SCIENTISTVOLUME 28 No. 03 ◆ APRIL 2018 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST

GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95

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FALLING SKYE Simon Drake and Andy Beard on discovering a Paleocene meteorite hit

BUFFON THE GEOLOGIST WHY MINE GOLD? ONLINE SPECIAL Jan Zalasiewicz discovers a There must be better things IPCC reports have the new side to the great Frenchman we could be doing bloats says Jonathan Cowie GE L

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY PESGB GEOLiteracy TOUR 2018 LONDON The Chicxulub Tuesday 15 May, 18.00 Cavendish Conference Centre Public event Impact £15 @Barcroft The End of an Era BIRMINGHAM With Professor Joanna Morgan Wednesday 16 May, 17.30 Lyttelton Theatre, Professor of Geophysics, The Birmingham & Midland Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Institute Imperial College London Public event Free In 1980 Luis Alvarez and his co-workers published an article asserting that a large body hit Earth ~66 million years ago and caused the most recent mass extinction, which notably included ABERDEEN AD SPACEthe dinosaurs. Thursday 17 May, 18.00 The evidence for impact was the extraterrestrial composition Aberdeen Science Centre of a thin clay layer at the boundary between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras. This became known as the “Impact hypothesis”, Public event and was categorically dismissed by many geologists at the time, £10 on the grounds that only two locations had been studied and the clay layer at these sites might be atypical or just unusual but terrestrial, and that the extinction was gradual and started NORTH WEST HIGHLANDS before the impactor hit Earth. This boundary clay has now been studied at many sites around the world and is clearly formed from impact ejecta – material from the asteroid and impact site 2-3 June that has been ejected around the globe. Studies of small fossils Field Trip in marine sediments, for which the fossil record is more reliable £45 Mem / £55 Non Mem/ due to high numbers, show that life was thriving and the oceans productive immediately before impact and collapsed precisely at £120 Family of 4 the boundary clay layer. The cause of the extinctions is still not (2 adults, 2 children <18) widely agreed, but it is fairly certain that the impact triggered a nuclear winter – an extended period (3-14 years) when the entire Earth was cold and dark, which is likely to have been catastrophic for photosynthetic life.

@Barcroft It took over 10 years to find the impact site – the crater is buried Registration and beneath the surface of the Yucatán continental shelf, Mexico, and has a minimal surface expression. Geophysical methods have Crowdfunding now open at been used to image the crater and determine its size (~200 km in diameter) and structure. In 2016 we drilled into the impact crater www.pesgb.org.uk/ to investigate large crater formation, recovery of life at the impact geoliteracy-tour-2018/ site (ground zero), habitability of the crater, and improve estimates of the climatic effects of this impact.

Untitled-1 2 01/03/2018 11:09:53 GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS

Geoscientist is the ADVERTISING SALES Fellowship magazine Alex Kilen of the Geological Society T 01727 739 182 of London E [email protected] The Geological Society, ART EDITOR Burlington House, Piccadilly, Heena Gudka London W1J 0BG T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 DESIGN & PRODUCTION F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 Ryan Gaston E [email protected] (Not for Editorial - Please PRINTED BY contact the Editor) 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 09 16 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 27 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 DEEP IMPACT of any methods, products, instructions Trustees of the or ideas contained in the material Geological Society herein. Although all advertising A new Paleocene ejecta layer discovered of London material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion by Society-funded fieldwork 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 BUFFON – GEOLOGIST Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Mr Graham Goffey (Treasurer) Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Jan Zalasiewicz, Anne-Sophie Milon and Mateusz Zalasiewicz Dr Sarah Gordon (Secretary, Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 explore a neglected aspect of the great naturalist’s oeuvre Foreign & External Affairs) 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Email: Mrs Tricia Henton [email protected]. The subscription Ms Naomi Jordan price for Volume 28, 2018 (03 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 laments the ‘bread and circuses’ Dr Sheila Peacock of London approach to space science 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 abroad, in London and the regions. This month, a focus on designate) Controlled fibre. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council®. the Society’s policy work Dr Katherine Royse (Secretary, NLINE Professional Matters) Mr Keith Seymour (Vice 09 Soapbox Should we dig gold? John Milsom thinks we’re president, Regional Groups) wasting our time Miss Jessica Smith SPECIAL Mr John Talbot (Vice president, 20 Calendar Society activities this month Chartership) A CASE OF THE BLOATS. Dr Alexander Whittaker JONATHAN COWIE 22 B ooks and arts Six new books reviewed by Robert Anderson, Published on behalf of the Chris Hawkesworth, Jonathan Scafidi, David Vaughan, Rob Geological Society of WONDERS IF THE Bowell and Nigel Press London by FORTHCOMING 6TH

SCIENTISTVOLUME 28 No. 03 ◆ APRIL 2018 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST ASSESSMENT REPORT CAN 25 Letters Online CPD reporting, Protecting our data, Century One Publishing GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AVOID ITS PREDECESSORS’ and Scientific English Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam @GEOSCIENTISTMAG Road, St Albans, Herts, TENDENCY TO GET EVER AL3 4DG BIGGER AND MORE 26 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move T 01727 893 894 INDIGESTIBLE – AND HAS 28 Obituaries Malcolm Fletcher Howells 1934-2017 F 01727 893 895 FALLING SOME SUGGESTIONS SKYE & Alan Gilbert Smith 1937-2017 E enquiries@centuryone Simon Drake and Andy Beard on ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT publishing.uk discovering a W www.centuryone Paleocene meteorite hit BE MADE EASIER BUFFON THE GEOLOGIST WHY MINE GOLD? ONLINE SPECIAL Jan Zalasiewicz discovers a There must be better things IPCC reports have the publishing.uk new side to the great Frenchman we could be doing bloats says Jonathan Cowie TO COMPARE. WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 03 Petroleum Group 29th Annual Dinner Natural History Museum 21 June 2018

For further information or to book a table for this event, please contact [email protected]

Corporate Call for Abstracts – Deadline: 25 May 2018 Seismic Characterisation of Supporters: Operations Geoscience Carbonate Platforms and Reservoirs Adding Value 10-11 October 2018 The Geological Society, Burlington House, London Fundamental advances in the seismic imaging and characterization of carbonate platform strata, including 7-8 November 2018 reservoir rocks, have revolutionized understanding of carbonate geomorphology, stratigraphy and reservoir The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London architecture. This meeting aims to synthesize these innovative developments and explore the variety of carbonate Convenors: characteristics that can now be interpreted from modern and reprocessed seismic data. It will discuss and illustrate how the Richard Diggens technology can be used in exploration, development and BP – Chairman production evaluations, as well as for understanding long-term and large scale forcing of carbonate platform development. Chris Samson Independent – The focus will be on practical geoscience applications and the Secretary meeting will provide a forum for lively interaction between the upstream oil industry, seismic contractors, and carbonate Hozefa Godhrawala sedimentology researchers. Centrica Conference Themes Chris Hayes RPS The main focus will be on the value operations geoscientists deliver and the pivotal role they play via the • Seismic evidence for controls on carbonate platform following topics: development over millennial time scales and kilometric Tim Herrett Convenors length scales Independent • The value of learning lessons well – what is a lesson?; how are lessons learned and managed (e.g. avoiding non productive/invisible lost time)?; practical examples of lessons with demonstrable change; Jim Hendry (Tullow Oil) • Seismic geomorphology and 3D internal architecture of Rachael Horton personal willingness to share failure/sub optimal performance Pete Burgess (University of Liverpool) carbonate platforms Dave Hunt (Statoil) BP • Risks and safety of operations – identifying, managing, communicating risks and planning contingencies • Carbonate sequence stratigraphy and palaeogeography Xavier Janson (University of Texas, Austin) effectively from seismic data, and the discrimination of carbonate, Maxim Kotenev Valentina Zampetti (Shell) Sasol • Formation pressure and geomechanics – sharing good practice, techniques and knowledge, prediction clastic and volcanic features and detection methods Further information • Carbonate seismic facies interpretation at reservoir scales Kirstin McBeath • The value of managing and interpreting data – effective data management for field life, examples of and seismic characterisation of fractured carbonates BP For further information please contact: cross company collaboration Georgina Worrall, Conference Office, • Seismic attributes for porosity and lithology discrimination, Jim Raggatt Overarching themes: The Geological Society, Burlington House, identification of epikarst, hypogene karst and hydrothermal Independent • Value of these themes to well life cycle Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG dolomitisation Christine Telford • Sharing real world examples and case studies T: (+44/0) 20 7434 9944 • Using 3D and 4D seismic in carbonate reservoir modelling Independent • Importance of personal behavioural skills throughout (leadership, communication, relationship building E: [email protected] • Carbonate rock physics and potential for AVO and EEI in and influencing others) Web: www.geolsoc.org.uk /carbonates18 carbonates • Share good practice, showcasing innovative approaches and technologies • Forward modelling carbonate geometries, seismic inversion and synthetic seismic models of carbonates We look forward to active participation from our colleagues across subsurface, drilling and engineering disci- plines to significantly broaden the main conference themes. • Tailoring acquisition and processing for carbonate objectives There will be a parallel poster session in the library. Call for Papers Call for Abstracts: Submission for oral or poster presentations are welcome. Please submit paper contribution to [email protected] by 25 May 2018. Registration and abstract submission forms are available via the conference web page, and the deadline for abstract For further information and registration please contact: submission is 16th April 2018. Sarah Woodcock, The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG. T: +44 (0)20 7434 9944 or email: [email protected]

At the forefront of petroleum geoscience Event sponsors www.geolsoc.org.uk/petroleum

04 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST ~ GEOSCIENTIST WELCOME

EARTH SCIENCES WILL BE CUT BY 6.5%, AND THE PLANKTON, AEROSOL, CLOUD, OCEAN ECOSYSTEM MISSIONS WILL BE SCRAPPED. THAT SUCH SCIENCE IS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE PROVIDES A CLUE TO POTUS’S CYNICAL MOTIVATIONS ~ FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: Of showbiz and space science

British professor of astronomy, interviewed was motivated by politics/showbiz. True, we learned a lot on TV about Elon Musk’s recent rocket stunt, about the Earth by sampling the moon; but meanwhile the suggested we ask ourselves “What is space ‘space race’ was won by Russia. Russia’s programme for?”. It may sound crass and stupid put like benefited from similar political motives but - given the nature that, but it’s a good question. The mantra of Soviet government - was hardly vulnerable to public “Why go to space with so many unsolved opinion. Russians did all the necessary, technical stuff problemsA here on Earth?” has dogged space explorers since concerned with living in space and observing the Earth. The the beginning. International Space Station (ISS) depends crucially on Mr Musk’s roadster - ‘Don’t Panic!’ on the dashboard, Russian science, somewhat grudgingly handed over in the Hitchiker’s Guide in the glovebox and David Bowie blaring - is later cost-saving spirit of international cooperation. now a man-made Near Earth Asteroid, destined one day to The currently rudderless US space agency NASA is now crash into the sun, Venus, or us – the latter chance estimated at learning what President Trump wants – chiefly, a new moon 6% over the next million years. (Don’t panic – it will burn up. programme (announced in the presence of first and last We’ll probably be extinct anyway.) For a real-life Tony Stark, astronaut-geologist Harrison Schmitt Hon FGS). But now we space is for profit. learn there will be no extra money – which means cutting Sci-fi has two visions of space explorers. Either they are science, education and outreach, much of which is concerned quasi-official emissaries of united humanity, simultaneously with Earth observation. He wishes to pull out of ISS, too. spreading and seeking enlightenment (Star Trek) or wage Earth sciences will be cut by 6.5%, and the Plankton, Aerosol, slaves of dodgy corporations grubbing after profit Alien( ). Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) missions will be scrapped. But I am more interested in a different polarity – ‘space for That such science is essential to understanding and raising science’ vs ‘space for showbiz/politics’ – the latter having awareness of climate change provides a clue to POTUS’s now effectively fused, in the USA at least. cynical motivations. Sending men to the moon, (a one-horse race which Hope, meanwhile, rests with Congress, which has final say. only America was in), But do they know any better what space ‘for’?

