DOCSLIB.ORG

Norris ALM Thesis Final 02-27-2017

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Norris ALM Thesis Final 02-27-2017 Discovering the Causes of the Ice Ages and Human-Caused Climate Change: a History of the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Norris, Thomas. 2017. Discovering the Causes of the Ice Ages and Human-Caused Climate Change: a History of the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century. Master's thesis, Harvard Extension School. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:33825890 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Discovering the Causes of the Ice Ages and Human-Caused Climate Change: A History of the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Thomas L. Norris A Thesis in in the Field of History of Science, Technology and Medicine for the Degree of Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Harvard University May 2017 Abstract Human-caused climate change is a contentious issue today among some non- scientific communities who argue that scientists support climate change because of their political beliefs. In contrast, some historians today argue that the carbon dioxide hypothesis, which says that increased carbon dioxide in the air increases global temperatures and that much of the increase in carbon dioxide is due to human causes, was not taken seriously during the early twentieth century. These contradictory views led to my investigation of the history of human-caused climate change, which originally evolved out of the search in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century to find a cause(s) of the ice ages. This thesis investigates early research into the origin of the ice ages, which generated fourteen hypotheses, including the carbon dioxide hypothesis. Historically, climate change research included contributions from many scientific disciplines: astronomy, chemistry, geology, meteorology, and others. The main challenge to finding the cause(s) of the ice age was the diversity and limitations of the evidence and the inadequate scientific instrumentation and theories in the early twentieth century, which explains why the plausibility of hypotheses by this problem-centered scientific community changed during this period, including the changing views on human-caused climate change. Still, progress was made and, 1950, only five hypotheses were still under consideration. Contrary to what some historians say today, the carbon dioxide hypothesis was treated like any other hypothesis, and there is no evidence that the scientific communities were biased against it. In addition, the criticisms that the carbon dioxide hypothesis received in the early twentieth century demonstrate that it was not always unquestioned by the scientific community, contrary to assertions made by some non-scientists today. However, there was less controversy surrounding the origin of the ice ages during this period. Acknowledgments I thank Professor Peter Galison, Harvard University, Department of the History of Science, for his insightful suggestions and encouragement. His suggestions have made this a much better thesis. I thank Dr. James Morris, Harvard University, Division of Continuing Education, for guiding me through the process of completing the thesis. I thank Susan Matheson for her editing skills, which helped to make the thesis more readable. Of course, any errors or omissions in the thesis are my responsibility. v Table of Contents Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. v! List of Tables ................................................................................................................. viii! List of Figures .................................................................................................................. ix! Chapter I. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1! Scope and Study Questions of Thesis ........................................................................... 4! Methodology .................................................................................................................. 8! A Final Aspiration for this Thesis ............................................................................... 12! Chapter II. Setting the Stage—Discovery of the Ice Ages ............................................. 15! Chapter III. Climate Change Hypotheses—Their Histories ........................................... 27! Astronomical Hypothesis ............................................................................................ 31! Carbon Dioxide Hypothesis ........................................................................................ 41! Changes in Atmospheric Circulation Hypothesis ........................................................ 54! Geographical Hypothesis ............................................................................................. 60! Cosmic Dust Hypothesis ............................................................................................. 70! Chapter IV. Solving the Cause of Climate Change—What Were the Challenges? ........ 77! Scientific Communities—Who Was Interested in this Problem? ............................... 77! How They Did Science: An Example and Comments on Others’ Methods ............ 82! Challenges When There Are Many Scientific Communities—Network Analysis .. 86! Scientists and Their Views ....................................................................................... 95! Response to the Views of Others, Evidence from Obituaries ................................ 