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SCIENTISTVOLUME 28 No. 01 ◆ FEBRUARY 2018 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 Applied Geoscience] [ Special! PETROGRAPHY RULES ONLINE SPECIAL PEER REVIEW Alan Poole on how the micro To ‘ae’ or no? Society Something’s going affects the macro adopts ‘new’ spellings wrong, says John Cope Themed years are at the heart of the Society’s science strategy. Throughout 2019 the Society will explore the geoscience of Carbon through research conferences, lectures, our education programme and other activities. Carbon is one of the most important elements of our planet. In the oceans and atmosphere, carbon has important consequences for the global climate system. Complex organic molecules led to life on Earth. Carbon-based energy resources remain of critical importance, both in terms of extraction and mitigation of carbon emissions, but also for planning for a future carbon-neutral society. Carbon is central to a number of critical societal challenges. Understanding the carbon budget of our planet over long timescales requires quantification of the cycling of carbon between surface reservoirs and Earth’s deep interior. On shorter timescales, complex feedbacks exist between the precise nature of our orbit around the Sun, the biosphere and solid Earth. Over the last century, the rapid increase in atmospheric CO2, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is one of the greatest scientific challenges of our time, and will occupy generations to come. Carbon-based fuels, however, remain essential for our economy, transport, communications and everyday life. Petroleum geoscience develops innovation in exploration, in extraction and in mitigating emissions. In the future, however, a move to carbon-neutral fuels and energy sources is unavoidable, and is the focus of much research, including studies in the field of carbon sequestration. The Year of Carbon is an opportunity to showcase both academic and applied research focussing on energy, geochemical cycling, climate and materials, among many others. Events throughout the year will involve academe, industry, economists and government bodies, as well as partner geoscience societies and organisations. We welcome proposals for meetings and events aimed at a range of audiences to bring into focus the myriad of ways carbon underpins life on Earth. Get Involved! Find out more at www.geolsoc.org.uk/carbon19 To suggest a meeting topic or activity, email Georgina Worrall E: [email protected] GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS Geoscientist is the ADVERTISING SALES Fellowship magazine of the Jonny Knight Geological Society T 01727 739 193 of London E jonathan@ centuryonepublishing.uk The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, ART EDITOR London W1J 0BG Heena Gudka T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 DESIGN & LAYOUT E [email protected] Ryan Gaston (Not for Editorial - Please contact the Editor) PRINTED BY Century One Publishing House Publishing Ltd. The Geological Society Publishing House, Unit 7, Copyright Brassmill Enterprise Centre, The Geological Society of Brassmill Lane, Bath London is a Registered Charity, BA1 3JN number 210161. T 01225 445046 ISSN (print) 0961-5628 F 01225 442836 ISSN (online) 2045-1784 06 27 Library T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 The Geological Society of London F +44 (0)20 7439 3470 accepts no responsibility for the views expressed in any article in this E [email protected] publication. All views expressed, except where explicitly stated otherwise, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF represent those of the author, and not Professor Peter Styles The Geological Society of London. All All rights reserved. No paragraph of this EDITOR publication may be reproduced, copied Dr Ted Nield or transmitted save with written permission. Users registered with E [email protected] Copyright Clearance Center: the Journal is registered with CCC, 27 Congress EDITORIAL BOARD Street, Salem, MA 01970, USA. 0961- Dr Sue Bowler 5628/02/$15.00. Every effort has been Mr Steve Branch made to trace copyright holders of Dr Robin Cocks material in this publication. If any rights 10 16 have been omitted, the publishers offer Prof. Tony Harris their apologies. Dr Howard Falcon-Lang Mr Edmund Nickless No responsibility is assumed by the Mr David Shilston Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of ON THE COVER: Dr Jonathan Turner products liability, negligence or Dr Jan Zalasiewicz otherwise, or from any use or operation 10 GEOLOGY AND HS2 of any methods, products, instructions Trustees of the or ideas contained in the material Geological Society herein. Although all advertising Geology and industrial legacy both influence of London