DR TED NIELD NUJ FGS, EDITOR - [email protected] @TedNield @geoscientistmag

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 05 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS

What your society is doing at home and abroad, in SOCIETYNEWS London and the regions

President’s Day 2018

Steph Jones has a date for your announced in the May issue. diaries. Awards will be presented at PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES The winners of the Society’s medals President’s Day on 6 June 2018. and funds for 2018 were announced in On that day there will be research the February edition: talks by the four senior medallists: Securing supplies of critical raw Terry Plank (Wollaston Medal); Julian Terry Plank (Lamont-Doherty Earth materials – the geologist’s role Dowdeswell (Lyell Medal); Janne Blichert- Observatory, Columbia University); Toft (Murchison Medal); Peter Dolan Julian Dowdeswell (Scott Polar Speaker: Kathryn Moore, Camborne School of Mines (William Smith Medal); Jan Zalasiewicz Institute, University of Cambridge); Date: Wednesday 11 April 2018 (Prestwich Medal); Robert Holdsworth Janne Blichert-Toft (CNRS and École (Coke Medal); David Shilston (Coke Normale Supérieure de Lyon); Peter Medal); Girls into Geoscience (RH Dolan (Ikon Science Limited) on their Programme Worth Award); Simon Poulton (Bigsby current or most recent work. ◆ A fternoon talk: 14:30pm Tea & Coffee: 15:00 Medal); Charlotte Adams (Aberconway All Fellows are welcome to attend Lecture begins: 16:00 Event ends Medal); Owen Weller (Wollaston Fund); the events of President’s Day, though ◆ E vening talk: 17:30 Tea & Coffee: 18:00 Lecture Amanda Owen (Lyell Fund); George lunch with the Award winners will incur begins: 19:00 Reception. Cooper (Murchison Fund); Hannah a charge. Full details of charges and Hughes (William Smith Fund). Recipients instructions for registration will be Further Information of the 2018 President’s Awards will be published in the May issue, and online. Please visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsllondonlectures18. Entry to each lecture is by ticket only. To obtain a ticket please contact the Society around four weeks Chartership news before the talk. Due to the popularity of this lecture series, tickets are allocated in a monthly ballot and New Chartered Geologists and Kristian Lomas, Kira Markham, Mauro cannot be guaranteed. Chartered Scientists, reported by Della Martera, Justin Morton, David Chartership Officer, Bill Gaskarth. Moy,Vincenzo Ragone, Dan Senkans, Contact: Sarah Woodcock, The Geological Society, Burlington CGeol: Thomas Ader, Giovanni Athina Simon, Michael Tracy, Imtias House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG, T: +44 (0) 20 7432 0981 E: [email protected] Aquilina, Davide Baldini, Alexander Ali Ujjon, Charlotte Wakefield, Kirsty Beever, Gareth Burdell, Riccardo Cerri, Walker, Xiaoyang Wu, Colin Kai Ada Crottini, Alexander Crow, Simon Wing Yeung. Eden, James Ferrari, Timothy Ferriday, CGeol by reciprocity with the RoGEP news Jemima French, Erika Gentile, Owen AAPG: Timothy Tylor-Jones, George, Luca Gioacchini, Dan Glazier, CSci: Thomas Ader, Simon Eden, The Register of Ground Engineering Professionals Maria Hartford-Beynon, James Howard, Maurizio Ferla, Adam Putt. (RoGEP) was founded in 2011 jointly by the ICE, Geological Society and the IMMM writes Bill Gaskarth. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion It is a competency register and offers a clear progression route from Professional Grade to The Society’s diversity, equality and Since the International Association Specialist Grade and then to Adviser Grade. Eligibility inclusion (DEI) activities are progressing for Geoscience Diversity (IAGD) for entrance onto the Register for those GSL Fellows well, writes George Jameson* became an Associated Society with the appropriate knowledge and experience February 7 saw the launch event for (9.17), we have been in discussion starts at CGeol. RoGEP membership assures clients the Science Council/Royal Academy with British-based members of their and the public at large that the member’s technical of Engineering’s Diversity and Inclusion Executive Committee, providing expertise has been independently peer assessed Progression Framework Benchmarking support and advice on setting up and that they are maintaining their competence Report where 21 scientific bodies, an IAGD UK chapter. The launch will through following and recording a programme of including the Society, self-assessed their be hosted at Burlington House on 4 appropriate CPD. performance. Its key findings may be read June 2018. The Register has reached the milestone of 500 here: bit.ly/2sJYSbE. Views and suggestions please to: registrants, of whom 194 are CGeols. Much of our diversity programme will E: [email protected]. ◆ Fellows with the appropriate knowledge and focus on refining and implementing an * George is External Relations Officer experience may apply for registration by writing to action plan based on these findings. with responsibility for Diversity. E: [email protected]

06 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 07 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS

Policy update

As negotiations for leaving the EU continue, science and on areas of HE policy relevant to geoscience. This includes the research policy discussions in Westminster continues to focus recent submission to the Migration Advisory Committee Call on the impact on UK R&D and plans for a post-Brexit UK for Evidence on the impact of international students in HE. This research sector, writes Flo Bullough*. covered a number of themes such as: international student In his Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced an increase to enrolment on critical Masters courses, their role in ‘soft power’ the four-year block of R&D investment. This puts the Government and influence abroad, and the impact of UK immigration policy on track to reach parity with our international competitors over on fieldwork, data collection and cross-border working. the next 10 years of investment at 2.4% of GDP. This was In energy policy, the Department of Business, followed by the publication of the Industrial Strategy Energy and Industrial Strategy published the White Paper, the government’s long-term plan Clean Growth Strategy (October 2017), setting for business, skills, research, infrastructure and out Government proposals for decarbonising productivity growth. the UK economy through the 2020s. This Ahead of the White Paper and Budget, the re-establishes the potential role of Carbon Society prepared a response to the House of Capture and Storage (CCS) in meeting UK Commons Science and Technology Committee’s decarbonisation targets, following the earlier inquiry into the Science Budget and Industrial cancellation of the CCS Competition (2015). Strategy. This supported plans for increased We raised the issue of CCS development in investment in science and research, but also raised our responses to the Industrial Strategy and the concerns over the lack of consideration given to Science budget, as well as in our response to the sustainable access to raw materials – especially in the context Royal Society of Edinburgh Energy Inquiry into Scotland’s of Industrial Strategy funding initiatives (such as battery technology, future energy supply. where secure access to lithium is critical). For more information W: www.geolsoc.org.uk/policy. The response also highlighted the need for consistent funding for long-term monitoring projects, and increased financial support Radwaste disposal for regional growth initiatives (points covered in greater detail in our Adler deWind writes: In the December/January double issue response to the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, March 2017). we announced that the UK Government was consulting on In Higher Education policy, the recent reshuffle saw Jo Johnson two proposals regarding a geological disposal facility (GDF) for MP (former Minister for Universities, Science, Research and the UK’s higher level radioactive waste. The government then Innovation) replaced by Sam Gyimah MP who will continue the roll- postponed their launch. However, there are now three such out of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. proposals, with closing dates of 19 and 20 April. For further The Society works with University Geoscience UK to respond details, go to W: www.geolsoc.org.uk/consultations. Geoethics – what do you think?

Geologists are not immune from ethical considerations, say exposed to intense political, legal and media pressures, while an David Ovadia* and Nic Bilham§ engineering geologist might feel it to be excessive and career-limiting ‘Geoethics’ is a term that is both obvious and abstruse. Unlike our caution to repeatedly refuse to sign off a bridge or tunnel scheme colleagues in the medical and biological sciences, who are often despite nagging doubts. subject to intense ethical controls, often prescribed in law, Earth scientists practise in a relatively unregulated environment. Behaviour Pharmaceutical companies have been known to cancel expensive In the teaching environment, being ensconced with a group of drug development programmes if it emerges that the product may people for long periods in a laboratory, field camp or research vessel improve the quality of life but not its extent (or vice versa) because of requires the highest standards of ethical and moral behaviour by all fears of subsequent litigation. Geologists rarely think of themselves as parties. Geologists are occasionally exposed to attempts subject to lawyers’ concerns in quite the same way. But this does not at bribery even though this is strictly illegal in many mean that we are immune from ethical considerations. jurisdictions. And the impact of many geologists’ work on wider society is coming under increasing public Mapping scrutiny. Acting ethically at all times can A mapping geologist might be tempted to ignore an analysis or an be challenging. outcrop that does not fit cleanly into the model being developed, or to make some convenient assumptions about the rocks in remote and IAPG inaccessible places beyond easy reach. A mining company geologist The International Association for might be put under pressure by the board to be more optimistic about Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) aims the economic viability of a mineral resource, especially when this could at creating awareness about swing a critical investment, and perhaps preserve the person’s job. the application of ethical The volcanologist responsible for advising government whether principles to theoretical and

or not to order a massively expensive and disruptive evacuation is practical aspects of ▼

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 07 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS

▼ geosciences. It is affiliated to the International Union of Geological Geoethics overlaps with issues relating to professional Sciences and the Geological Society of London, among others, as standards, accreditation, indemnity and ‘ombudsmanship’, a not-for-profit association with 1816 members in 123 countries, and and no attempt is being made to distract from those has a network of 28 national sections, including the United Kingdom. important areas. We simply invite readers to share their Details can be found on its web site at W: www.geoethics.org. views on geoethics, by contacting one or both of the The present authors are interested to hear your views on authors. We will report back at a later stage with a synthesis what efforts the Geological Society, the IAPG and others of opinion. should be put into creating and promoting greater ethical awareness, through discussions, meetings, education and enhanced codes of conduct; and on topics such as the * Keyworth NG12 5ED. E: mailto:[email protected] desirability of regulatory or voluntary approaches to setting E: [email protected]; § The Geological Society, Burlington House, standards and spreading best practice, at national and global Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BG. E: mailto:[email protected] level, and how this may be achieved. E: [email protected]

Programme: 2018 Meetings of the Geological Society Discussion Group (formerly the Geological Society Club) are 18.30 for 1900, when dinner is served. Attendance is open to all members of the Society. For up to date information concerning topics for discussion and speakers, please go to W: http://bit.ly/2AhEZrf

◆ Tuesday 24 April – Burlington House ◆ Thursday 14 June – Athenaeum ◆ Wednesday 12 September – Gay Hussar ➤ Please contact Sarah Woodcock for more information and to ◆ Wednesday 24 October – Bumpkins make a reservation. E: [email protected] ◆ Wednesday 5 December – Athenaeum