100! Summary Scientific Communities ......................................................................... 101! Generating the Core Data Set .................................................................................... 102! vi Local versus Global Ice Ages? ............................................................................... 104! Synchronicity ......................................................................................................... 107! Patterns in the Timing of the Ice Ages ................................................................... 109! Changes in the Understanding of the Core Data Set .............................................. 112! Making Progress ........................................................................................................ 117! Infrared Spectroscopy ............................................................................................ 117! Geochronology ....................................................................................................... 122! Progress Was Made, Nonetheless .............................................................................. 129! Chapter V. Concluding Remarks—No Simple History ................................................ 131! Thesis Questions and Summary of Results ............................................................... 133! Philosophical Models of Scientific Change .............................................................. 141! Kuhn’s Theory and Climate Change ...................................................................... 142! Lakatos’ Model and Climate Change ..................................................................... 147! Philosophy of Science Concluding Remarks ......................................................... 150! Final Remarks from the Research ............................................................................. 151! References ..................................................................................................................... 155! vii List of Tables Table 1. Categories of the Hypotheses on the Origin(s) of the Ice Ages. ....................... 30! Table 2. Core Data Set. ................................................................................................. 113! Table 3. Summary of Preferred (P) and Challenged (C) Hypotheses from Papers by Climate Scientists. .................................................................................................. 114 viii List of Figures Figure 1. Typical Erratic Block, from Mont Blanc Range. ............................................ 21! Figure 2. Striated Rock. .................................................................................................. 22! Figure 3. Lyell’s Proposed Distribution of the Continents During the Ice Ages and Warm Interglacial Periods. ....................................................................................... 63! Figure 4. Major Scientists in Discovery of the Ice Ages. ............................................... 87! Figure 5. Models of Scientific Change Applied to Development of Plate Tectonics Theory. ..................................................................................................................... 88! Figure 6. Full Network of Papers and Citations. ............................................................ 90! Figure 7. Simplified Network. ........................................................................................ 93! Figure 8. First Cluster – Focused Primarily on the Carbon Dioxide Hypothesis. .......... 94! Figure 9. Second Cluster – Related to work by Simpson and Brooks ...........................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Wyley History of the Geologists' Association in the 50 Years 1958
    THE WYLEY HISTORY OF THE GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION 1958–2008 Leake, Bishop & Howarth ASSOCIATION THE GEOLOGISTS’ OF HISTORY WYLEY THE The Wyley History of the Geologists’ Association in the 50 years 1958–2008 by Bernard Elgey Leake, Arthur Clive Bishop ISBN 978-0900717-71-0 and Richard John Howarth 9 780900 717710 GAHistory_cover_A5red.indd 1 19/08/2013 16:12 The Geologists’ Association, founded in 1858, exists to foster the progress and Bernard Elgey Leake was Professor of Geology (now Emeritus) in the diffusion of the science of Geology. It holds lecture meetings in London and, via University of Glasgow and Honorary Keeper of the Geological Collections in the Local Groups, throughout England and Wales. It conducts field meetings and Hunterian Museum (1974–97) and is now an Honorary Research Fellow in the School publishes Proceedings, the GA Magazine, Field Guides and Circulars regularly. For of Earth and Ocean Sciences in Cardiff University. He joined the GA in 1970, was further information apply to: Treasurer from 1997–2009 and is now an Honorary Life Member. He was the last The Executive Secretary, sole editor of the Journal of the Geological Society (1972–4); Treasurer (1981–5; Geologists’ Association, 1989–1996) and President (1986–8) of the Geological Society and President of the Burlington House, Mineralogical Society (1998–2000). He is a petrologist, geochemist, mineralogist, Piccadilly, a life-long mapper of the geology of Connemara, Ireland and a Fellow of the London W1J 0DU Royal Society of Edinburgh. He has held research Fellowships in the Universities of phone: 020 74349298 Liverpool (1955–7), Western Australia (1985) and Canterbury, NZ (1999) and a e-mail: [email protected] lectureship and Readership at the University of Bristol (1957–74).
