, most often deeply least through A W Montford’s 2010 attack invites us to walk the length and breadth absorbed in the artefact before them. on Mann in The Hockey Stick Illusion. In the of Tate Britain’s airy Duveen Gallery to meantime, several peer-reviewed scientific recreate a journey through Berkshire, Reviewed by Michael McKimm studies by different authors have confirmed Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Mann’s original ‘hockey stick’ as being in undertaken by Robinson, a fictitious PATRICK KEILLER, THE ROBINSON INSTITUTE the right ballpark, strongly suggesting that ‘scholar of landscape’. In this meditation TATE BRITAIN COMMISSION 2012 grounds for his impeachment are non- Tate Britain, London: 27 March – 14 October on British landscape we encounter Admission Free existent. Indeed, he was cleared of any history, politics, economics and science in wrongdoing by in-depth studies of his a gripping diversity of material: work by expert panels from the National paintings, photographs, sculpture, film Academy of Sciences (North, G.R., et al., footage, archival documents, books and 2006, Surface temperature reconstructions for much more. The artefacts are not curated the past 2000 years; National Academies Press, with a straightforward narrative or Washington DC), from his own university - argument; the logic behind their Penn State, and from the US National arrangement is hard to discern. But as Science Foundation. Like it or not, Mann you meander through the gallery remains a pioneer in analysing proxy connections start to appear. records of climate change covering the past Some of these connections are 1000 years, and one of the foremost young remarkable. Two bronze boulders, palaeoclimatologists of our time. sculpted by Lucio Fontana and Hubert I heartily recommend this book for an Dalwood, sit on the floor next to the unusually clear view of the action on the actual Wold Cottage meteorite of 1795. A The Hockey Stick and front line of climate science from one of its mammoth photograph of the Bahrain principle palaeoclimate protagonists. Formula 1 racing course, slick black the Climate Wars tracks interwoven with the yellow desert, Most geologists have spent precious little Reviewed by Colin Summerhayes is perhaps too obviously set beside a time on palaeoclimate studies since classic Jackson Pollock, but later makes a undergraduate days. In the absence of THE HOCKEY STICK AND THE CLIMATE WARS – stunning juxtaposition with an aerial knowledge, prejudice often seeps in to the DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINES MICHAEL MANN, Published by Columbia Univ. Press. photograph of English field patterns. empty space, exacerbated by articles in the ISBN 978-0-231-15254-9. 395 pp There is uneasiness everywhere, a media or in the blogosphere. Michael List price: £19.95, cup.columbia.edu foreboding of almost apocalyptic doom, Mann is one of the key people trying to and it is our own commoditisation of fill that void with knowledge. REVIEWS: COPIES AVAILABLE landscape that is leading to this Many geologists recall that Britain’s annihilation. Oil pipeline markers sprout eminent climatologist, H.H. Lamb, We have received the following books. from verdant fields, a piece of fabric documented a European medieval climatic Please contact [email protected] if you would like to supply a review. You will sways ghoulishly by a motorway, a optimum in which temperatures between be invited to keep the review copy. See photograph is snapped of the ‘No 400 and 1200 AD were warmer than those Geoscientist Online for an up-to-date Photography’ sign at the atomic weapons of the 1960s to 1980s. What they fail to version of this list. plant at Aldermaston. recall is that Lamb also showed that China n When confronted with William Smith’s and Japan missed this warm phase Planetary Surface Processes, Melosh, HJ (2011), Cambridge. 1815 Geological Map of England and (Climate, History and the Modern World, n Wales, on loan from the Geological 1995, p. 171). Orogenesis - the manking of mountains, Michael R W Johnson and Simon L Harley. Society, one cannot help but shiver at the Michael Mann has inherited Lamb’s earlier images of oil and gas pipelines mantle. Mann uses proxy measurements n Memories of the Warwickshire Coalfields, criss-crossing Britain and wonder at how of northern hemisphere climate extracted Bell, D (2011). rapidly the business of geology has from tree rings, ice cores, corals and n Devon’s Non-Metal Mines: Discovering changed. Don’t miss the chance to see sediment cores to identify natural Devon’s Slate, Culm, Whetstone, Beer Stone, Ball Clay and Lignite mines Edwards, R (2011). Smith’s map as it is exhibited here: the variations in the climate system (e.g. vibrancy of the colours and the intricacies Nature 378, 1995, 266-270). By 1999, Mann n ...and many more online!
