SCIENTISTu u GEO VOLUME 25 NO 1 FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST The Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 READ GEOLSOC BLOG!] [geolsoc.wordpress.com Burma’s rising star Tin-Tungsten mineralisation in Myanmar BGS SCIENCE TRIPPIN’ OUT YEAR OF MUD Mike Stephenson on Why undergraduate geological Follow us, follow - Down ‘Instrumenting the Earth’ fieldwork matters to all to the hollow, and there... LyellLyell MMeetingeeting 22015015 Mud,Mud, ggloriouslorious mmud,ud, aandnd wwhyhy iitt iiss iimportantmportant forfor tthehe ffossilossil rrecordecord 1111 MarchMarch 20152015 The Geological Society, Burlington House DƵĚƌŽĐŬƐƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĂŶƵŶƌŝǀĂůůĞĚŵĞĚŝƵŵĨŽƌƚŚĞƉƌĞƐĞƌǀĂƚŝŽŶŽĨĨ ŽƐƐŝůƐ͘dŚŝƐ ĞdžĐĞƉƚŝŽŶĂůƉƌĞƐĞƌǀĂƚŝŽŶŚĂƐ͕ŝŶƚƵƌŶ͕ĞŶĂďůĞĚƐŝŐŶŝĨŝĐĂŶƚƐĐŝĞŶƚŝĨŝĐĂĚǀĂŶĐĞƐŝŶ Speakers include: ƚŚĞĨƵŶĐƚŝŽŶĂůŵŽƌƉŚŽůŽŐLJĂŶĚĞǀŽůƵƚŝŽŶŽĨďŝŽƚĂƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚůŝĨ ĞŚŝƐƚŽƌLJĂŶĚ͕Ă Derek Briggs ŚŝŐŚƌĞƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶƌĞĐŽƌĚŽĨƚŚĞǁĂLJƐŝŶǁŚŝĐŚďŝŽƚĂĂĚĂƉƚĂŶĚĞǀŽůǀĞĚƵƌŝŶŐ (Yale University) ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂůĐŚĂŶŐĞ͘ Paul Pearson (University of Cardiff) /ƚŚĂƐůŽŶŐďĞĞŶŽďƐĞƌǀĞĚƚŚĂƚŵƵĚƌŽĐŬƐLJŝĞůĚĂďƵŶĚĂŶƚ͕ĚŝǀĞƌƐĞ ĂŶĚǁĞůůͲ ƉƌĞƐĞƌǀĞĚŵŝĐƌŽͲĂŶĚŵĂĐƌŽͲĨŽƐƐŝůƐ͘ůŵŽƐƚĂůůƚŚĞƐƚƌĂƚĂLJŝĞůĚ ŝŶŐĨŽƐƐŝůŝƐĞĚƐŽĨƚ David Martill (University of Portsmouth) ƉĂƌƚƐĂƌĞĂůƐŽĨƌŽŵŵƵĚͲŐƌĂĚĞĚĞƉŽƐŝƚƐ͘DŽƌĞƌĞĐĞŶƚƐƚƵĚŝĞƐŚĂǀ ĞĚŝƐĐŽǀĞƌĞĚ ƚŚĂƚƚŚĞƐĞĂǁĂƚĞƌĐŚĞŵŝƐƚƌLJĂƚƚŚĞƚŝŵĞŽĨĚĞƉŽƐŝƚŝŽŶƌĞŵĂŝŶƐů ĂƌŐĞůLJƵŶĂůƚĞƌĞĚ Hugh Torrens ŝŶƐŚĞůůƐƉƌĞƐĞƌǀĞĚŝŶŵƵĚƌŽĐŬƐ͘dŚŝƐĞŶĂďůĞƐƚŚĞƐĞĨŽƐƐŝůƐƚŽ ďĞƵƐĞĚĂƐƉƌŽdžŝĞƐ (Keele University) ĨŽƌŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚĂƌƚŚƐƵƌĨĂĐĞƉĂƌĂŵĞƚĞƌƐƐƵĐŚĂƐǁĂƚĞƌƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌ Ğ͕ƐĂůŝŶŝƚLJ͕ŝĐĞ Volke Wilder ǀŽůƵŵĞ͕ƌĂƚĞŽĨĐŚĞŵŝĐĂůǁĞĂƚŚĞƌŝŶŐĂŶĚƉ,͘dŚĞƌŽůĞŽĨŵƵĚƌŽĐŬ ƐŝŶƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ (Senckenberg Naturmuseum) ĂŶŝĚĞĂůŵĞĚŝƵŵĨŽƌƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐůŝĨĞƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚŐĞŽůŽŐŝĐĂůƚŝ ŵĞĂůƐŽĂƉƉůŝĞƐ William Gosling (University of ƚŽůĂŬĞĚĞƉŽƐŝƚƐǁŚĞƌĞƚĞƌƌĞƐƚƌŝĂůƉĂůLJŶŽŵŽƌƉŚƐƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƵƐǁŝƚŚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚƐŽĨ Amsterdam) ǀĞŐĞƚĂƚŝŽŶĐŚĂŶŐĞŝŶƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞƚŽĐůŝŵĂƚŝĐĨůƵĐƚƵĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘dŚĞƌĞů ĂƚŝǀĞ Nick McCave (University of ƐƚƌĂƚŝŐƌĂƉŚŝĐĂůĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞŶĞƐƐŽĨŵŽƐƚŵƵĚƌŽĐŬƐƵĐĐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐŵĂŬĞƐƚŚĞŵŝĚĞĂůĨŽƌ Cambridge) ŚŝŐŚͲƌĞƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐƚƵĚŝĞƐĂŶĚŚĞŶĐĞĨŽƌƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐƚŚĞƌŽĐŬƌĞ ĐŽƌĚŽŶ ďŝŽůŽŐŝĐĂůƚŝŵĞƐĐĂůĞƐ͘ Convenors: dŚĞŵĞĞƚŝŶŐǁŝůůďĞŽĨƌĞůĞǀĂŶĐĞƚŽƚŚŽƐĞŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚŝŶŵĂƌŝŶĞĂŶĚƚĞƌƌĞƐƚƌŝĂů Angela Coe (The Open University) ĂƌƚŚƐƵƌĨĂĐĞƉƌŽĐĞƐƐĞƐƉĂƌƚŝĐƵůĂƌůLJƉĞƌŝŽĚƐŽĨĞdžƚƌĞŵĞĞŶǀŝƌŽŶ ŵĞŶƚĂůĐŚĂŶŐĞ ĂƐǁĞůůĂƐƚŚŽƐĞŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚŝŶƚŚĞĞdžĐĞƉƚŝŽŶĂůƉƌĞƐĞƌǀĂƚŝŽŶŽĨ ĨŽƐƐŝůƐ͘ Alan Lord (Senckenberg Naturmuseum) ZĞŐŝƐƚƌĂƚŝŽŶŝƐŽƉĞŶ Linked Public Lecture dŽƌĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĂŶĚĨŽƌŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ͕ǀŝƐŝƚ͗ǁǁǁ͘ŐĞŽůƐŽĐ͘ŽƌŐ͘ƵŬ ͬůLJĞůůͲϮϬϭϱ There will be a linked public lecture on the evening of the 10 March