In the second of our Climate Week blogs, we look at the controversial issue of exploring the Arctic for oil and gas resources. The Arctic has fascinated explorers for hundreds of years, from Rennaissance attempts to find a Northwest Passage, to the 20th century race for the North Pole. For the oil and gas industry, … Continue reading
Earlier this month we attended the British Science Festival in sunny Newcastle, and had a great time trying to squeeze in as many geological events as possible. Other than our own undeniably fabulous event, highlights include learning about UK landslides with the British Geological Survey, and urban carbon sinks with our very own soon to … Continue reading
Minamata has become a word synonymous with disease. ‘Minamata disease’ was first identified in 1956, after years of chemical company Chisso discharging methyl mercury into Minamata Bay, Japan. It was a process that continued until 1968, and left over 2,500 people affected by mercury related diseases. Symptoms can range from ataxia, muscle weakness and damage … Continue reading
We were expecting chilly weather here in northern Scotland, but so far the sun has been shining on the British Science Festival in Aberdeen! We don’t think of Scotland -or the UK for that matter -as a particularly warm place, but underground it’s a different story. Yesterday, scientists from the British Geological Survey explained the … Continue reading
Hosepipe bans are becoming a familiar feature of summer, and with claims that 2012 could see ‘the worst drought in 30 years’, they are here again. Well timed, then, that the theme of a recent Geological Society conference was “Water Futures”. There is often confusion and misunderstanding about water supply in the UK and elsewhere, … Continue reading
Last week’s tragic events in the Swansea Valley serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of looking underground for our fuel sources. It came on a day when we joined the Archaeology and Anthropology section at the British Science Festival for a field trip to the National Coal Mining Museum in Bradford. We spoke … Continue reading
The Geological Society Blog 