JUNE 2012 25 GEOSCIENTIST OBITUARY
HELP YOUR OBITUARIST The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The object is to assist obituarists OBITUARY by providing contacts, dates and other information, and ‘ thus ensure that Fellows’ lives are accorded appropriate and accurate commemoration. Please send your CV and a photograph to Ted Nield at the Society. AUGUSTO GANSSER 1910-2012 Geologist and explorer who pioneered detailed geological observations in the Central Himalaya of north India
ugusto Gansser, their expedition, Gansser Their geological results Wangchuk. Between 1963 geologist and crossed into Tibet, then were published in Central and 1977 he made five
explorer, carried completely closed, in disguise Himalaya: geological expeditions, resulting in out the first with a porter. Beneath his observations of the Swiss The Geology of the Bhutan
A detailed Tibetan chuba he concealed expedition 1936 and a Himalaya (1983), another geological observations in his camera, hammer and popular travel book The classic, beautifully the Central Himalaya of notebook. He discovered Throne of~ the Gods. illustrated with unique northern India during the ophiolitic rocks that mark the field sketches. Gansser Swiss Himalayan expedition actual zone of collision in the retired Professor of 1936 led by Professor Jungbwa-Amlang-la region AUGUSTO Emeritus in 1977 but Arnold Heim. Among his along the border. Gansser’s continued to travel, most important discoveries descriptions of the Indus- GANSSER WILL BE making two tours of Tibet was the Main Central Yarlung Tsangpo suture zone REMEMBERED in 1980 and 1985 at the Thrust, the huge ductile ophiolites and exotic blocks WITH GREAT invitation of Deng shear zone with its were probably the most Xiaoping. He made associated zone of inverted important of the geological FONDNESS FOR HIS several trips to Ladakh metamorphic isograds that results, but he also managed UNLIMITED and Zanskar with carries the entire to complete the kora, the ENTHUSIASM research students from metamorphic sequence of circumambulation of the holy ~ Zurich. He received many the Greater Himalaya Mount Kailas and the source awards, including the southward on top of of the Indus, Yarlung-Tsangpo Gansser then worked for Wollaston Medal and the unmetamorphosed and Sutlej rivers. Shell Oil in Columbia, Patrons Medal of the sedimentary rocks of the where he visited the Royal Geographical Lesser Himalaya. INDEFATIGABLE Roraima massif, and then in Society (1968). In 1983 he Toward the During his travels Augusto Iran for eight years where was given the honorary end of Gansser made he made early studies of title ‘Baba Himalaya’ wonderful the ‘coloured mélange’ in (Father of the Himalayas) geological field the Zagros suture zone and by Peshawar University. sketches and the Infra-Cambrian salt He continued to give detailed domes. His mapping was talks at Himalayan observations instrumental is the Workshop meetings that later discovery of oil in the Qom and was always held in adorn his region of Iran. In 1958 he the highest regard books. became Professor of and respect by his Heim Geology at the ETH in fellow geologists. described Zurich where he became Augusto Gansser will Gansser as renowned for being able to be remembered with “an excellent draw being intricately great fondness for his companion of detailed cross-sections on unlimited enthusiasm, extraordinary the blackboard with one his extraordinary scientific hand while writing with pioneering exploration of aptitude, an the other. Here he wrote his the Central Himalaya indefatigable classic Geology of the and his great contribution worker and a first Himalayas (1964). to understanding class Alpinist”. many fundamental ‘BABA HIMALAYA’ aspects of Himalayan Gansser returned to the geology firmly rooted Himalaya, this time to in fieldwork. Bhutan, at the invitation of By Mike Searle King Jigme Dorji
26 JUNE 2012 CALENDAR GEOSCIENTIST Can’t find your meeting? VISIT www.geolsoc.org.uk/listings] [full, accurate, up-to-date
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Cone Penetration Testing 15 June Edinburgh. Free. Introductory course and technology update on Cone Penetration Testing theory and application. See website for other dates. Will also run on 28 September and 14 December (Wallingford), 19 October (Nottingham), and 23 November (Exeter). Contact: Steve Poulter E: [email protected] W: www.fes.co.uk
Lapworth’s Logs n/a ‘Lapworth’s Logs’ are a series of e-courses involving practical exercises of increasing complexity. ‘Lapworth’s Logs’ provide training in applied geology for civil engineers, engineering geologists, environmental engineers, hydrogeologists, and anyone interested in ground modelling. Contact: [email protected]. Lapworth’s Lgs is produced by Michael de Freitas and Andrew Thompson. Price dependent on number of users/duration of licence.
DIARY OF MEETINGS JUNE 2012
Meeting Date Venue and details
Wealden Strata 9 June Leader and meeting venue and time tbc. Contact: Jon Race South East Regional E: [email protected]
President’s Day & AGM 13 June Burlington House. Begins 1100 (AGM). Buffet lunch with speakers available at Geological Society £27.50. See website for details or contact [email protected].