by EuanClarkson (University of Edinburgh) entitled ‘The Cambrian Alum Shales ofScandinavia and their remarkable trilobites’. Further information &ŽƌĨƵƌƚŚĞƌŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶĂďŽƵƚƚŚĞĐŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƉůĞĂƐĞĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ :ĞƐƐƌŝĞƐ͕ŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞKĨĨŝĐĞ͕dŚĞ'ĞŽůŽŐŝĐĂů^ŽĐŝĞƚLJ͕ ƵƌůŝŶŐƚŽŶ,ŽƵƐĞ͕WŝĐĐĂĚŝůůLJ͕>ŽŶĚŽŶtϭ:Ϭ' d͗ϬϮϬϳϰϯϮϬϵϴϯ ͗ũĞƐƐ͘ĂƌŝĞƐΛŐĞŽůƐŽĐ͘ŽƌŐ͘ƵŬ tĞď͗ǁǁǁ͘ŐĞŽůƐŽĐ͘ŽƌŐ͘ƵŬͬůLJĞůůͲϮϬϭϱ Follow this event on Twitter: #lyell15 GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS 06 20 10 16 FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE... 16 Instrumenting the earth Mike Stephenson (British Geological Survey) outlines a new element of the BGS’s science strategy REGULARS 05 Welcome Ted Nield, who lived the dream and once got paid for wallowing, on 2015 - ‘Year of Mud’ 06 Society news What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions 09 Soapbox Mike Streule and Lorraine Craig (Imperial College, London) on why undergraduate fieldwork ON THE COVER: needs to be defended 10 Burma’s rising star 20 Letters We welcome your thoughts Mining looks set for a comeback in the tin 21 Calendar Society activities this month and tungsten-rich country, as political 22 Books and arts Four new books reviewed by Mark Griffin, barriers finally ease. Nick Gardiner reports David Nowell and Richard Porter 24 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move ONLINE SPECIALS William Smith goes 26 Obituary John Macrae Christian Wellstood Baker 1927-2014 Worldwide by Nina Morgan. Sarah Day reviews The Theory of Everything a portrait of physicist 28 Obituary Simon Toby Cochrane 1951-2014 Stephen Hawking and his wife 29 Crossword Win a special publication of your choice WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | FEBRUARY 2015 | 03 Registration is now open 5 1 PARTPART OFOF THETHE WILLIAMWILLIAM SMITHSMITH MAPMAP BICENTENARYBICENTENARY PROGRAMMEPROGRAMME OFOF EEVENTSVENTS 0 2 2 200Years of Smith’s Map g 22 April 2015: Private Exhibition at Natural History Museum n 23-24 April 2015: Conference at the Geological Society, Burlington House i i 25 April 2015: Field Excursion in Oxfordshire t ProgrammeProgramme e Keynote Speakers e Associated events Day 1: 23 April M M h t i Wine Reception, Conference Dinner m m Day 2: 24 April S Further information m m a i l l i W William Smith Meeting 2015 William W GEOSCIENTIST WELCOME Geoscientist is the ADVERTISING SALES ~ Fellowship magazine of Ollie Kirkman THE PLAIN OF BAGAN/ the Geological Society T 01727 739 184 of London E ollie@centuryone PAGAN, MANDALAY, MYANMAR publishing.uk Cover: lkunl / Shutterstock.com The Geological Society, ~ Burlington House, Piccadilly, ART EDITOR London W1J 0BG Heena Gudka T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 DESIGN & 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 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: 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 Glorious. Mud. Library The Geological Society of London 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 oping perhaps to tap into mind-bending. They represent all that otherwise, represent those of the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF author, and not The Geological some hitherto unsuspected is most fascinating, alluring, and Professor Peter Styles Society of London. All rights