    [Show full text]
  • Former Fellows Biographical Index Part
    Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 – 2002 Biographical Index Part Two ISBN 0 902198 84 X Published July 2006 © The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22-26 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF FORMER FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 1783 – 2002 PART II K-Z C D Waterston and A Macmillan Shearer This is a print-out of the biographical index of over 4000 former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh as held on the Society’s computer system in October 2005. It lists former Fellows from the foundation of the Society in 1783 to October 2002. Most are deceased Fellows up to and including the list given in the RSE Directory 2003 (Session 2002-3) but some former Fellows who left the Society by resignation or were removed from the roll are still living. HISTORY OF THE PROJECT Information on the Fellowship has been kept by the Society in many ways – unpublished sources include Council and Committee Minutes, Card Indices, and correspondence; published sources such as Transactions, Proceedings, Year Books, Billets, Candidates Lists, etc. All have been examined by the compilers, who have found the Minutes, particularly Committee Minutes, to be of variable quality, and it is to be regretted that the Society’s holdings of published billets and candidates lists are incomplete. The late Professor Neil Campbell prepared from these sources a loose-leaf list of some 1500 Ordinary Fellows elected during the Society’s first hundred years. He listed name and forenames, title where applicable and national honours, profession or discipline, position held, some information on membership of the other societies, dates of birth, election to the Society and death or resignation from the Society and reference to a printed biography.
    [Show full text]
  • F Te Hititomts of Iulbonrnt 1939
    f te Hititomts of iUlbonrnt 1939. VISITOR. HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR OF VICTORIA. COUNCIL. CHANCELLOR SIR JAMES WILLIAM BARRETT, K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G., LL.D. (Manitoba), M.D., M.S. (Melb.), F.R.A.C.S., F.R.C.S. (Eng.), C.M.Z.S. Elected 30th August, 1935. DEPUTY-CHANCELLOR. RT. HON. SIR JOHN GREIG LATHAM, P.C, G.C.M.G., K.C., M.A., LL.M. Elected 30th August, 1935. VICE-CHAN CELLOR. JOHN DUDLEY GIBBS MEDLEY, M.A. (Oxon). MEMBERS. Appointed by the Governor-in-Council, 17th December, 1935— HON. JOHN PERCY JONES, M.L.C. Originally appointed 11th July, 1923. HON. SIR STANLEY SEYMOUR ARGYLE, K.B.E., M.L.A., M.B.. B.S. Originally appointed 15th September, 1927. SIR WILLIAM LENNON RAWS, KT.B., C.B.E. Originally appointed 12th December, 1928. HON. JOHN LEMMON, M.L.A. Originally appointed, 19th July, 1932. CHARLES HAROLD PETERS, M.C. Originally appointed Sth December, 1932. JAMES MACDOUGALL, Originally appointed Uih August, 1933. HON. PERCY JAMES CLAREY, M.L.C. 19th December, 1938— JOSEPH EDWIN DON. Elected by Convocation, 17th December, 1935— MR. JUSTICE CHARLES JOHN LOWE, M.A., LL.B. Originally elected 10th February, 1927. JAMES RALPH DARLING, M.A. (Oxon and Melb,). Originally elected 31st October, 1933. MORRIS MONDLE PHILLIPS, M.A. Originally elected 13th November, 1934. BERNARD TRAUGOTT ZWAR, M.D., M.S., F.R.A.C.S. Originally elected 7th May, 1935. WILFRF.D RUSSELL GRIMWADE, C.B.E., B.Sc. Originally elected 13th August, 1935. Elected by Convocation, 16th December, 1937— SIR JAMES WILLIAM BARRETT, K.B.E.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Keport, 1899-1900