Latest news from the Publishing House

Jenny Blythe has the latest from the Geological Society Publishing House Sedimentary context and palaeoecology of Gigantoproductus shell beds in the Mississippian Evidence for a grounded ice sheet in the central North Sea during the early Eyam Limestone Formation, Derbyshire carbonate Middle Pleistocene Donian Glaciation platform, central England By Carina Bendixen, Rachel M. Lamb, Mads Huuse, Lars O. Boldreel, Jørn B. By L. S. P. Nolan, L. Angiolini, F. Jadoul, G. Della Porta, S. J. Davies, V. J. Banks, M. H. Stephenson and M. J. Leng Jensen and Ole R. Clausen A sedimentological study was conducted at two localities Interpretation of 3D seismic data from the central North Sea yields evidence of a exposing the Mississippian Eyam Limestone Formation pre-MIS (Marine Isotope Stage) 12 grounded glaciation. The glaciotectonic complex of the Derbyshire carbonate platform, UK. Ricklow Quarry shows buried push moraines resulting from the thrusting of multiple ice advance comprises seven facies with diverse skeletal assemblages, phases with horizontal shortening of 35 – 50%. The earliest feature observed within the representing deposition on the inner to middle ramp within complex, a hill–hole pair, represents the initial glaciation of the area. This is overlain open marine waters. Once-a-Week Quarry comprises and deformed by multiple thrust units with numerous inferred ice-fl ow directions. The four facies, dominated by crinoidal debris representing thrust deformation observed shares characteristics with kinematic processes, push deposition on the inner ramp. Both localities… moraines and static gravity processes, seen as gravity spreading and contraction. The glaciotectonic complex in its entirety is interpreted to correlate to a pre-Elsterian glaciation, becaue of its stratigraphic position below central North Sea tunnel valleys, estimated to be Elsterian in age (MIS 12; 450 ka). The study proposes that the thrust complex correlates to the Donian glaciation in Russia (MIS 16; 600 ka) with ice sourced from Norway. The complex therefore represents a glaciation where a signifi cant area of the central North Sea was covered by an ice sheet, 200 kyr prior to the Elsterian. This study highlights the fragmentary record of pre-Elsterian glaciations and the importance of incorporating offshore sedimentary archives and regional frameworks when reconstructing Pleistocene climate change.

 Available in the Lyell Collection:  http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/early/2017/11/23/jgs2017-073 Available in the Lyell Collection: http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/content/61/4/239

08 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 09 GEOSCIENTIST SOAPBOX

Should we dig gold?

John Milsom* wonders why we bother wasting so much effort finding the stuff

ining companies, and Wealth mining geologists by What of the rest? The next largest use is as a association, do not get a store of wealth. In 2016 gold bars, coin and SOAPBOX good press. Often there is stocks held by Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) M hypocrisy involved. Many of and central banks took 45% of production. CALLING! the most articulate critics benefit hugely Very little of this sees the light of day for from what the industry produces, and more than a few moments. Finely-dispersed ignore the fact that some of the less gold taken from some very large holes in the Soapbox is open to contributions articulate may rely on those products for ground is then hidden away in pure form in from all Fellows. You can always sheer survival. Moreover, as industry other, much smaller, ones. It hardly seems a write a letter to the Editor, of spokespeople never tire of pointing out, sensible use of resources. course: but perhaps you feel you even the largest companies are constrained Gold is amazing. It is fantastically ductile need more space? as to where they can put their mines. and malleable, and a very, very good They must be in the places where the conductor of electricity. Those properties If you can write it entertainingly in minerals exist. account for its ‘useful’ uses, mainly in 500 words, the Editor would like And yet, and yet …. there are minerals electronics. It would be hard to find to hear from you. Email your piece, and minerals. And there is gold. alternatives for many of these, but dedicated and a self-portrait, to gold mines may not be needed. In 2015 a single [email protected]. Macho copper mine, the Grasberg (which, like many Copy can only be accepted There can be few industries where so much copper mines, is also a gold producer) electronically. No diagrams, tables effort is expended for so little product. Ore provided the equivalent of a tenth of the global or other illustrations please. grades are typically measured in parts per ‘industrial’ demand. The case for creating million (grams per tonne). To get at these mines for gold and gold alone can be made Pictures should be of print miniscule traces, forests are stripped, vast only in terms of ‘cultural’ rather than essential quality – please take photographs pits are blasted into the ground beneath and uses. Can we afford this on a shrinking planet, on the largest setting on your enormous vehicles transport broken rocks or do our cultures need to change? camera, with a plain background. to gigantic crushers where they are pounded into dust. The gold is then Precedence will always be given to extracted by processes that may involve more topical contributions. poisons such as mercury or cyanide. The Any one contributor may not worthless muddy remainders end up in appear more often than once per sterile tailing dams where they must be volume (once every 12 months). confined for centuries, or for ever, because of what they originally contained or what has been added during processing. This is ~ not an industry for the faint-hearted. The life of a gold miner is a tough one, and only the toughest survive. It is all very macho. Which contrasts dramatically with the THERE CAN fate of the end products. Jewellers in BE FEW INDUSTRIES Singapore cheerfully claim that half of the gold produced each year ends up around WHERE SO MUCH the necks, arms and ankles of the EFFORT IS EXPENDED womenfolk of Asia. They are, of course, exaggerating. In 2016 world gold demand FOR SO LITTLE was 4337 tonnes; jewellery accounted for PRODUCT only 47% of that total, and not all of it was worn in Asia (or by women). An *Dr John Milsom writes from Gladestry, DR JOHN MILSON Herefordshire. E: [email protected] ~ exaggeration, then; but not a monstrous one.

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 09 FALLING SKYE

Image: Yerko Espinoza/shutterstock.com

ecent fieldwork* on the Isle of Ignimbrite eyes Simon Drake* Skye has led to the discovery The story began in 2011 during PhD of the extraterrestrially fieldwork when I was trying to identify and Andy Beard derived mineral vanadium- silicic ignimbrites on Skye and from there on the recent R rich Osbornite (TiVN) within to map and log these deposits. a one-metre thick layer at two separate The idea was then to correlate the sites seven kilometres apart. logs and determine the nature and discovery of How had this layer been deposited? characteristics of eruptions. From there, One site was right under the earliest I wanted to establish precisely where Paleocene impact Paleocene basalts on the Island; could there silicic volcanics fitted into Skye’s ejecta on the Isle have been a meteorite impact before the first volcanological evolution. volcanic activity on Skye? Did the meteorite I first needed to check the earliest of Skye cause the volcanism? Where did this layer fit volcanic rocks on the Island, and began into a short lived (60-55Ma) volcanic episode mapping with ‘ignimbrite’ eyes on. on Skye? During this fieldwork, I decided to target To date, this mineral had only been the lavas on the Strathaird Peninsula near reported as dust collected from the Torrin and look right at the base. My wake of the Wild II comet trail during colleague Andy Beard and I traversed the 2006 NASA Stardust mission. It had some very awkward ground and located never been reported on Earth before, a 1m-thick layer of extremely strange- and therefore could prove an extremely looking rock beneath these lavas. The important and interesting find. rock was buff-coloured and had a streaky

10 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 11 COULD THERE HAVE BEEN A METEORITE IMPACT BEFORE THE FIRST VOLCANIC ACTIVITY ON SKYE? DID THE METEORITE CAUSE THE VOLCANISM? WHERE DID THIS LAYER FIT INTO A SHORT LIVED (60-55MA) VOLCANIC EPISODE ON SKYE?

The tertiary volcanic complex of Skye, cut by swarms of vertical dykes, hides yet another geological marvel

fabric, akin to a welded ignimbrite. this outcrop comprises two units, meteorite, and Adrian’s enthusiasm for I’ll refer to it as a meteoritic ejecta which resemble a pyroclastic deposit: a the potential of a new impact site was deposit (Site 1). lower, light-coloured friable unit, full of infectious. It was then that I decided The layer is housed in a pronounced, vesicles, grades up into another unit that to reinvestigate our samples. Probe recessed notch at the base of the An looks like a conglomerate and contains work followed in the coming months, Carnach lava pile on the Strathaird basaltic clasts. I’ll refer to both units as and a host of exotic minerals emerged Peninsula. A later sill has chilled between meteoritic ejecta deposit (Site 2). from both sites, some of which were not the lowermost part of the meteoritic At that stage, we had no idea of the known on Earth. deposit in the notch and the uppermost true nature of the rocks at both sites We now had two strange sites Mid-Jurassic sedimentary rocks. By but we did know that both were highly that seemed to contradict previous stripping the sill out of the stratigraphy unusual and undocumented. Indeed, Site stratigraphical and accepted context. it became clear that the ejecta deposit 2 was out of published stratigraphical At Site 1, potassium-rich, bentonised layer was initially lying on top of Mid- context due to the presence of the basalt ash, lying below the earliest basalts, Jurassic sedimentary rocks. clast. It could not therefore be Triassic as suggested that the first volcanic Fieldwork continued during the previously thought. outpourings on Skye were silicic and not summer of the following year and I basaltic as formerly thought. At Site 2, a found a very interesting outcrop seven Unearthly viva Paleocene-aged conglomerate was found kilometres away, south of Broadford, My PhD viva in March 2015 resulted in on top of rocks of Cambrian-Ordovician near the Neolithic burial site known an interesting discussion with one of age - a contact unknown on Skye. as Chambered Cairn. Rocks here were the examiners, Dr Adrian Jones from We decided to reinvestigate the designated (on the 1900 Survey map) University College London. We debated samples from Sites 1 and 2 and used as Triassic conglomerate. However whether Skye could have been hit by a three analytical methods. ▼

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 11 We couldn’t get ▼ First, thin-sections from both sites were ashore easily made to determine whether any shock when looking for features could be determined from either more impact sites marginal to the site under both polarising microscope Cuillin so hired and electron microprobe. Second, zircons the assistance were extracted from samples at both sites of a high-speed RIB. However, with a view to dating using the U-Pb we still ended system. Could we date or provide a time up having to be bracket when impact occurred? rowed ashore due Third, we employed a method whereby to tide conditions and hidden samples were carefully ground down obstructions in a hand crusher, sieved, and then exposed to a strong Rare Earth Element magnet to extract any metallic minerals present. This process is laborious, but minimises the chance of cross contamination that may occur in larger crushers. The separated fractions were mounted on slides as polished grain mounts for analysis on an electron The authors microprobe. Minerals with a higher total examining the atomic weight relative to their silicate nature of Site 2: lower unit road cut counterparts appear bright white on an on B8083 south of electron microprobe using the backscatter Broadford on the image, whereas silicates generally appear Isle of Skye. The Cambo-Ordovician darker grey to black. By this method, peak of Beinn metals can be found and analysed for Suirdal lies beyond interesting inclusions. So the rule is ‘white = weird’! Importantly, by this method we hoped to find parts of the relict meteorite itself. Shocked quartz Under the polarising microscope, samples from both sites showed evidence of terrestrial quartz being instantaneously shocked. Planar parallel deformation fractures within quartz occurred commonly. These features are quite easy to spot under high magnification. Paleocene aged They stick out, since of course quartz lower meteoritic has no cleavage. We also noticed the ejecta layer deposit plastered presence of diaplectic quartz glass, which on top of Cambro- was produced instantaneously upon Ordovician impact. Here, the criss-cross effect of dolostone (grey) near Site 2. Note pseudo-cleavage was produced without the vesicular melting of the quartz, by a solid-state nature of the buff transformation, which is known to occur coloured ejecta at pressures of at least 35GPa. deposit (above finger). Very little The presence of shocked quartz alone of this deposit is not compelling evidence of impact. is preserved Controversy surrounds the reporting of around the road cut, presumably shocked quartz in impact-related studies. because of erosion We could already hear the counter and glaciation arguments: ‘They’re scratches made during the slide-making process’ or ‘the intersection angles are not convincing’. However, zircons were showing interesting features - which was far more heartening. At extreme shock pressures of 30GPa, near Earth’s surface, zircon

