SCIENTIST GEO VOLUME 24 NO 7 u AUGUST 2014 u WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST The Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 [follow us on twitter @geoscientistmag] Crowd Sourcing What does ‘citizen science’ have to offer the geological sciences? UNDER THE SUN GOD SILENT SPRING NO PROSPECT OF A BEVVY Engineering geology of Lima’s Society should condemn the James Hutton’s unsung spectacular adobe pyramids use of synthetic chemicals contribution to home brewing GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS 20 24 10 16 FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE... 16 Under the sun god Engineering geologist John Dixon ponders early earthquake-proofing in Lima’s adobe pyramids REGULARS 05 Welcome Ted Nield reflects on how casual sexism can kill 06 Society news What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions ON THE COVER: 09 Soapbox Chris Mackenzie urges the Society to back off CO2 and include synthetics in its campaigns 10 Crowd sourcing 20 Letters We welcome your thoughts Sourcing from the crowd - Helen Quinn asks 22 Books and arts Four new books reviewed by Steve what ‘citizen science’ has to offer Earth sciences Rowlatt, Maurice Tucker, John Milsom and Mark Tyrer and where its limitations lie 24 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move 26 Obituary John Myles Bowen 1928-2013 ONLINE SPECIALS Carbon Capture & Storage Bryan Lovell reports on the recent joint GSL/AAPG meeting on Carbon Capture & Storage 27 Calendar Society activities this month CORRECTION: The July Issue second feature, on the Carne Collection, written by author Douglas 28 Obituary Adolf Seilacher 1925-2014 Palmer, wrongly described him as Director of the Sedgwick Museum – a post held (of course) by regular Geoscientist contributor Ken McNamara. Apologies to all concerned. Editor 29 Crossword Win a special publication of your choice WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | AUGUST 2014 | 03 GEOSCIENTIST WELCOME Geoscientist is the ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE ~ Fellowship magazine of Jonathan Knight NEW TECHNOLOGY OPENS UP NEW WAYS FOR PUBLIC the Geological Society T 01727 739 193 of London E jonathan@centuryone PARTICIPATION IN SCIENCE. HELEN QUINN EXPLORES THE publishing.ltd.uk The Geological Society, PROGRESS AND LIMITATIONS OF ‘CITIZEN SCIENCE’ Burlington House, Piccadilly, ART EDITOR Front cover image: karavai / Shutterstock.com London W1J 0BG Heena Gudka ~ T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 DESIGN & PRODUCTION E [email protected] Sarah Astington (Not for Editorial - Please contact the Editor) PRINTED BY Century One Publishing House Publishing Ltd. The Geological Society Publishing House, Unit 7, Copyright Brassmill Enterprise Centre, The Geological Society of Brassmill Lane, Bath London is a Registered BA1 3JN Charity, number 210161. T 01225 445046 ISSN (print) 0961-5628 F 01225 442836 ISSN (online) 2045-1784 Library The Geological Society of London FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 accepts no responsibility for the F +44 (0)20 7439 3470 views expressed in any article in this publication. All views expressed, E [email protected] except where explicitly stated otherwise, represent those of the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF author, and not The Geological Deadlier than the male Professor Peter Styles Society of London. All rights reserved. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, EDITOR copied or transmitted save with Dr Ted Nield written permission. Users registered t’s official. Tropical cyclones of the and recall of storm information, this E [email protected] with Copyright Clearance Center: the Journal is registered with CCC, 27 North Atlantic – hurricanes, to practice also taps into well-developed Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970, EDITORIAL BOARD USA. 0961-5628/02/$15.00. Every you and me – are more deadly if and widely held gender stereotypes, Dr Sue Bowler effort has been made to trace they are more ‘Victoria’ than with unanticipated and potentially Mr Steve Branch copyright holders of material in Dr Robin Cocks this publication. If any rights have ‘Victor’. A study by scientists at deadly consequences”. Prof. Tony Harris been omitted, the publishers offer I the Illinois and Arizona State True: but only since 1979. Storms Dr Howard Falcon-Lang their apologies. Dr Jonathan Turner No responsibility is assumed by the universities, published in the have been ‘named’ since 1947, first Dr Jan Zalasiewicz Publisher for any injury and/or Proceedings of the National Academy using the phonetic alphabet. This was damage to persons or property as a Trustees of the matter of products liability, of Sciences, revealed in June that - even confusing, so in 1953 a new phonetic negligence or otherwise, or from any Geological Society use or operation of any methods, excluding outliers like