    ANNUAL KEPORT, 1899-1900. EEPOET OF THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE UNIVEESITY, FROM THE 31ST OP JULY, 1899, TO THE 31ST OP JULY. 1900. TO HlB ElCKLLBHCT THB HONOEABIB SlE Joint MADDBS, K.C.M.O., LlBUTBKAKT-GOVHBHOB OF THB COMNT OF VlCTOEIA. The University of Melbourne, 1st August, 1900. SIB.— I do myself the honour to transmit the following Seport of the Proceedings of the University of Mel­ bourne, which, according to the "University Act, 1890, section 27," is to be made to Your Excellency by the Council. I.—UNIVEESITY MEETINGS. Since the last Beport, the following meetings have been held:— The Council 26 The Senate 7 The Finance Committee of the Council 14 The Professorial Board ... ... ... 13 The Faculty of Law 2 The Faculty of Medicine 10 The Faculty of Engineering 12. 398 ANNUAL REPORT, 1899-1900. II.—MATRICULATION EXAMINATIONS. The following Table gives the number of Candi­ dates who presented themselves this year, and who passed the Matriculation Examinations:— Iii u ill Term. SSi IB-S November, 1899 1056 418 May, 1900 .. 474 379 144 Total 1630 1242 66 CLASS LISTS. November, 1899. OBEEK AUD LATIN. First Class (in Order of Merit). Henry Gwynne Jones. Enid Derham. William Aloysius Keane. Arthur Ramsden Cavalier) w , Elizabeth Inglis Lothian j Jiquttl- Second Class (in Order of Merit) Thomas Lament Adams. John Adamson | v . Robert Edgecumbe Short I ^uaJ- Richard Montgomery Brett. George Edmund Montagu Withers. ANNUAL REPORT, 1899-1900. 399 Third Class (in Alphabetical Order). Ada Valentine Griffiths. James Winchester Hawthorne. Harry Algernon Hay. Arthur Graham Throssell James Louis Fenton Woodbum The Exhibition awarded to: Henry Qwynne Jones.
    [Show full text]
  • Annals Cover 5
    THIS VOLUME CONTAINS A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF DECEASED BRYOZOOLOGISTS WHO RESEARCHED FOSSIL AND LIVING BRYOZOANS. ISBN 978-0-9543644-4-9 INTERNATIONAL 1f;��'f ' ;� BRYOZOOLOGY � EDITED BY ASSOCIATION PATRICK N. WYSE JACKSON & MARY E. SPENCER JONES i Annals of Bryozoology 5 ii iii Annals of Bryozoology 5: aspects of the history of research on bryozoans Edited by Patrick N. Wyse Jackson & Mary E. Spencer Jones International Bryozoology Association 2015 iv © The authors 2015 ISBN 978-0-9543644-4-9 First published 2015 by the International Bryozoology Association, c/o Department of Geology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland. Printed in Ireland. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, photocopying, recording or by any other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Cover illustrations Front: Photographic portraits of twelve bryozoologists: Top row (from left): Arthur William Waters (England); Hélène Guerin-Ganivet (France); Edward Oscar Ulrich (USA); Raymond Carroll Osburn (USA); Middle row: Ferdinand Canu (France); Antonio Neviani (Italy); Georg Marius Reinald Levinsen (Denmark); Edgar Roscoe Cumings (USA); Bottom row: Sidney Frederic Harmer (England); Anders Hennig (Sweden); Ole Nordgaard (Norway); Ray Smith Bassler (USA). Originals assembled by Ferdinand Canu and sent in a frame to Edgar Roscoe Cumings in and around 1910-1920 (See Patrick N. Wyse Jackson (2012) Ferdinand Canu’s Gallery of Bryozoologists. International Bryozoology Association Bulletin, 8(2), 12-13. Back: Portion of a plate from Alicide d’Orbigny’s Paléontologie française (1850–1852) showing the Cretaceous bryozoan Retepora royana. Background: Structure of Flustra from Robert Hooke’s Micrographia (1665).