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 13 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

can in part retain the same chemistry but who first proved the meteoritic origin of have a different crystal structure. It can the Meteor (Barringer) Crater in Arizona, instantaneously transform to its high where the mineral was first found. pressure counterpart, reidite. To show At both Skye sites, rare, microscopic how extreme this near-surface pressure spherules of native iron are evident really is, inclusions in diamonds form within the rock matrix. The native iron over time as quartz changes to coesite cores of the spherules are surrounded by at depths ≥100km, and at pressures of iron-rich silicate glass. The shape, texture 2-3Gpa. The presence of reidite provided and chemistry of these spherules strongly strong evidence that we were on the suggest that they were formed very right track and that it was increasingly rapidly in conditions of very low oxygen likely that a meteorite had fallen on Skye; fugacity. Such conditions can occur on but more evidence was necessary for a Earth and iron-cored spherules are found watertight case. within some ignimbrites. However, it is Site 2 upper formerly mapped as Triassic Returning to the electron microprobe, difficult to convincingly ascribe native Conglomerate. Note basaltic lithic lapilli close to coin at 3 and 6 o’clock we examined the irons to try and find iron cores to a terrestrial process. ▼ part of the meteorite itself. Native iron fragments were sporadically present in samples from both sites and contained rare vanadium rich osbornite (TiVN) in close association with barringerite (Fe,Ni)2P inclusions. Native iron (also known as telluric iron) is extremely rare on Earth and only found in its metallic form, rather than as an ore. The only documented telluric iron deposit is in Greenland, at Disko Island, which itself is near a meteorite impact site. So what was native iron doing on Skye with TiVN inside it? Solar nebula This mineral is a refractory one, formed The recess housing the meteoritic ejecta layer at Site 1 above a later at temperatures in excess of 3000°C. It is sill (white lichen, vertical cooling joints). Astonishing that this layer had not been spotted in the past. Perhaps the ground was so bad believed to have been produced within that nobody thought it was worth investigation the inner solar nebula close to the proto-sun, and then, transported outwards where it was accreted onto a growing planetary body. Interestingly, within our samples we a found niobium- rich osbornite (TiNbN) - the first recorded example of this mineral. The osbornite was to prove extremely important since it formed part of the meteorite itself. Large meteorites usually vaporise upon impact with Earth and therefore only Earth rocks show evidence of impact. To find a meteorite impact deposit site with part of the impactor itself present is highly unusual and has only previously been reported from the Chicxulub crater in Mexico. While the presence of TiVN provides compelling evidence of extra-terrestrial derivation, we also found barringerite in samples from both sites. This mineral has been found on Earth in phosphide and Cu-Ni sulphide deposits. Neither of these types of deposit is found on Skye. Andy scrapes back the lithology underneath the lowermost basalts at a third Barringerite was named after Daniel suspected impact site marginal to the Cuillins. We are continuing to research this layer. Chemically, it is very similar to the layer at Site 1 and 2 Barringer (1860-1929) the mining engineer

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 13 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

▼ Moreover, the iron spherules we have that melted into the base of ancient method. The date of this basalt found in the Skye deposits are extremely continental crust. This event was short- clast locked in the earliest date similar, texturally and chemically, to lived (between 60-55Ma). So where did that a meteorite impact could have those found in the Wabar Meteorite an impact fit in the picture? We needed taken place. Crater (Saudi Arabia). Also, the to try and date the impact. But the existence of the basalt within minerals baddeleyite and alabandite are Zircons from Site 1 were dated and the deposit showed that some igneous present within the matrix at both Skye clustered around the Archean and activity must have been going on before sites. Although not exclusively extra- Proterozoic. Rocks of these ages on the impact event. It is possible that terrestrial, baddeleyite has been reported Skye at the time of impact would this basalt could be part of a lava, or be from achondrite meteorites. Such have been Lewisian Gneiss and the fine-grained margin of a shallow meteorites resemble terrestrial basalts. Torridonian sandstone. The impact intrusive. There is no way of knowing. Alabandite has also been found in the would have scavenged these rocks out Yet, the presence of basaltic clasts very rare meteorite group the enstatite of the subsurface and incorporated brackets the date of meteorite impact chondrites. their zircons into our impact deposit. between 61.54 ±0.42Ma and 60.00 ±0. Importantly, some of our zircons were 23Ma. Interestingly, the basaltic clast is Conundrum Triassic in age, which meant that one of the oldest igneous rocks known We now had a conundrum - compelling our deposit could not be part of the from the BPIP. mineralogical evidence for meteorite mainland 1.2 Ga Stac Fada meteorite The discovery of the impact layers impact in a layer just beneath the impact event. The lack of Paleocene- suggests that a meteorite might have oldest volcanic rocks on Skye, which aged zircons in our deposits suggested acted as a driver for volcanism on appeared very similar to another layer that there were none available for Skye up to 62 million years ago. The seven kilometres away. We also had a incorporation at the time of impact. meteorite itself must have been highly fragment of the meteorite itself. The find The impact must therefore have taken reduced, because of the presence of was surely going to be controversial. place very early on in Skye’s volcanic osbornite in its different varieties. Skye holds a special place in geologists’ history. We knew that the overlying Taking everything into account the hearts. Much of our knowledge of lavas formed part of the Skye Main most likely candidate for the type of igneous processes comes from Skye and Lava Series and had been dated as meteorite is an enstatite chondrite. the British Paleogene Igneous Province 60.00 ±0.23Ma. The impact must have (BPIP) (from the Inner Hebrides to happened before this date, since Site 1 Future research Northern Ireland). Most workers today was immediately below the base lavas. We need to try and establish the extent accept volcanism on Skye and the We had the basaltic clast from Site 2 of these impact deposits within the BPIP was initiated by a mantle plume dated at 61.54 ±0.42Ma using the Ar-Ar BPIP. We have located three new Skye

Backscatter electron microprobe image of Vanadium rich Site 1 of the meteoritic ejecta deposit at the base of the osbornite (TiVN) in close association with barringerite. Prior lowest basalt flows above the white house on the far to the Paleocene Skye meteorite strike, TiVN had only been shores of Loch Slapin. To get to it involved traversing recovered as dust from the Wild II comet by NASA in 2006 over a forest that had been cut down on very boggy ground. Note Blaven in the background GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

sites including a site adjacent to Loch in Scandanavia, Greenland and Canada Skavaig in the Cuillin Centre. This is within the NAIP. This means that any THIS WORK HAS quite a difficult site to reach and only surviving crater could theoretically ATTRACTED A LOT OF accessible by boat. be located in several places within the We need to investigate whether Northern Hemisphere. At present we INTEREST ON SKYE, AS WELL the Skye meteorite ejecta deposits don’t know if a crater exists for the AS WITHIN THE SCIENTIFIC were deposited in a similar manner Skye impact event or, where it is. COMMUNITY AND THE MEDIA. to terrestrial ignimbrites. The flow This work has attracted a lot of WE ARE PLANNING TO GIVE A mechanics of terrestrial ignimbrites interest on Skye, as well as within the are highly complex, since high- scientific community and the media. PUBLIC LECTURE ON THE ISLE concentration currents entraining We are planning to give a public IN MARCH THIS YEAR large components frequently erode lecture on the Isle in March this year into the dusty layers they have (and will donate all proceeds to the previously deposited. Similarly, Skye Mountain Rescue). I am really *Simon Drake gratefully acknowledges funding hot ash and pumice can ascend and looking forward to giving something from the Geological Society of London, Annie shoot off from the main current in a back to the place that has enthused me Greenly mapping fund which assisted greatly in ‘decoupling’ event. What this means so much for volcanism (and given me this study. Birkbeck College, University of London. is that ignimbrites, and probably so many midge bites!). Indeed, the Isle meteorite ejecta deposits, do not of Skye holds a special place in my life commonly show a true vertical since I got married on the side of the FURTHER READING sequence of the whole eruption or Eastern Red Hills during my 2010 M ChI, H A Ishii, S B Simon, J P Bradley, Z Dai, impact record. It can therefore be fieldwork season. D Joswiak, N D Browning and G Matrajt 2009. very difficult to determine whether The late doyen of Hebridean geology, The origin of refractory minerals in comet 81P/ deposits are proximal or Henry Emeleus, spoke to me during WILD 2: 221, Geochimica et Cosmochimica distal to an impact site if a crater is my PhD fieldwork about the region Acta, v. 73, p. 7150–7161. not present. where we found site 2. He said “That S M Drake, A D Beard, A P Jones., D J Brown, We will do a lot more exploration corner is mapped wrongly. If you A D Fortes, I L Millar, A Carter, J Baca and H for this impact deposit, ideally further sort it out, you’ll have a much better Downes 2017. Discovery of a meteoritic ejecta afield in the wider North Atlantic picture of the geology around here.”. layer containing unmelted impactor fragments Igneous Province (NAIP). The zircon Tragically, he died before we published at the base of Paleocene lavas, Isle of Skye, Scotland. Geology, gold open access age clusters we have from both sites of our paper so never realised how https://doi.org/10.1130/G39452.1 Skye marry up well with zircon ages prophetic his words really were. ◆

A zircon grain displaying planar fractures from Site 1. This grain has also in part been converted to zircon’s high pressure polymorph reidite. The presence of reidite provides compelling evidence of instantaneous extreme pressure (≥ 30 GPa) shocking BUFFON THE GEOLOGIST