material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion the HS2 route through mid-Cheshire Mr Malcolm Brown (President) in this publication does not constitute Mr John Booth a guarantee or endorsement of the Mr Rick Brassington quality or value of such product or of Dr Jason Canning the claims made by its manufacturer. Miss Liv Carroll Subscriptions: All correspondence Ms Lesley Dunlop relating to non-member subscriptions FEATURESFEATURES Dr Marie Edmonds (Secretary, should be addresses to the Journals Science) Subscription Department, Geological 16 PETROGRAPHERS IN CONSTRUCTION Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Mr Graham Goffey (Treasurer) Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Alan Poole* on the important work of the Applied Dr Sarah Gordon (Secretary, Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 Petrography Group’s many members Foreign & External Affairs) 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Email: Mrs Tricia Henton [email protected]. The subscription Ms Naomi Jordan price for Volume 27, 2017 (11 issues) to institutions and non-members will Dr Robert Larter be £157 (UK) or £179 / US$358 (Rest Dr Jennifer McKinley of World). REGULARS Dr Colin North (Secretary, Publications) © 2018 The Geological Society 05 Welcome Ted Nield remembers his first job as Dr Sheila Peacock of London a petrographer Prof Christine Peirce Geoscientist is printed on FSC® mixed Mr Nicholas Reynolds credit - Mixed source products are a 06 Society News What your Society is doing at home and Prof Nick Rogers (President blend of FSC 100%, Recycled and/or Controlled fibre. Certified by the Forest abroad, in London and the regions designate) Stewardship Council®. Dr Katherine Royse (Secretary, Professional Matters) 09 Soapbox End of the peer show? John Cope says Mr Keith Seymour (Vice something’s going rotten president, Regional Groups) Miss Jessica Smith NLINE 20 Calendar Society activities this month Mr John Talbot (Vice president, Chartership) 22 Books and arts Six new books reviewed by Ted Nield, Dr Alexander Whittaker SPECIAL Jeremy Joseph, Cynthia Burek, Bob Anderson, Jason Holden Published on behalf of the and Nigel Combley Geological Society of TO ‘AE’ OR NOT TO London by ‘AE’? SPELLINGS OF 25 Letters CCS, Helium economics and a bit of history SCIENTISTVOLUME 28 NO 01 ◆ FERUARY 2018 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHIC Century One Publishing GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 Applied Geoscience] PAUL PEARSON 26 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam [ Special! TERMS. Road, St Albans, Herts, GIVES THE DEEP AL3 4DG BACKGROUND ON THE 28 O bituary Deryck James Colson Laming 1931-2017 T 01727 893 894 SOCIETY’S DECISION TO F 01727 893 895 29 Crossword Win a Special Publication of your choice E enquiries@centuryone ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL publishing.uk SPELLINGS FOR W www.centuryone PETROGRAPHY RULES ONLINE SPECIAL PEER REVIEW STRATIGRAPHIC TERMS. Alan Poole on how the micro To ‘ae’ or no? Society Something’s going publishing.uk affects the macro adopts ‘new’ spellings wrong, says John Cope WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | FEBRUARY 2018 | 03 JW poster 2018 v7 1-2018_Layout 1 10/01/2018 12:25 Page 1 Lyell poster 2018 v4 8-1-18_Lyell leaflet 10/01/2018 12:24 Page 1 THE JANET WATSON MEETING 2018 Event Partners Event A Data Explosion: The Impact Lyell Meeting 2018 of Big Data in Geoscience Mass extinctions: understanding the 27 February – 1 March 2018 The Geological Society, Burlington House, London world’s worst crises The rise of ‘Big Data’ has been characterized by a rapidly increasing availability and diversity of data that will play a role in shaping the future of Geoscience 7 March 2018 Research and the Hydrocarbon Industry. The Geoscience community has been slow to embrace the Big Data technologies that are revolutionizing other sciences such as the pharmaceutical industry and medical research. Where The Geological Society, Burlington House advances in data acquisit ion and interpretation technologies are being made in academic Geoscience, progress in uptake has been hampered by unstructured The study of mass extinctions is one of the most data, stored in silos. interdisciplinary research areas within Earth and This three day meeting will bring together early career geoscientists with leading industry and academic experts to discuss the opportunities and environmental sciences. Recent, major advances challenges of Big Data and showcase advances in data collection and interpretation technology. It will pres ent an opportunity to learn and collaborate have come from a broad spectrum of fields, between Geoscience and Computer Science on the subject of Big Data. This will including atmospheric modelling, high-precision age be an excellent forum