    [Show full text]
  • Former Fellows Biographical Index Part
    Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 – 2002 Biographical Index Part One ISBN 0 902 198 84 X Published July 2006 © The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22-26 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF FORMER FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 1783 – 2002 PART I A-J C D Waterston and A Macmillan Shearer This is a print-out of the biographical index of over 4000 former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh as held on the Society’s computer system in October 2005. It lists former Fellows from the foundation of the Society in 1783 to October 2002. Most are deceased Fellows up to and including the list given in the RSE Directory 2003 (Session 2002-3) but some former Fellows who left the Society by resignation or were removed from the roll are still living. HISTORY OF THE PROJECT Information on the Fellowship has been kept by the Society in many ways – unpublished sources include Council and Committee Minutes, Card Indices, and correspondence; published sources such as Transactions, Proceedings, Year Books, Billets, Candidates Lists, etc. All have been examined by the compilers, who have found the Minutes, particularly Committee Minutes, to be of variable quality, and it is to be regretted that the Society’s holdings of published billets and candidates lists are incomplete. The late Professor Neil Campbell prepared from these sources a loose-leaf list of some 1500 Ordinary Fellows elected during the Society’s first hundred years. He listed name and forenames, title where applicable and national honours, profession or discipline, position held, some information on membership of the other societies, dates of birth, election to the Society and death or resignation from the Society and reference to a printed biography.
    [Show full text]
  • Quarterly Journal
    B Vol. LXXXVI, No. 341. PXRT 1. THB QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. EDITED BT THE PERMANENT SECRETARY. API~IL 23rd, 1930. [With Fourteen Plates, illustrating Papers by Dr. G. H. Mitchell, Dr. H. Bolton, Mr. R. W. Pocock, Mr. R.D. 01dham, and Major A. R. Dwerryhouse & Mr. A. A. Miller.] LONDON : LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO. LTD. PAR1S:--CHARLES KLINCKBIECK, 1l RUE DE LILLE. SOLD ALSO AT THE APARTMENTS OF THE SOCIETY. Price Se~'en SMllings and Sixpence. LIST OF THE OFFICERS AND COUNCIL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. Elected February 21st, 1930. Prof. Edmund Johnston Garwood, M.A., Sc.D., F.R.S. James Archibald Douglas, lVI.A' D.Sc. i Robert Stansfield Herries, M.A. Prof. John Walter Gregory, LL.D., i Prof. William Whitehead Watts, LL.D., D.Sc., F.R.S. ! Se.D., ~I.Sc., F.R.S. ~ttrttartt~. Walter Campbell Smith, M.0., T.D., M.A. t Prof. William Thomas Gordon, M.A., I D.Sc., F.R.S.E. ~orti~n bttrttar,. ~rta~urtr. Sir Arthur Smith Woodward, LL.D., Frederick Noel Asheroft, M.A., F.O.S. F.R.S., F.L.S. Frederick Noel Ashcroft, ]V[.A., F.C.S. ! Finlay Lorimer Kitchin, ~/I.A., Sc.D., Prof. Percy George Hamnall Boswell, I Ph.D., F.R.S. D.Sc., A.R.C.S., D.I.C. Sir Albert Ernest Kitsch, C.M.G., C.B.E. Prof. Charles Gilbert Cullis, D.Sc. James Romanes, M.A. Ernest Edward Leslie Dixon, B.Sc. Bernard Smith, I~.A., Sc.D.