Oil painting of Comte de Buffon, by François-Hubert Drouais - Musée Buffon, Montbard WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 17 Jan Zalasiewicz and friends* uncover an under-reported aspect of the great French biologist

eorges-Louis Leclerc, Comte planet as an interconnected whole from de Buffon, was in many ways beginning to end, with vignettes of emphatically a man of France’s minute detail deduced from rock and ancien régime. Born into solid fossil evidence. Its place in the history of G bourgeoisie, he inherited a geology has been somewhat overlooked title and a castle as a young man. He was outside the French-speaking world, not no pampered and idle aristocrat, though. least because,only fragments of the book Through a combination of talent and have ever been translated into English – lifelong, sustained hard graft, he came to a 240-year long omission that we have be placed by Louis XV in charge of both just remedied. the Jardin du Roi and the Cabinet du Roi (that were to become the Botanical Classical Gardens and Natural History Museum It is an Earth history deduced in a of Paris). scientific context that is now alien to Buffon showed good timing in death us. For instance, the classical elements as in life, avoiding a likely appointment of Earth, air, fire and water had not with Madame Guillotine by dying yet been replaced by such as oxygen, peacefully in 1788, the year before the hydrogen, silicon. And Buffon was French Revolution (his son was not so not a global traveller in the mould of lucky). Known in his time as a savant of Humboldt or Darwin; his own travels the Enlightenment to rival Voltaire and were mainly restricted to the annual Diderot, his reputation today mainly rests migration between Paris and his chateau on his explorations of biology. But it is less at Montbard. Nevertheless he was a sharp widely known is that he was an inspired observer of his own terrain, a voracious and ground-breaking geologist too. reader and diligent correspondent. For him, that was enough – the mind, he said, Odyssey was the best crucible. Buffon built his reputation upon a Buffon’s Earth of Les Époques was finite: lifelong scientific odyssey - a 36-volume it had a beginning, and will have an end, exploration of the natural world, his determined by the cooling of the Earth Histoire Naturelle. This work combined from a molten ball torn from the Sun, to pioneering biological thinking with an ultimate death by freezing sometime beautiful, evocative prose, provoking in the future. He calculated a span to jealousy among his peers but building an the present day experimentally, from audience that reached far beyond them. the cooling of iron spheres taken from The style was no mere artifice – Buffon a furnace, and published an age of the saw elegance of exposition and clarity of Earth of 75,000 years. In Les Époques he thinking as two sides of the same coin. alluded to this figure being unreasonably Buffon was deeply interested in the brief from the evidence of rock strata – mysteries of the living world; but those and his notebooks show that privately he interests extended more widely, to thought three million years may be encompass our planet as a whole. Some nearer the mark. volumes of the Histoire Naturelle focused But 75,000 years was still a figure that on minerals as well as living organisms, shattered the Biblical timescale, and so he and late in his life, in 1778, he penned carefully constructed a ‘First Discourse’ a slim volume entitled Les Époques de la to his book, arguing that his own ideas, Nature (The Epochs of Nature). In this being ‘purely theoretical’, could not book he provided what is arguably the possibly harm the eternal verities of the first scientific, evidence-based history of Bible. Despite some grumbling among the Earth, from beginning to end. the clerics, the ploy mostly worked, and It is a remarkable work, combining with that deft piece of diplomacy out of large-scale scientific synthesis in vividly the way, Buffon simply got on with

telling the grand-scale story of our the science. ▼

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 17 Epochs His Earth history comprised seven epochs, the first representing a molten, spinning, cooling globe, and the last when humans appeared on the planet. In between, oceans appeared from the condensation of water vapour, primary crystalline rocks were eroded and weathered to form sedimentary rocks, volcanoes erupted, life appeared and went through different forms as the Earth cooled, and the continents took on their present-day shapes. Buffon’s Earth had to be internally consistent and logical, even if he was working on a tiny – and sometimes misleading – evidence base. He posited a long-term fall in sea level to explain marine strata on land, with ocean water tumbling onto subterranean caverns left over from the solidifying Earth. Noting that active volcanoes were common near coastlines, he powered them by exothermic reactions between the inrushing seawater and buried minerals such as pyrite. Refreshingly, he presented these ideas not as incontrovertible fact, but essentially as hypotheses, for future generations of scholars to examine. His examination of smaller-scale evidence showed that he was developing the reflexes of a field geologist. In the countryside around his Montbard estate, he deduced the three-dimensional arrangement of limestone and shale units. The limestones, he said, were the amassed remains of countless generations of shellfish, while the mudstones he saw as the weathered and decayed products of the Earth’s original crystalline rocks. He observed the fossils that the rocks contained, such as ‘horns of Ammon’ Anne-Sophie Milon, Second Epoch, When matter, being (ammonites) and belemnites, and said that consolidated, formed the interior these represented kinds of animals that rock of the globe and the great were no longer alive on Earth. He thus vitrescible masses that lie on the surface in effect put forward the phenomenon of biological extinctions, a generation – and a political revolution – before Baron Cuvier, science of palaeontology. Though the Doyle or a Jules Verne. A fellow savant, the man more generally associated with science was yet to be established, it did Jean-Etienne Guettard, complained that it establishing this concept in geology. not stop him making deductions from first was an adventure story to be ‘devoured by Buffon worried away at this concept, principles. Coal seams, he proposed, were the maidservant and amuse lackeys’ – but noting that the shallow sediments above the compressed and carbonized remains it was admired by Catherine the Great of the ancient rock strata contained the of prehistoric swamp forests – and, in an Russia too, which pleased Buffon greatly. remains of elephants and hippotamuses inspired piece of palaeoenvironmental It is worth reading today, still, as one of the – while from north America he detailed reconstruction, he made an overt earliest and most impressive explorations reports of bones of an animal with comparison with descriptions of the extant of a vanished world. elephant-like tusks and huge teeth more forests of Guyana (he had never been And, in Buffon’s description of the like those of a hippo. It was a more recently there, but provided a vivid and emerging world – his seventh epoch vanished giant, he said, of the beast that we atmospheric reconstruction based on when humans appeared, with their would come to know as the mastodon. travellers’ accounts). powers ‘assisting’ the forces of nature Les Époques was one of Buffon’s most – we have one of the first premonitions Palaeontology widely read books in his lifetime – of the Anthropocene. Buffon, in true Buffon proposed that such petrifactions blessedly briefer than the erudite but Enlightenment spirit, was an optimist and should be studied and classified just as enormous Histoire Naturelle, written with looked here towards a more peaceful and people were beginning to classify living scientific imagination and clarity, and productive world. organisms – and so foreshadowed the with something of the verve of a Conan Time, in this respect, will tell. ◆

18 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 19 REFERENCE

Buffon, Comte de, 2018. The Epochs of Nature. (Translated and compiled by Zalasiewicz, J, Milon, A-S & Zalasiewicz, M, with an Introduction by Zalasiewicz, J, Sörlin, S, Robin, L & Grinevald, J) Chicago University Press. Including original illustrations by Anne-Sophie Milon, reproduced here by kind permission of Chicago University Press.

*Jan Zalasiewicz, Anne-Sophie Milon and Mateusz Zalasiewicz. E: [email protected]

IN 1778, HE PENNED A SLIM VOLUME ENTITLED LES ÉPOQUES DE LA NATURE. IN THIS HE PROVIDED ARGUABLY THE FIRST SCIENTIFIC, EVIDENCE-BASED HISTORY OF THE EARTH, FROM BEGINNING TO END

Anne-Sophie Milon, Fifth Epoch, When the elephants and the other animals of the south lived in the north

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A fantastic journey from the Keep your notes safe even in the summits of Norway’s spectacular rain rugged and weather-beaten A selection of Rite in the Rain mountains to the riches notebooks are for sale in our concealed in the sedimentary Online Bookshop - prices start rocks on the continental shelf. from £7 This book displays the treasures Rite in the Rain is a patented, of Norwegian geology for environmentally responsible, all- everyone to see. weather writing paper that sheds water and enables you to write anywhere, in any weather. View more at: Using a pencil, Rite in the Rain ensures that your notes www.geolsoc.org.uk/GNOR survive the rigors of the fi eld, regardless of the conditions.

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Geohazards in but generally not directly useful in of extra-terrestrial processes involves developing and implementing disaster establishing that there are regular cycles, Indonesia risk reduction schemes for emergency as in for example the timing of mass The volume is made managers, utilities or the insurance extinctions. Cyclical activity is a feature of up of 11 papers, industry. If the volume had been renamed the geological record and so one challenge including the it may have had been clearer to the is to distinguish those cycles that imply introduction. With reader as to the usefulness on the papers extra-terrestrial activity. The case for two exceptions, the contained therein. periodicity in mass extinctions and its direct application relationship to astronomical drivers is not of the papers by Reviewed by: Robert Anderson new and remains controversial. emergency managers More broadly there remains some unease is not presented. GEOHAZARDS IN INDONESIA, EARTH SCIENCE in the matching of patterns of different FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION This makes the edited by P R CUMMINS AND I MEILANO. Published by the changes with time, although this seems full title somewhat misleading and the Geological Society of London, ISBN: 978-1-86239-966-2 more acceptable in some disciplines than purpose of the volume inappropriate. In List Price: £90 Fellows Price: £45 others. Cataclysms contains much discussion W: www.geolsoc.org.uk/SP441 addition, the bulk of the papers’ focus of the kinds of physical changes that might is on faulting and seismicity, estimating result from impacts, climate change, anoxia, fatalities, or earthquake early-warning. acid rain, volcanic winters, but less on the This is disappointing since there is a Cataclysms – biological consequences of environmental significant amount of geologic hazard a new geology change on different species, which seems and related risk reduction information to be a key step in the argument. Perhaps in the published literature, including The debate between it has yet to be established that different volcanic hazards, tsunamis, and Catastrophism and impact events are characterized by different landslides. Gradualism has effects on the fossil record that might in There is a brief mention in one paper on swung to and fro for turn characterize the kinds of impacts. the introduction and implementation of an 250 years. It involved The last chapter notes there is evidence Indonesian Tsunami Warning System and many of the fathers for ~30 Myr cycles related to changes in how the warning is carried out to public of geology, not least sea level, tectonics, palaeomagnetism, and officials and emergency managers, even Hutton, Cuvier, discontinuities in sea-floor spreading rates. though locally there have been efforts to Dana and Lyell, This is intriguing given that the periodicity educate said audience and the public as to and it provided a suggested for extinctions is ~26 Myr. Every what to do if a tsunami warning is issued uniformitarian framework for Darwin’s 30 Myr or so the Earth in its cosmic orbit or strong ground shaking occurs at or near ideas in the Origin of Species. It had been is thought to pass through clumps of dark the shoreline. Since the tsunami warning difficult to obtain evidence for extra- matter. Such matter could be a periodic system was first deployed there have been terrestrial activity in the geological source of energy, and Rampino speculates several tsunamis to strike potions of the record, but this changed dramatically that this might be a way for the generation country; however, there is no mention of with the evidence for the impact of 30 Myr cycles on the Earth to reflect how successful the system has been in structure of the Chicxulub Crater in extra-terrestrial activity. alerting government officials including 1990 and its link to the extinction of emergency managers as well as the public. the dinosaurs. Reviewed by: Chris Hawkesworth The same paper discusses the Michael Rampino has long been development of SHAKE MAPS for interested in, and an advocate of, CATACLYSMS – A NEW GEOLOGY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Indonesia. The maps do not use Indonesian extraterrestrial processes in shaping the by MICHAEL RAMPINO. Columbia University Press (2017) specific ground motion prediction history of the Earth. The book is well ISBN 9780231177801 224pp equations. The use of SHAKE MAPS in written and easy to read, and it is personal List Price: (hbk or e-book): £27.95 W: bit.ly/2o3oaN2 Indonesia is briefly discussed without a in that it documents the development demonstrated tie to their use in disaster of his ideas and some of the research he risk reduction or the use by emergency himself undertook. It is engaging, but also managers in mitigation, preparedness verges on the adversarial in setting up Ocean Worlds planning, public education, post- Catastrophism versus Gradualism, when earthquake emergency response or in in the end it concludes that both may have It is hard to imagine recovery operations. been important in creating the geologic that thousands The paper on the development of a record we see today. of years ago, the Bayesian approach to fatalities estimating Overall this book describes a journey as cafe in which I sit does not account for the topography or the author shrugs off what he regards as the was buried under building types of the sites used as a control. shackles of Lyellian Gradualism, accepts hundreds of metres In addition, a concise output is needed for the role of an impact in the mass extinction of ice. With water use by the user. This method appears to at the end of the Cretaceous, and explores locked up in ice need further development before it what other aspects of the geological record on land, sea level is useful. might reflect extra-terrestrial activity. was lower and Overall, I found the volume interesting Much of the discussion of the role global temperatures cooler. This all