Dragging Waste Classification into the 14 June Venue: Kenn Centre, Kennford, Exeter. Speaker and time not given. 21st Century Contact: Danielle Pullen E: [email protected] South West Regional
Data Management Workshop and 18-19 June Venue: Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. See website for details. Contact: Paul Duller Knowledge Exchange 2012 E: [email protected] Geoscience Information Group PESGB Data Management Group
London 2012 Olympic Park 3D Model 20 June Venue: BGS, Keyworth. Evening meeting. Speaker: Kate Royse. East Midlands Regional Contact: Helen Burke E: [email protected]
Hampshire Landslides and 20 June Venue: University of Portsmouth. Speaker: Dr Andy Gibson Contact: Karen Allso Geotechnical Modelling (Secretary) E: [email protected] Solent Regional
Professional Studies Day 21 June Burlington House. See online for registration. Contact: Nicky Robinson Hydrogeological Group E: [email protected]
Sustainability of Groundwater in a Changing 27 June Burlington House. Speaker: Professor Paul Younger. A Shell London Lecture. World , Geological Society, Shell UK See p.12 for details
Engineering Group Field Meeting: French 29 June- Venue: Dieppe and west (day 1) Antifer, Le Tilleul and Etretat (day 2), St Martin Channel Coast 1 July Plage, Criel and Le Tréport (day 3). Leader: Rory Mortimore. See website for Engineering Group details. Contact: David Giles E: [email protected]
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JUNE 2012 27 GEOSCIENTIST OBITUARY
OBITUARY‘
GERALD MANFRED FRIEDMAN 1921–2011 Carbonate sedimentologist who escaped Nazi persecution and also worked as an ice-cream quality controller
erald (‘Gerry’) typing in London. under S J Shand). From co-authored over 300 Friedman Hon In 1940 he was interned 1950–54 he taught scientific papers and two FGS, a Fellow for and then released; he passed mineralogy and petrology highly popular books. He 61 years, was the University of London in the University of gave so generously of his G born in Berlin of a entrance exam, entering Cincinnati, obtaining his time to scientific and German Jewish family. In Chelsea College in 1942 and Columbia PhD in 1952. In public bodies that this 1938 he escaped to England graduating in 1945. Here the 1954–55 he explored for account could be filled followed, in 1939, by his legendary W H Fleet uranium in the Canadian solely with his offices immediate family. His enthused him in geology; Shield and then switched (President, AAPG Eastern wider family was other future carbonate radically to sedimentary Sections and SEPM, murdered by the Nazis. At sedimentologists Doug geology with Standard Oil Editor (1964–70) of the first he worked on farms Shearman and Robin of Indiana (later Amoco, Journal of Sedimentary from 0700 to 1700 and then Bathurst were fellow 1956–64), at Tulsa, Petrology, etc.). In 1979 he cycled the 30-mile round students. From 1941 he Oklahoma. He returned to founded the Northeastern trip to Cambridge to study regularly practised judo. academia as Professor of Science Foundation, a at night-class and Geology in the Rensselaer not-for-profit body that in matriculate. Later he EMIGRATED Polytechnic Institute in 1987 generously endowed attended the London Unable to get work as a Troy, New York (1964–84), the Society’s Sue Tyler
Bakery School and worked geologist, from 1945–46 Gerry and as Professor (1985–88) Friedman Medal for as a baker, taking evening worked as a food quality- and then Distinguished contributions to the
classes in bookkeeping and control chemist with Lyons Professor (from 1988) at History of Geology (and a Restaurants in Brooklyn College, City similar award for the London. In 1946 University~ of New York. Geological Society of the family America). emigrated to New GERRY MENTORED York, WAS A BRILLIANT He mentored over 40 PhD where he recipients and over 50 worked on TEACHER, Masters, kept up with penicillin A WORLD-WIDE past students via a and ice- newsletter, and received cream LECTURER IN many honours, the most quality PETROLEUM prized being a 1986 control GEOLOGY honorary doctorate from before Heidelberg University, becoming COURSES AND given only once every 50 a full-time A CONSULTANT years to an Earth PhD ~ scientist. He held visiting student in Gerry was a brilliant professorships in 1949–50 at teacher, a world-wide Germany and Israel, and Columbia lecturer in petroleum often visited the UK. University geology courses and a Gerry married Sue (working on consultant, especially on Tyler in 1948. They had the Cortlandt carbonate reservoirs. five daughters and by Complex Loquacious, with them 18 grandchildren. unbounded energy and There is a 2006 enthusiasm, he won four autobiography in the ‘outstanding Society Library. paper’ awards, By Bernard Elgey Leake authored or
28 JUNE 2012 CROSSWORD GEOSCIENTIST
CROSSWORD NO. 158 SET BY PLATYPUS WIN A SPECIAL PUBLICATION
The winner of the April Crossword puzzle prize draw was Lloyd Boardman of Market Drayton.