    [Show full text]
  • JAHRBUCH DER GEOLOGISCHEN BUNDESANSTALT Jb
    JAHRBUCH DER GEOLOGISCHEN BUNDESANSTALT Jb. Geol. B.-A. ISSN 0016–7800 Band 146 Heft 3+4 S. 265–301 Wien, Dezember 2006 Grundzüge der geologischen Gedanken von Eduard SUESS Teil I: Einführung und erkenntnistheoretische Grundlagen A.M. CELAL S¸ ENGÖR*) 18 Abbildungen Geschichte der Erdwissenschaften Österreichische Karte 1 : 50.000 Erkenntnistheorie Blatt 53 Gebirgsbildung Inhalt 1. Zusammenfassung . 265 1. Abstract . 265 1. Einleitung . 266 2. Kurzer Lebenslauf von Eduard SUESS . 266 3. Einige Charakteristika des SUESS’schen Werkes . 269 3. 3.1. Unabhängigkeit von irgendeiner Schule . 269 3. 3.2. Die „vergleichend beurteilende Methodik“ . 271 3. 3.3. Umfangreichtum der SUESSschen Geologie als Ergebnis seines Interesses an Problemen 3. 3.1. und nicht an Disziplinen oder Methoden . 282 3. 3.4. Geologische Prozesse und Aktualismus als Leitfäden der Forschung . 283 3. 3.5. Bestrebung, in der Deutung der geologischen Ereignisse die Zahl der Regelmäßigkeiten in der Natur, 3. 3.1. d.h. die so genannten „Naturgesetze“ auf ein Minimum zu beschränken . 292 3. 3.6. Kritischer Realismus bei der Deutung der geologischen Ereignisse . 294 4. Schlussbemerkungen . 295 5. Anhang: SUESS und WEGENER . 296 4. Dank . 296 4. Literatur . 297 Zusammenfassung Eduard SUESS war einer der größten Geologen in der Geschichte. Seine Publikationen umfassten beinahe alle Teilgebiete der Geologie (Paläontolo- gie, Stratigraphie, Strukturgeologie, Regionalgeologie, Paläoökologie und Paläogeographie, Geomorphologie, angewandte Geologie und Tektonik). Er hat auch zur Geographie,
    [Show full text]
  • Bailey Willis Papers: Finding Aid
    http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf0h4n97cp No online items Bailey Willis Papers: Finding Aid Processed by Huntington Library staff in July 1990; supplementary encoding and revision supplied by Brooke Dykman Dockter in 2004 and Diann Benti in June 2017. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens Manuscripts Department 1151 Oxford Road San Marino, California 91108 Phone: (626) 405-2191 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.huntington.org © 2000 The Huntington Library. All rights reserved. Bailey Willis Papers: Finding Aid mssWillis papers 1 Overview of the Collection Title: Bailey Willis Papers Dates (inclusive): 1856-1957 Bulk dates: 1880-1949 Collection Number: mssWillis papers Creator: Willis, Bailey, 1857-1949. Extent: 11,799 pieces in 54 boxes and 1 large folder. Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department 1151 Oxford Road San Marino, California 91108 Phone: (626) 405-2191 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.huntington.org Abstract: This collection contains the papers of geologist and Stanford University professor Bailey Willis (1857-1949). Subject matter includes: Willis's work, travels and family; geology, especially earthquakes; scientists and scientific institutions. There are also early photographs of China (1903-04) and Argentina (1911-13). Language: English. Access Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services. Publication Rights The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
    [Show full text]
  • Proceedings Geological Society of London
    PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. SESSION 1909-1910. November 3rd, 1909. Prof. W. J. SOLLAS, LL.D., Sc.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The List of Donations to the Library was read. The following communications were read :-- 1. ' Certain Jurassic (Lias-Oolite) Strata of South Dorset, and their Correlation.' :By S. S. Buckman, F.G.S. 2. ' Certain Jurassic (" Inferior Oolite ") Ammonites and Brachio- poda.' :By S. S. Buckman, F.G.S. 3. ' The Granite-Ridges of Kharga Oasis : Intrusive or Tectonic?'1 By William Fraser [-[ume, D.Sc., A.R.S.M., F.G.S., Director of the Geological Survey of Egypt. 4. ' The Cretaceous and Eocene Strata of Egypt.' By William Fraser ]-[ume, D.Sc., A.R.S.M., F.G.S., Director of the Geological Survey of Egypt. The following specimens and maps were exhibited :- Ammonites, etc. from the ' Inferior Oolite,' exhibited by S. S. :Buckman, F.G.S., in illustration of his papers. Fossils, rock-specimens, and lantern-slides, exhibited by Dr. W. F. Hum~, A.R.S.M., F.G.S., in illustration of his papers. Carte g4ologique internationale de rEurope, i.~oo.ooo1 : Livraison V[, Sheets EII, F II, F III, Berlin, 1909 ; prese~lted by the Map Com- mission of the International Geological Congress. l Withdrawn by permission of the Council. VOL. LXVI. PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIET~'. [Feb. IOIO, :November 17th, 1909. Prof. W. J. SOLLAS, LL.D., Sc.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. James Alexander Haddon Armstrong, Dumisa, via Esperanza (Natal); Robert Alexander Farquharson, B.A., St.