22 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 23 FOR A FULL LIST OF TITLES AVAILABLE, GO TO Would you like to receive a free book and write a review? WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/REVIEWS Available titles are listed online, of which a small selection is shown below. Contact the editor for further information [email protected]

occurred well before the invention of Submerged Landscapes source figures from various sources is a the written word so how do we know? lack of consistent presentation. This lack of Subtle compositional changes in rocks, of the European uniformity is also apparent in the writing sediments, and ice hold the key along Continental Shelf style between chapters to some degree. with the talented men and women who However, this does not detract from the decoded them. This volume is general flow of the book. Another minor Ocean Worlds tells not just the story of the product of a comment would be on the absence of a how our oceans came to be and how they European-wide concluding chapter, which would have will evolve, but also the journey of human research collaboration aided the overall understanding of why discovery that allowed us to understand named SPLASHCOS, some archaeological sites are preserved, but these dynamic bodies of water. The ‘Submerged not others. story of Earth’s oceans is fundamentally Prehistoric This is an impressive volume, offering a intertwined with the formation of our solar Archaeology and useful reference to all those working system, a topic covered in great detail in Landscapes of the Continental Shelf’, or interested in the European continental the book together with the heated debate financially supported by the Co-operation shelves. surrounding the origin of Earth’s water. in Science and Technology office in As humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels Brussels. Over 100 researchers from 25 Reviewed by: David Vaughan warms and pollutes the planet ever more, European countries took part, 65 of whom the oceans are undergoing unprecedented are credited with having contributed to SUBMERGED LANDSCAPES OF THE EUROPEAN CONTINENTAL SHELF: QUATERNARY change. Hunger for more protein from the this present volume, which is the first PALAEOENVIRONMENTS seas is irrevocably altering the balance of volume to be published by the initiative. by FLEMMING, N C, HARFF, J, MOURA, D, BURGESS, A, marine ecosystems. But to what end? Is A second volume, ‘Archaeological Data and BAILEY, G N, (eds) 2017. Published by: John Wiley & Sons 533pp (hbk) ISBN: 9781118922132 there a way to prevent disaster? Dipping Interpretations’ is to follow. List Price: £80.00 W: bit.ly/2o7o1Hw into the policy side of climate change the A central objective of the book is to authors make some interesting points here answer the question of why some seafloor in a chapter on Oceans in crisis, while giving prehistoric evidence survives inundation a brief history lesson on human effects on by sea-level rise, when others are destroyed Silver - Nature oceans in the last few hundred years. by wave action and currents. The book and Culture The last two chapters are particularly provides an analysis of general marine and fascinating as the focus shifts away from coastal processes in early chapters, before It has become Earth and to distant shores in both space dedicating the majority of the content to 14 popular over the last and time. As we explore our solar system chapters detailing the regional sea basins of few years for authors with increasingly advanced probes and Europe, summarising their geomorphology, to highlight a landers it has become apparent that oceans oceanography, and examples of known mineral commodity, exist on some of our neighbours, the archaeological sites. and marry science moons of Saturn and Jupiter being obvious These chapters do an excellent job and cultural examples. The debate about water and an of summarising a vast amount of data, history behind ancient ocean on Mars comes with the originating from multiple disciplines. it. Silver has been tantalising possibility of alien life and how Although the exact content of each a useful element since early history; to find it. With increasingly sophisticated chapter varies, typically they adopt the coins, medicine, photographs, teeth, space telescopes we are now able to look following format. swimming pools, ceramics, socks, beyond our own solar system to discover First, the Quaternary geology of each bandages, homeopathic medicine, oceans on truly alien worlds. region is described in detail, aided by a utensils, dining ware, sporting trophies, This book crams a lot of information into considerable number of maps and profiles jewellery, cars, planes, space vehicles, its 265 pages, all well referenced with notes of sea-level change. Next, the effect of electronics, computers and phones are at the back. From pirates to exoplanets climatic conditions on human migration is just some of the use of this malleable and penis-worms to space probes this is considered. This is followed by a summary metal. It was silver that drove the truly the story of water, life, and discovery. of submerged terrestrial landforms which development of South America and the A must-read for those with a hunger for may be associated with archaeological sites. establishment of trade routes from Spain general knowledge, or any interest in For example, within the North Sea to China, including the settlement of the the topic. Everyone will certainly find chapter, this largely focuses upon the Philippines and Macau by the Spanish. something new to explore further in this complex environment of the Dogger Bank. Although gold initially drove the fascinating and accessibly written book. Finally, an assessment of the archaeological development mining camps throughout potential of each basin is given; this is the south-west USA, it was silver that Reviewed by: Jonathan Scafidi based upon environmental factors and the built the cities and towns of Nevada, the distribution of known sites. Rockies and Mexico. OCEAN WORLDS: THE STORY OF SEAS ON EARTH The volume is impressively well- This book seeks to explain the history AND OTHER PLANETS by JAN ZALASIEWICZ & MARK WILLIAMS, 2017. referenced and up-to-date throughout. behind the metal, and in this respect Published by: Oxford University Press 294pp (pbk) ISBN: Data examples are largely extracted from it succeeds. However, it also has its 9780199672899 existing articles, and complement the text limitations. For me the largest area of List Price: £11.99 W: bit.ly/2o48OrD well. The only negative of the need to contention is the limited geological ▼

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 23 FOR A FULL LIST OF TITLES AVAILABLE, GO TO [WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/REVIEWS] BOOKS & ARTS

▼ content. When I think of great silver tone images reveal nothing at all. BOOKS FOR REVIEW mining camps I think of Comstock, URLs quoted in the figure captions Rochester, Tonopah, Butte and Creede provide only error messages. An Please contact [email protected] if you would in the USA; Fresnillo and Zacatecas in e-book version is available, which like to supply a review. You will be invited to keep the Mexico; Potosi in Bolivia; Cobalt, Ontario; presumably does have the colour review copy. See a full up-to-date list at Kongsberg in Norway; Erzebirge in illustrations. www.geolsoc.org.uk/reviews central Europe and Lauiron in Greece. The Drylands and Desertification ◆ NEW! Anthropocene - a very short introduction Needless to say when Alva, a small but chapter is relatively short (19pp) 2018 by Erle C Ellis 2018. Oxford University largely irrelevant occurrence in Scotland and focuses on vegetation and Press.181pp, sbk is afforded more space than many of environmental issues rather than ◆ NEW! Rock, Bone & Ruin - an optimist’s guide these ‘world-class’ deposits, then there is geomorphology. The chapter on Earth to the historical sciences 2018 by Adrian Currie a problem. Creede is not even mentioned, surface motion and geomorphic processes 2018. MIT Press 372pp hbk ◆  and Cobalt only in passing. is limited to optical image correlation NEW! Adam Sedgwick - Geologist & Dalesman 2018 by Colin Speakman 145pp, sbk. Gritstone Despite my disappointment over techniques and has been abstracted Writers/YGS. First pub’d 1982; reissued with new this aspect, the history and cultural from reports on the EC-FP7 Safelands; Introduction importance of silver is covered in Living with landslide risk in Europe. It ◆ NEW! Exploration of Subsurface Antarctica 2018 admirable detail. The book is well gives a good summary of the physics by Siegert M A, Jamieson S S R, & White DA (Eds). illustrated with excellent maps, behind optical image correlation but GSL SP461. 256pp (hbk) historical images and photographs. The the application examples are quite ◆ NEW! Circum-Arctic Lithosphere Evolution 2018 by Pease V & Coakley B (eds) GSL SP460. 476pp (hbk) bibliography is limited and focused on limited and sadly no comparison ◆ NEW! Subseismic-scale Reservoir Deformation the main aspects of the book. is made with interferometric radar 2018 by Ashton M, Dee S J & Wennberg O P, (eds) This is an enjoyable light read and is techniques which probably show GSL SP459. 216pp (hbk) recommended to anyone with a passing more promise in this area. ◆ Conservation paleobiology - science and practice interest in this most versatile of metals. The chapter on monitoring the by Gregory Dietl & Karl Flessa (eds) 2017 University of environmental impacts from mining Chicago Press316pp sbk Reviewed by: Rob Bowell is also restricted to optical remote ◆ Lakes - a very short introduction by Warwick F Vincent. 2017 Oxford University Press sensing, but undoubtedly is of value 146pp sbk SILVER: NATURE AND CULTURE since it contains good case-studies ◆ by LINDSAY SHEN 2017 Reaktion Books. Tectonic Evolution of the Eastern Black Sea and ISBN 9781780237565 within a relatively under-documented Caucasus by Sosson et al., GSPH Special publication List Price: £14.95 topic. The chapter on the contribution #428 368pp hbk W: bit.ly/2EwLF7c of SAR data to volcanology and ◆ Crustal Evolution of Idia and Antarctica: The subsidence studies does contain a Supercontinent Connection by Pant & Dasgupta, good and concise summary of the GSPH/SCAR Special Publication #457 359pp hbk ◆ Geological Evolution of the Central Asian Basins theory behind interferometric radar, Land Surface and the Western Tien Shan Range by Brunet et al., and although the actual application GSPH Special Publication #427 605pp hbk Remote Sensing examples are rather limited, there ◆ Subterranean Norwich – the grain of the city is an extensive and comprehensive by Matthew Williams. Lasse Press 160pp sbk This book is the bibliography. ◆ Geochemistry and Geophysics of Active Volcanic sixth volume The editors stress the value of a Lakes by Ohba et al. GSL Publishing SP#437 295pp, hbk in a set which holistic cross-disciplinary approach ◆ Chesapeake perspectives - decoding the deep aims to provide to the subject but this reviewer feels sediments: Ecological History of Chesapeake Bay postgraduate-level geologists will find the cover-price too by Grace Brush. 2017 Maryland Sea Grant 63pp sbk information on high relative to the specific content ◆ Tectonics of the Deccan Large Igneous Province the physics and and be interested only in the directly by Mukherjee et al. (Eds), 2017. Geol Soc Spec applications of relevant chapters. With the plethora Pub #445 363pp, hbk ◆ remote sensing. of new Earth-observation satellites Petroleum Geoscience of the West Africa Margin. Geol Soc Spec. pub. #438, 2017 by Sabato Ceraldi Out of nine chapters, only four (119 currently being launched, there may et al (eds) pages of 337) cover areas of specific be more postgraduate students from ◆ Waves, Particles and Storms in Geospace by geological interest. The other other disciplines seeking better broad Balasis et al. 2016 Oxford University Press chapters cover deforestation, wildfires, knowledge of remote sensing for 448pp hbk industrial plumes, locust management whom this book would provide an ◆ Lake Pavin - history, geology, biogeochemistry and epidemiology. This will therefore appropriate introduction. and sedimentology of a deep meromictic maar be a volume primarily for library lake by Sime-Ngando et al., (Eds) 2016 Springer. Reviewed by: Nigel Press 421pp, hbk or online/digital consultation by ◆ Lake Bonneville - a scientific update edited geologists. by Oviatt and Shroder 2016 Elsevier, 659pp hbk Digital consultation would also LAND SURFACE REMOTE SENSING: ◆ Subsurface Flow and Imaging be important since the printed book ENVIRONMENT AND RISKS by Donald Wyman Vasco and Akhil Datta-Gupta 2016 reviewed here is in a relatively small by NICOLAS BAGHDADI & MEHREZ ZRIBI (eds), 2016. Cambridge UP., 354pp, hbk Published by: ISTE Press 337pp (hdbk) ISBN 978-1- ◆ Source to Sink Fluxes in undisturbed Cold format and the important illustrations 78548-105-5 Environments by Beylich et al., (eds) 2016 are mostly far too small and sadly List Price: £104.00 Cambridge UP., 4-8pp, hbk exclusively in B&W; many of the grey- W: www.iste.co.uk

24 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 25 Geoscientist welcomes readers’ letters. These are published as promptly as possible in Geoscientist Online and a selection FOR A FULL LIST OF TITLES AVAILABLE, GO TO READERS’ printed each month. Please submit your letter (300 words or WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/REVIEWS fewer, by email only please) to [email protected]. LETTERS Letters will be edited. For references cited in these letters, please see the full versions at www.geolsoc.org.uk/letters Online CPD reporting

Sir, I can get no answer as to why we no longer have a system for recording our CPD online, more than two years after the technical issues that took the system offline. We now have, effectively, a paper system - with guidance documents that cannot be accessed through the website! I used to explain smugly to members of other professional bodies how simple and useful the SOciety’s CPD system was; but the situation is now so embarrassing that no-one in Burlington House seems willing to acknowledge my emails on the subject! CPD records are vital for professional geologists and a key function of the Society; I would appreciate a proper explanation of this debacle.