reserved. No paragraph of public appetite for the stuff, beautiful about the stuff of the Earth. this publication may be reproduced, Council has decided to This has, however, an unfortunate EDITOR copied or transmitted save with Dr Ted Nield written permission. Users registered designate 2015 the ‘Year of side-effect. Just as addiction to E [email protected] with Copyright Clearance Center: the H Journal is registered with CCC, 27 Mud’*. London Lectures, Flagship pornography can result in unreal Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970, EDITORIAL BOARD USA. 0961-5628/02/$15.00. Every meetings, and other activities will be expectations in life, students emerge Dr Sue Bowler effort has been made to trace themed accordingly. And, to add our with the impression that all rocks are as Mr Steve Branch copyright holders of material in Dr Robin Cocks this publication. If any rights have encouragement to this innovative – interesting as the ones they have pored been omitted, the publishers offer Prof. Tony Harris not to say courageous - initiative, over in the teaching lab beauty pageant. Dr Howard Falcon-Lang their apologies. Dr Jonathan Turner No responsibility is assumed by the Geoscientist may even run a feature Once you employ your skills on rocks Dr Jan Zalasiewicz Publisher for any injury and/or in these pages. chosen for economic reasons – because damage to persons or property as a Trustees of the matter of products liability, Now – speaking as one who has they may contain oil, or because you negligence or otherwise, or from any Geological Society use or operation of any methods, actually lived the dream, and stared at wish to build a skyscraper on them for of London products, instructions or ideas Prof David Manning contained in the material herein. mud down a microscope (for years) and example - you get a rude awakening. (President); Although all advertising material is got paid for it – I am reminded of Most rocks are not that interesting. Mrs Natalyn Ala (Secretary, expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this something I had forgotten, or perhaps Most limestones, for example, are not Professional Matters); publication does not constitute a Dr Mike Armitage (Vice guarantee or endorsement of the blotted out. For those years taught me lovely grainstones with calcite president); Dr Nigel quality or value of such product or of something important; something no pseudomorphing original acicular Cassidy; Prof Neil the claims made by its manufacturer. amount of time in the Academy could aragonite, from which one can construct Chapman; Dr Angela Coe; Subscriptions: All correspondence Mr Jim Coppard; relating to non-member have done. fascinating diagenetic histories. No. In Mr David Cragg (Vice subscriptions should be addresses president); Mrs Jane to the Journals Subscription Students of rocks spend long hours business what you spend your time Dottridge; Mr Chris Eccles; Department, Geological Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Brassmill staring down microscopes at thin looking at is thousands of feet of brown Dr Marie Edmonds; Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, sections. We work our way through micrite - with a bit of neomorphic spar Professor Alastair Fraser Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 (Secretary, Science); 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. drawer after drawer of glass slides, for variety and the odd agglutinated Mr