    [Show full text]
  • John Kington, 2010, Climate and Weather
    BOOK REVIEWS Earth Sciences History Jan 2012 v 31(1) pp 157-162 THE LIFE AND WORK OF PROFESSOR J. W. GREGORY FRS (1864–1932). GEOLOGIST, WRITER AND EXPLORER. By Bernard Elgey Leake. 2011. London: The Geological Society (Memoir No. 34). 234 pp. Hardcover, £75.00, $150.00. In a book review in this journal, Sorkhabi (2006) asks: “What are scientific biographies for, anyway? Why should we care about the life, work and publications of dead scientists?” Among the answers that he provides is: “professional successes and life lessons of pioneer scientists encourage the younger generations. Nearly all of us who have become scientists have had role models and heroes who fascinated and drew us to science”. The subject of this meticulously researched, and immensely readable, biography could be viewed in many ways as just such a person. John Walter Gregory (always known as ‘Jack’ by his family) was born in London in 1864, the son of a ‘middle class’ wool salesman. He was educated from the age of six, first at a boarding school which followed the Pestalozzian system, then at Stepney Grammar School, Bow, London. Following the death of his father from tuberculosis in 1876, he left school in 1878 to work first on a dairy farm and then, from 1880–1887, as a trainee wool sales clerk, the intention being that he would follow in his father’s profession. However, by at least 1883, he was also managing to pursue further studies at night-school and at weekends, attending classes at the City of London College, Birkbeck Institution, and the Royal School of Mines in London.
    [Show full text]
  • Proceedings of the Geological Society of Glasgow
    PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW TH 150 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION Local geological heroes and characters: a selection Session 150 2007 – 08 1 Local geological heroes and characters: a selection Saturday 23rd February 2008 CONTENTS Introduction. Dr Alan Owen 2 List of Presidents of the Geological Society of Glasgow. 4 E. B. Bailey – the complete field geologist. Professor Howel Francis 5 E. B. Bailey in the Grampian Highlands: cauldron subsidence, nappes and slides. Dr David Stephenson 7 E. B. Bailey and the Palaeogene Staffa Group of SW Mull: Lava trees and daisy wheels. Dr Brian Bell 9 E. B. Bailey and his work at Ballantrae. Professor Brian Bluck 13 J. W. Gregory explorer and polymathic geologist: his influence in Glasgow and the British rejection of continental drift. Professor Bernard Leake 16 Aspects of the ‘geographical’ work of J. W. Gregory. Professor Paul Bishop 22 T. N. George and his contribution to the understanding of the Upper Palaeozoic rocks of the British Isles. Professor Brian Bluck 25 G. W. Tyrrell: an underrated geologist. Professor Brian Bluck 28 Working with fossils at the Hunterian Museum – a glimpse at the lives of John Young, John Young and Ethel Currie. Dr Neil Clark 31 Archie Lamont (1907 – 1985), geologist and poet. Professor Euan Clarkson 35 Civic Reception Thursday 26th June 2008 39 2 Local geological heroes and characters: a selection Introduction Dr Alan Owen Department of Geographical & Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Gregory Building, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QQ. This special issue of the Proceedings of the Geological Society of Glasgow largely comprises a set of extended abstracts arising from a one-day symposium held on 23 February 2008 as part of the celebrations of the Society’s 150th Anniversary.
    [Show full text]