Scottish oil is topical. Most of Britain’s oil and gas deposits sit under the seabed around Scotland but the revenues are shared with the whole of the United Kingdom. If Scotland decides to become an independent state (there’s a vote in 2014) then that wealth will be all theirs. So I was very interested to read… Continue reading New Scottish Oil field discovered (470 million years too late)
Getting a nose for folds
Folds are found everywhere layers are. Folds are the natural consequence of pushing a rug, cooking lasagna or deforming sedimentary or metamorphic rocks. Sniffing out folds, ‘getting a nose for them’, is part of any geologist’s training. Here’s a Google Earth image of a chunk of northern England. What may catch your eye is the… Continue reading Getting a nose for folds
Radioactivity and the earth (and moon?)
We tend to think of radioactivity as an artificial thing; some argue that the first nuclear explosions in 1945 should mark the start of a new human-dominated geological epoch called the Anthropocene. These man-made explosions have left distinctive radioactive traces that may well outlive us all. It turns out that natural radioactivity, even fission reactions,… Continue reading Radioactivity and the earth (and moon?)
Where on Google Earth #416
I happened to recognise Brian’s picture of a section of the Richat Structure in Mauritania straight away, so here I am hosting this excellent geological competition. Where on earth is this place? To find out, get to Google Earth and get searching. Brian talked about how recent WoGEs have been found quickly, so I’ve zoomed down… Continue reading Where on Google Earth #416