GeoscientistThe Fellowship magazine of The Geological Society of London | www.geolsoc.org.uk | Volume 22 No 9 | October 2012 ETCHES CLOSER New museum for Dorset? POLYGON PUZZLE Polygons may point to wet Mars [VOICE SQUAD! www.geolsoc.org.uk/podcasts] 100 YEARS OF MOBILISM Celebrating a century of continental drift Not Just Software. RockWare. For Over 29 Years. 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IT IS NOW 100 YEARS SINCE HIS VERSION OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT WAS PUBLISHED Front cover image: Alfred Wegener Institute ~ LEDGES LEGEND teve Etches - the legend of the Geoscientist is the F 01727 893 895 Fellowship magazine of E enquiries@centuryone Ledges - has been collecting, the Geological Society publishing.ltd.uk preparing and describing fossils of London W www.centuryone publishing.ltd.uk from the Kimmeridge Clay for much The Geological Society, of his life. He has now amassed a Burlington House, Piccadilly, CHIEF EXECUTIVE huge collection, which he keeps at London W1J 0BG Nick Simpson T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 T 01727 893 894 his home in Kimmeridge and which F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 E nick@centuryone Sis available by appointment to researchers and E [email protected] publishing.ltd.uk (Not for Editorial) visitors. But this arrangement is far from ideal. ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE For over 18 years Steve – possibly the most highly Publishing House Jonathan Knight The Geological Society T 01727 739 193 regarded amateur geologist in Britain today - has Publishing House, Unit 7, E jonathan@centuryone been trying to establish, in Dorset, a new home for Brassmill Enterprise Centre, publishing.ltd.uk Brassmill Lane, Bath his amazing and highly specific museum of BA1 3JN ART EDITOR Kimmeridgian life. T 01225 445046 Heena Gudka Make no mistake about it - the Etches Collection F 01225 442836 DESIGN & PRODUCTION is renowned worldwide and has global scientific Library Sarah Astington significance as the single largest collection of T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 F +44 (0)20 7439 3470 PRINTED BY macrofossils from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation E [email protected] Century One Publishing Ltd. outside the Natural History Museum (which in EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Copyright many respects it greatly outstrips). Much of the Professor Tony Harris FGS The Geological Society of material it contains is undescribed and completely London is a Registered Charity, new to science. It is a unique resource - not only to EDITOR number 210161. Dr Ted Nield NUJ FGS ISSN (print) 0961-5628 academics, but also to the County of Dorset, the E [email protected] ISSN (online) 2045-1784 Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site on which it sits, and the public. EDITORIAL BOARD The Geological Society of London Dr Sue Bowler FGS accepts no responsibility for the views Problem is, it remains a private museum in a Mr Steve Branch FGS expressed in any article in this Dr Robin Cocks FGS publication. All views expressed, converted garage - albeit one curated to the highest Dr Joe McCall FGS except where explicitly stated standards, with strict humidity control. For this Prof. Peter Styles FGS otherwise, represent those of the author, and not The Geological material to be described, it needs to reside in a Dr Jonathan Turner FGS Society of London. All rights reserved. Dr Jan Zalasiewicz FGS No paragraph of this publication may museum with Registered Museum status. For the be reproduced, copied or transmitted public to appreciate it properly, in order for schools Trustees of the Geological save with written permission. Users Society of London registered with Copyright Clearance and universities to use the collection as part of Mr D T Shilston (President); Center: the Journal is registered with their teaching, the collection has to be somewhere Mrs N K Ala; Dr M G CCC, 27 Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970, USA. 0961-5628/02/$15.00. that can accommodate them. Armitage; Miss S Brough; Every effort has been made to trace Professor R A Butler; copyright holders of material in this There have been many disappointments along Professor N A Chapman; publication. If any rights have Mr D J Cragg; Professor J been omitted, the publishers offer the way, but finally, it looks as though the Etches Francis (Secretary, Science) their apologies. Collection is at last going to get the new, Professor A J Fraser; No responsibility is assumed by the independent home it deserves. Dr S A Gibson; Mrs M P Publisher for any injury and/or Henton (Secretary, damage to persons or property as a A bid has been lodged with the Heritage Professional Matters); matter of products liability, Lottery Fund which, if successful, will set in Dr R A Hughes; Mr D A negligence or otherwise, or from any Jones; Dr A Law use or operation of any methods, train a series of events that will culminate in a (Treasurer), Professor R J products, instructions or ideas newly built custom-designed museum on a Lisle; Professor A R Lord contained in the material herein. Although all advertising material is donated greenfield site in the very village where (Secretary, Foreign & expected to conform to ethical External Affairs); Mr P (medical) standards, inclusion in this Steve has made his home. The land is secure, the Maliphant (Vice president); publication does not constitute a Dr B R Marker OBE; guarantee or endorsement of the planning is secure; and there have been no Professor S B Marriott quality or value of such product or of objections from the local community, which the claims made by its manufacturer. (Vice president); Dr G supports the project 100%. Nichols; Dr C P Subscriptions: All correspondence Summerhayes relating to non-member subscriptions We cannot conceive of a project better prepared, (Vice president); Professor should be addresses to the Journals with more powerful moral and matching financial J H Tellam; Dr J P Turner Subscription Department, Geological (Secretary, Publications) Society Publishing House, Unit 7 support, or that is more worthwhile, or more Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 eagerly anticipated than this. If the HLF were to Published on behalf of the 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Email: fail at this late stage to back Steve’s nigh-on 20-year Geological Society of [email protected]. The London by subscription price for Volume 22, fight for funding, this magazine at least would Century One Publishing 2012 (11 issues) to institutions and have to question what exactly that body thinks it is Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam non-members is £108 (UK) or £124 / Road, St Albans, Herts, US$247 (Rest of World). there to do. AL3 4DG © 2012 The Geological Society T 01727 893 894 of London DR TED NIELD EDITOR OCTOBER 2012 05 GEOSCIENTIST SOAPBOX Point-counter point BY HAYDON BAILEY Haydon Bailey* was co-author of May’s Soapbox article, which gave rise to some stinging criticism of micropalaeontology. Here is his response SOAPBOX CALLING! ‘Recently the self-promotion of ways’.