Katrina and alphabet using female names was of London products, instructions or ideas Prof David Manning contained in the material herein. Audrey - of the 47 most damaging introduced. Naming storms in this way (President); Although all advertising material is hurricanes since 1950, those with evoked wild, tempestuous, termagant Mrs Natalyn Ala (Secretary, expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this feminine names killed on average 45 females, emerging from the (feminine) Professional Matters); publication does not constitute a Dr Mike Armitage (Vice guarantee or endorsement of the people, compared to 23 deaths in ocean, to be eventually soothed into president); Dr Nigel quality or value of such product or of ‘masculine’ storms. quiescence by contact with the Cassidy; Prof Neil the claims made by its manufacturer. For the mathematically challenged, (masculine) land. Women’s libbers, as Chapman; Dr Angela Coe; Subscriptions: All correspondence Mr Jim Coppard; relating to non-member that’s almost double - a statistically they were known, hated it, and rightly Mr David Cragg (Vice subscriptions should be addresses president); Mrs Jane to the Journals Subscription significant result. Indeed, the authors so. In 1979 the World Meteorological Dottridge; Mr Chris Eccles; Department, Geological Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Brassmill state that “changing a severe Organization introduced new lists with Dr Marie Edmonds; Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, hurricane’s name from Charlie… to male names included. It was hailed as Professor Alastair Fraser Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 (Secretary, Science); 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Eloise… could nearly treble its death a triumph for equal rights. Mr David Hopkins; Email: [email protected]. The toll”. Why? Because people don’t It is easy to make fun, but the Mr David Jones (Vice subscription price for Volume 24, 2014 (11 issues) to institutions and president); Dr Adam Law non-members is £125 (UK) or £143 take storms with female names exclusive use of one gender’s names (Treasurer); Prof Alan Lord / US$286 (Rest of World). seriously, and so are less likely to was invidious and patronizing and had (Secretary Foreign & External Affairs); Dr Brian © 2014 The Geological Society take precautions. to stop. Unfortunately, gender Marker OBE; Dr Gary of London As PR people are fond of reminding stereotyping is too deeply rooted in the Nichols; Prof David Geoscientist is printed on FSC mixed Norbury; Dr Colin North credit - Mixed source products are a scientists, perception is reality. subconscious for this to be the end of (Secretary, Publications); blend of FSC 100%, Recycled and/or “When under the radar, that’s when the matter. We are all victims of it, no Mr Keith Seymour; Dr Lucy Controlled fibre. Accredited by the Slater; Mr Michael Young Forestry Stewardship Council. [sexism] has the potential to influence matter how right-thinking or politically our judgments”, Sharon Shavitt correct we consider ourselves. Published on behalf of the (University of Illinois) told reporters. Things done for the right reasons Geological Society of London by Everyday sexism can, and does, kill. can, in this chaotic world, have Century One Publishing Ironically this phenomenon has come unintended consequences. Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam Road, St Albans, Herts, about thanks to 1970s anti-sexism. And if irrationality can control AL3 4DG The report states: “Although using survival behaviour, how much more T 01727 893 894 F 01727 893 895 human names … has been thought by likely is it to affect our political, or for E enquiries@centuryone meteorologists to enhance the clarity that matter, scientific judgement? publishing.ltd.uk W www.centuryone DR TED NIELD, EDITOR - [email protected] @TedNield @geoscientistmag publishing.ltd.uk WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | AUGUST 2014 | 05 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS What your society is doing SOCIETYNEWS at home and abroad, in London and the regions The great geobakeoff Sarah Day reports on the most successful geology-based baking Geobakeoff returns with a Schools Special, for Earth Science competition in the entire history of the world, like, ever. Week (13-19 October). See our blog for details. Back in April, we set readers of the Geological Society’s blog a challenge. With Easter around the corner, how many geologically Geobakeoff winners themed cakes could they bake in a four-week period? Challenges And the 10 winners were, in reverse order: ranged from a simple sandstone layer cake for 10 points, to classic u 100 points Hannah Moss Davies (@hannah_MD24), formations such as Durdle Door and Giant’s Causeway, to the 100- Rachel J (@rachisaurus) point challenge – to recreate the Velociraptor-hatching scene from u 130 points Leanne Roden