CHRIS MILNE

JONATHAN SILK REPLIES: We had to suspend the original online CPD system back in 2016 due to a serious risk in the way it handled data. It was based on old and unsupported technology that the Society had been planning to replace for some time. Unfortunately, the timing of the old system’s failure did not coincide with that of bringing on-stream its replacement, which is part of the complete overhaul of the Fellowship IT system that we have been engaged in since late 2015. The good news is that we are almost there and that before the end of June this year we will be rolling out the new system including online CPD recording as well as other features. Apologies that this has taken some time but we felt that it was important to get the new system right before announcing its arrival. More to follow – but you read it here first…

Protecting our data? Scientific English

Sir, Most of us are aware of the need for data protection. However, I accept that Sir, I fully endorse John Cope’s Soapbox (Geoscientist 28.01, few are as quite as concerned as I; perhaps most rely on things like the Data February) but would go further. In some cases the standard of Protection Act of 1998, due to be tightened up very shortly with the introduction English is such as to undermine the integrity and comprehensibility of European legislation under GDPR. The Geological Society has a legal duty of the paper. English is an international scientific language, and yet to protect our data: things like your address and e-mail will not be given to third is almost everywhere garbled. The British are not blameless either parties unless you have signed up for access to the Society’s partner libraries and as their glib usage of idiom frequently flummoxes foreigners. publishers. But there is a difference between ‘good’ (let alone ‘competent’) and We must accept that English does not belong to the British ‘best practice’. or Americans. Solving the problem is the hard bit. Clear, precise I was saddened that for some events the Society uses a third-party organisation abstracts in major languages would help. So would simplified to manage bookings. One must register with a third party account, and what English. Scholars often write in overlong, complex sentences and really worried me was the third party’s ‘privacy’ or, more accurately, ‘data the text becomes blurred by native grammatical structures. dissemination’ policy. Perhaps international bodies could be set up and manuals

Past a few beguiling paragraphs (‘we will never sell your details to other parties’) on scientific English produced. GEOSCIENTIST SOAPBOX you hit the worrying stuff. They will freely share your data with their business Study groups, formal or informal, What’s happening to Peer Review? partners (which, of course, is not selling). So is the Society employing a third in universities might also help. We all rely upon peer review to get published in respectable scientific journals, but is it working? John Cope* has his doubts

ver my 50+ years’ experience, not be a good editor. Elementary spelling my publications have ranged mistakes are becoming legion and a lack of from one-page discussions to party, online event manager undertaking ‘competent’, ‘good’ or ‘best’ data We can’t just sit back and say ‘it basic training in nomenclature is beginning palaeontological monographs, SOAPBOX to haunt palaeontological literature. books and book chapters. In O Thus a paper published in one of the general I have been well satisfied by my treatment at the hands of referees and editors. world’s most prestigious palaeontological CALLING! journals quotes ‘septae’ as the plural of ‘septum’; another lacks the obligatory Through the mill Soapbox is open to contributions protection practice? will sort itself out’, as scientists Recently I have had two contrasting commas between an author’s name and the from all Fellows. You can always date of publication of the species, while a publications through the refereeing mill. The write a letter to the Editor, of colleague has told me of a paper in which a first, some 40,000 words long, was published course: but perhaps you feel you new species has nine holotypes! with one referee’s report, after a long fruitless need more space? search to find another willing or able to do Vetting it. Obviously, I thought, the length is off- If you can write it entertainingly in Certainly it is not ‘best’; however, it is better than ‘competent’ as, having mix more. The situation could putting. However, the second publication If the peer review system is to survive as a 500 words well-functioning way of vetting manuscripts , the Editor would like (<2500 words) still took two months to find to hear from you. Email your piece, for publication, it is essential that mainstream a second reviewer - the editor informing me and a self-portrait, to active research workers commit some of their that he had met with at least eight refusals. [email protected]. time to reviewing. But it may need some Former colleagues have said that they now Copy can only be accepted official system of recognition of the effort always reject requests to referee a paper, electronically. No diagrams, tables they put into this to persuade them to change contacted the Society, they quickly registered me for an event without sharing my become entrenched and worsen, citing ‘pressure of work’. As is well known, or other illustrations please. a handful of ‘Prima Donna’ workers have their minds from their present increasingly obdurate stance. always taken this attitude; but now it seems Pictures should be of print this is becoming the norm. If mainstream quality – please take photographs researchers are no longer potential referees, on the largest setting on your then reviewers are likely to be retirees (who camera, with a plain background. data. Well done, Conference Office staff! However, I encourage the Society to aggravated by the acceptable are assumed to have more time on their hands) or younger researchers, who may Precedence will always be given to be flattered to think that their name has more topical contributions.

been recognised. The pitfalls are obvious: Any one contributor may not

older workers may not be up-to-speed in the appear more often than once per subject, while younger ones may not yet have volume (once every 12 months). always provide an alternative, data-secure method of registration. Ideally, I’d like it casual language of online research sufficiently developed critical faculties. ~ Standards This will inevitably lead to a lowering of standards and the publication of papers THIS WILL

that should not have seen the light of day. INEVITABLY LEAD to desist from using third parties completely. offerings. I and colleagues identify increasing numbers TO A LOWERING OF of papers lacking in scientific rigour and exhibiting faults that should have been STANDARDS AND identified by any competent referee. But it is THE PUBLICATION OF not only the reviewers that are at fault here, but editors too. PAPERS THAT SHOULD Many international journals now boast NOT HAVE SEEN THE long lists of editorial-board members; some *Professor John C W Cope members are junior researchers who have is Honorary LIGHT OF DAY Research Fellow at Amgueddfa Cymru - National made a name on the basis of a handful of JOHN C W COPE Museum Wales. A longer version of this piece is good papers. But a good researcher need available online. ~

JONATHAN COWIE FRANK O’REILLY WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | FEBRUARY 2018 | 09

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DISTANT THUNDER Dinosaur deniers

Did dinosaurs really realisation that they’ve been fed dinosaurs before the 1800s. of Creative Power, living exist? Geologist and a fraud.” Perhaps they have a point. It proofs of a Divine will and the science writer Nina A fraud, it is implied on the wasn’t until 1824 that William works of a Divine hand ever official CAD website, www. Buckland [1784 – 1856] the superintending and ruling the Morgan examines christiansagainstdinosaurs.com, first Reader in Geology at existence of our world.” the evidence perpetrated by ‘Big Paleo’ [sic!] in Oxford University, provided the order to undermine the Christian first scientific description of a Truth or Lies? I’m really concerned faith and to make millions by dinosaur in his Notice about Some modern bloggers, about dinosaurs, and I creating fake fossils. Megalosaurus published in the including the geologist think something needs CADMinistry’s impassioned Transactions of the Geological Dr Donald Prothero, have to be done”, pleaded post, which attracted around Society of London. suggested that ‘CADMinistry’ ‘CADMinistry’, an anguished 1000 comments, ends with Gideon Mantell [1790 – and the accompanying parent, writing in 2015 on the the plea: “Please, do what you 1852] followed in 1825 with website, Christians Against popular parenting website can to get dinosaurs taken off his Notice on the Iguanodon, Dinosaurs, might be a Mumsnet. “The science the curriculum,” and notes that published in the Philosophical hoax. But before you write behind them is pretty flimsy dinosaurs set a very bad example Transactions of the Royal ‘CADMinistry’ off completely, and I for one do not want my for children. Society. And it wasn’t until just consider: when was the children being taught lies... A comment from 1842 that Richard Owen last time you ever saw a real, Nothing about dinosaurs is ‘Polyesterslacks’ on the same [1804 – 1892] coined the term live dinosaur? I rest my case suitable for children, from website goes on (just possibly ‘dinosaur’, after recognising ... No fooling! Happy April, their total lack of family with tongue in cheek?) to point that Iguanodon, Megalosaurus everyone! values through to their non- out the dangers: and Hylaeosuarus, shared existence from any serious “You know that dinosaurs a number of distinctive ➤ Acknowledgement scientific point of view. Any are just a gateway to the harder features and thus, in his Sources for this vignette proper look at the facts will stuff... One day your children are mind, represented a distinct include: an article by Alice reveal that dinosaurs simply watching Walking With Dinosaurs taxonomic group. Roberts about fake fossils never existed... I used to then suddenly they’re onto the hard ‘CADMinistry’s scepticism available from W: bit.ly/2HrAfDG believe in dinosaurs. We all stuff and reading The Origin of about evolution is also Comments by did. We were all raised on Species. Dinosaurs, just say no!” not entirely out of line with CADMinistry on the dinosaur lie, and so we Owen’s own thinking. Many www.mumsnet.org; don’t question it. I’m used A grain of truth early geologists were, W: bit.ly/2o7n2YQ William to getting amused reactions Rubbish? Well, not entirely. in effect, Creationists. Buckland, Notice on the at first, and then I’m equally ‘CADMinistry’ also claims that Buckland, Mantell and Megalosaurus or great Fossil Lizard of used to people learning a bit that nobody had even heard of Owen were among the Stonesfield, Trans. Geol. about the facts themselves numerous geologists and Soc. Lond. 1 (2): and coming to the obvious palaeontologists who found 390–396, 1824; Gideon the idea of evolution hard Mantell, Notice on the to swallow. In an article Iguanodon, a newly discussing a talk given by discovered fossil reptile, Owen at the 1841 meeting from the sandstone of Tilgate forest, in Sussex. of the British Association for Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. 115: the Advancement of Science 179–186, 1825; pages meeting outlining his work 140 – 141 in The Dinosaur on British fossil reptiles, Hunters by Deborah the Literary Gazette Cadbury, ISBN of 14 August 1841 9781857029635; and a noted that: “Owen’s blog by Donald Prothero available at grand conclusion, so W: bit.ly/2BEr9Dl essential to science and our knowledge * Nina Morgan is a geologist and of creation is that there science writer based near Oxford. was no graduation of Her latest book, The Geology of one form into another ... Oxford Gravestones, is available via each were distinct instances www.gravestonegeology.uk