All correct solutions will be placed in the draw, and the winner’s name printed in the August issue. The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Closing date - June 25.
The competition is open to all Fellows, Candidate Fellows and Friends of the Geological Society who are not current Society employees, officers or trustees. This exclusion does not apply to officers of joint associations, specialist or regional groups.
Please return your completed crossword to Burlington House, marking your envelope “Crossword”. Do not enclose any other matter with your solution. Overseas Fellows are encouraged to scan the signed form and email it as a PDF to [email protected]
Name ...... ACROSS DOWN Membership number ...... Address for correspondence ...... 6 Lustre resembling mother-of- 1 Very large porosity, big enough to pearl (8) hold a human being (4) ...... 8 Line joining points of equal 2 Near the bear, Greekly, up north (6) ...... magnetic anomaly (6) 3 Line joining sites of equal pressure (7) 10 Grinds in a mortar (6) ...... 4 Almost eternal mineral and compiler 11 What burrowing organisms of very difficult crosswords (6) ...... and miners do with old 5 Calcareous mud (4) workings (8) ...... 7 Solid and fairly continuous mass of 12 Early particle accelerator in minable resource (3,4) ...... which accelerating charged particles spiral outwards (9) 9 Said, by its unapologetic apologists, ...... to be the best form of defence (7) 13 Young, granular snow that has ...... been partially melted and 12 Undercroft where compilers of refrozen (4) difficult crosswords may wish to Postcode ...... be buried (5) 15 Word having the same meaning as another (7) 14 One annual layer of a rhythmite (5) 17 Shooting stars (7) 16 Young rock surrounded by older (7) SOLUTIONS APRIL
20 As you were, editorially (4) 18 Glacial erratic or displaced terrane ACROSS: (7) 21 Elaborate astronomical 6 Bessemer 8 Adroit 10 Anneal 11 Carapace inclinometer used in navigation 19 Classic oilman's hat (non-protective, 12 Detonator 13 Lido 15 Tangent 17 Caldera (9) except from the sun) (7) 20 Coal 21 Limnology 23 Mollisol
23 Chemical or particulate 21 Functional group COCH3 (6) 25 Icicle 27 Mocock 28 Artesian accumulation (8) 22 The green black and white flies (6) DOWN: 25 Bury (6) 24 Flightless birds of the genus 1 Neon 2 Ascent 3 Brucite 4 Marrer 5 Zinc 27 Site of rock extraction (6) Dromaius (4) 7 Melanin 9 Rippled 12 Draco14 Darcy 28 Volcanic glass (8) 26 Average skinflint (4) 16 Galileo 18 Apomict 19 Amalgam 21 Lusaka 22 Otiose 24 Obol 26 Lead
JUNE 2012 29 RECRUITMENT
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30 JUNE 2012 RECRUITMENT
JUNE 2012 31 William Smith Meeting 2012 Strata and Time: Probing the Gaps in our Understanding
4–5 September 2012
Burlington House, London, UK An international conference to explore the relationship between the preserved strata of the rock record and the passage of geological time. Stratigraphic practice can only be as sound as the underlying assumptions relating strata with time. Our focus will be on identifying, evaluating and updating the models that lie behind stratigraphic methods. The scope of the conference will extend from the controls on preservation of strata in the record, through the qualitative and statistical properties of strata, to the implications for analysis, interpretation, modelling and prediction. Sessions: • Layers and completeness • Sediment routing, processes and controls • Subsurface/seismic methods and prediction • Stratotypes and missing time Keynote and Invited Speakers include:
Andrew Miall • Bradford Macurda • Roy Plotnick • John Tipper • Douglas Jerolmack Cedric Griffiths • Philip Allen • Linda Hinnov • Vamsi Ganti The 2012 William Smith Lecture will be given by Peter Sadler (University of California, Riverside) on Scaling laws for the aggradation and progradation of the stratigraphic record Convenors:
David Smith • Robin Bailey • Peter Burgess • Alastair Fraser
A thematic set of papers will be published in the Journal of the Geological Society
Further information
For further information, including the conference programme, please visit the conference website at www.geolsoc.org.uk/williamsmith12 Enquiries to Naomi Newbold, Conference Office, The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG E: [email protected]
Follow this event on Twitter #wsmith12 Linocut image courtesy of Jean Slee-Smith: www.jeansleesmith.co.uk Slee-Smith: Linocut image courtesy of Jean