26 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 27 GEOSCIENTIST PEOPLE NEWS

Geoscientists in the news and on the move in the UK, Europe and worldwide

Plate Tectonic Stories Competition To celebrate the 50th birthday of plate tectonics and the launch of our new Plate Tectonic Stories web resource, why not get involved in our Plate Tectonic Stories competition? writes Amy Ball The Society notes with sadness the passing of: To enter our competition we are inviting produce animations explaining earthquakes, you to create something that brings plate research projects on their favourite plate Aitkenhead, Neil* Booth, Tony* tectonics to life and demonstrates boundary, build and test their own Bowen, Geoffrey Gordon* some of the processes involved. seismographs, design plate tectonics Chillingworth, Patrick Cecil Hamilton* As it’s a key topic in both science puzzles or games: it’s really up Drysdall, Alan Roy* and geography national curricula, to them! Droogmans, Serge L* Elueze, Anthony Azbuike* we particularly want primary, Each teacher entering a class’s work Fischer, Alfred* secondary and 6th Form teachers will receive an A1-sized educational Gladwell, David Robert* and students to participate. poster on plate tectonics for their Helm, Derick* Students could create projects classroom, as well as the chance Helm, Douglas George* Howell, Frank Travis* inspired by plate boundaries, to win up to £150-worth of Earth Kelly, Desmond Michael* volcanoes, earthquakes and science books for their school! Laws, Michael James* seismic waves, mountain-building, All entries must be received Leighton, James* people and natural hazards, the structure by 30 April 2018. To find out more about Marshall, Mr John A* Nelson, Kenneth Davies of the Earth, heat transfer, radioactivity, the competition and seeing plate tectonic O’Reilly, Kevin J O* Earth materials… whatever they find resources for classroom use, please visit Parker, Andrew* most interesting. We want imaginative W: www.geolsoc.org.uk/tectonics-comp Shepherd, Colin* and inventive entries - so students could Shingleton, Sam* Whitlow, Roy* construct models of a continental rifts * Amy Ball is Education Officer at the Geological Society. E: [email protected] Young, Paul Ivor* or subduction zones, bake volcanoes, Ziegler, Walter H*

In the interests of recording its Fellows’ work for posterity, the Society publishes CAROUSEL obituaries online, and in Geoscientist. The most recent additions to the list are All Fellows of the Society are entitled to entries in this column. in shown in bold. Fellows for whom no Please email [email protected], quoting your Fellowship number. obituarist has yet been commissioned are marked with an asterisk (*). The symbol ◆ ◆ § indicates that biographical material has Professor Dame Jane Francis Staff matters been lodged with the Society. Has been announced as the Angharad Hills, Head of new Chancellor of the University Editorial Development and If you would like to contribute an obituary, of Leeds. Director of the British Commissioning, who has worked please email [email protected] to be commissioned. You can read the Antarctic Survey and a prominent for the Society for 32 years in guidance for authors at www.geolsoc. polar scientist, Professor Francis has both London and Bath (for much of that org.uk/obituaries. To save yourself conducted pioneering research – with time as Staff Editor of the JGS), is to retire unnecessary work, please do not write numerous expeditions to the Arctic and this month. Nic Bilham, Director, Policy anything until you have received a commissioning letter. Antarctic – and has undertaken a wide range and External Relations, will be leaving of international roles to promote the UK’s polar in June to pursue a PhD at Camborne Deceased Fellows for whom no obituary is interests. Appointed Dame Commander of School of Mines. Jonathan Silk, Director forthcoming have their names and dates the Order of St Michael and St George in the of Finance and Operations, will also be recorded in a Roll of Honour at www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. 2017 New Year Honours for her distinguished leaving the Society in April. The Society contributions to polar science and diplomacy, wishes them all well for the future and Help your obituarist Jane is also a recipient of the Polar Medal, thanks them for their valuable contribution The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The presented for outstanding polar research. to its work. object is to assist obituarists by providing contacts, dates and other information, and thus ensure that Fellows’ lives are accorded Crossword appropriate and accurate commemoration. Please send your CV, publications list and a The winner of the February Prize Crossword was Anne Wilkins of Portlethen. photograph to Ted Nield at the Society. The winner of the final Platypus Crossword will appear here in the May issue.

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 27 GEOSCIENTIST OBITUARY

OBITUARY Malcolm Fletcher Howells 1934-2017

Legendary Welsh field geologist and mapper, alcolm Howells essay, Chapter 10 – ‘Geology died suddenly, expert on the marine volcanism and sedimentation and Man’, proved a headache painlessly and of Snowdonia for the editor in moderating without fuss at the manifest passions; M his home in Leeds nevertheless, those pages stand on Saturday 24 June 2017, aged now as a fabulous testament 83. On the previous day he was to the nature of Malcolm’s fully himself, bemoaning the work - accurate, erudite and demise of “the Survey” while fascinating. He scored on my delighted that the “dreaded copy: “… over so many years, mission statement” concerning seeing not only the magic Wales was illustrated with geology, but the place which ‘his’ photograph of Crib Goch shaped us!!” (Snowdon). He was looking forward to family visits Outstanding teacher that weekend. With his infectious enthusiasm and great humour, Field geologist Malcolm generously helped Malcolm joined the Geological numerous PhD students Survey in Edinburgh in 1959 through their darkest - and mapped in the South commonly wettest - hours, and Lowlands under G H Mitchell he became a central figure in and A McGregor. There he training exchanges involving played rugby for Langholm, young geologists from both when they won the Border Poland and South Korea, in Championship, and was particular. He was greatly loved expelled from the grounds of abroad and typically furnished a nurses’ home for his wild aspirants with unforgettable appearance and suspicious discussions in both field and behaviour (mapping). His wife MALCOLM brilliantly. The series of pub. From international field Liz bore him Rachel, Anna and WAS MOST conjoined 1:25k geological workshops many remembered Sarah in Edinburgh. In 1967 sheets of northern and central the man better than the rocks. Malcolm moved his family PASSIONATE Snowdonia, with associated Malcolm was immensely to Leeds where, from the REGARDING THE publications and field guides, popular, widely versed and (then) Institute of Geological WELSH PEOPLE, constitute an extraordinary equally happy proclaiming Sciences, he was deployed - via legacy as the most detailed topics across the arts, sciences, compatriot, friend and mentor HERITAGE, LANGUAGE and thorough depiction of socialism, media, chapels and Howel Francis - to map in AND SONG. TO marine volcanism cookery. He never lost his roots northern Snowdonia. THESE HE ADDED and sedimentation ever in the South Wales coalfield, its produced, anywhere. mining communities, language Geology of Wales THE ORDOVICIAN The picture here shows and rugby; although his singing Born in the South Wales VOLCANIC GEOLOGY OF Malcolm in his element in one night in the Pen-y-Gwryd coalfield and brought up in SNOWDONIA 1981, during fieldwork in Hotel did send the Princess the large house at the end of Llanberis Pass; he loved the of Nepal early to bed. His the terrace, by the ‘mountain’ Welsh mountain terrain and daughters, his extensive family at Abertridwr, within spitting To these he added the could paint-in its geology and his extraordinary array of distance of Senghenydd, Ordovician volcanic geology and its significance from friends will sorely miss him. Malcolm was most passionate of Snowdonia, which he and almost anywhere. In 2007 BGS regarding the Welsh people, his great team(s) thoroughly published Malcolm’s ‘British ➤ By Peter Kokelaar heritage, language and song. recorded and portrayed Regional Geology: Wales’. His

HELP YOUR OBITUARIST The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The object is to assist obituarists 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.

28 | APRIL 2018 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 29 GEOSCIENTIST OBITUARY

OBITUARY Alan Gilbert Smith 1937-2017

Pioneer of plate tectonic reconstruction, Cambridge he eminent Cambridge “Alpine deformation and the geologist Alan Smith University stalwart and stratigrapher oceanic areas of the Tethys, (FGS 1961) has died Mediterranean and Atlantic” at the age of 80. partly informed by Alan’s T During his Cambridge pioneering fieldwork on career Alan made significant tectonics in Greece. contributions to a number All these data contributed of research fields from plate to a refinement of global plate motion and reconstruction to motion. There was a succession the tectonics of Greece and the of papers and, with the development of the geological assistance of Lawrence Rush, timescale. the development of a computer Although he came from programme of plate motion an East Anglian family, Alan used both for teaching and Smith was born in Watford on commercial purposes. 24 February 1937. His father, an accomplished engineer and Stratigraphy inventor, made instruments Problems associated with the for the Royal Navy during development of a geological WWII. No doubt Alan got timescale also intrigued Alan his appreciation of precision Smith. From the 1980s he worked and detailed observation on the first three editions of from him. A star pupil at ‘A geologic time scale’ (1982, Watford Grammar School, 1990, 2004), which became Alan matriculated at St John’s internationally accepted under College, Cambridge to read the auspices of the International Natural Sciences. His interest Commission on Stratigraphy. in geophysics was greatly Refinement of the timescale influenced by the work and continues today ideas of Harold Jeffreys for Princeton University ALAN WORKED (www.stratigraphy.org). Press, and they were Following retirement in 2004, Princeton married before returning WITH JIM Alan continued his research but Even so, upon graduation to the UK. EVERETT ON A also developed his watercolour Alan pursued postgraduate MATHEMATICAL FIT OF painting and gardening. Alan’s studies at Princeton on the Mathematical fit extensive network of friends stratigraphy of the western US Back in Cambridge Alan THE CONTINENTS ON and colleagues, included many and Canada. While there, he was elected a Fellow of the EITHER SIDE OF THE ex-students who had benefited was exposed to the ‘hot’ new Geological Society in 1961 from his quiet, unassuming ideas on continental drift being and worked with Jim Everett ATLANTIC, WHICH critical interest and humour. proposed by the likes of Harry on a mathematical fit of the THEY PROVED IN Judy, his wife predeceased Hess. But coming from the continents on either side 1965 him in 2010 and he is survived Cambridge ‘fixist’ school led of the Atlantic, which they by his daughter Jessica and by Jeffreys, Alan was initially proved in 1965. During the granddaughter Mia of whom he sceptical of the new theories. course of this work Alan 1970 reconstruction of the was very proud. The America of Princeton, its was recruited onto the Gondwanan supercontinent Alan was awarded the researchers and their ‘can-do’ staff of the Department with the late Tony Hallam. Society’s Bigsby Medal in 1981 approach to science and life of Geology. This raised the problem and was Lyell Medallist in 2008. in general greatly influenced Continued ‘fitting’ of the of the palaeotectonics of Alan. He was also enamoured more problematic southern the ‘Tethyan Belt’, which ➤ By Douglas Palmer by Judy Walton, who worked continents led to Alan’s led to his 1971 GSA paper

HELP YOUR OBITUARIST The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The object is to assist obituarists 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.

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | APRIL 2018 | 29 E&P A4 Ad.qxp_E&P A4 02/03/2018 16:56 Page 1

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