Author Archives: John A. Stevenson

Note: 02 December 2011. The current media interest in Katla does not stem from a recent change in activity at the volcano, but from an article published on the BBC website today.  The same thing followed a Guardian article earlier … Continue reading →

Around 150 million years ago, plankton floated in warm seas.  Using energy from nuclear reactions in the Sun, they built their bodies from protein and fat and carbohydrate.  Then they died and their bodies sank to the muddy sea floor.  … Continue reading →

Last month, the Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Iceland and the Iceland Glaciological Society organised an expedition to Grímsvötn to study the deposits of the eruption that took place there in May.  This post describes the journey … Continue reading →

The May 2011 Grímsvötn eruption blasted ash and pumice and rock fragments (collectively known as tephra) through the Vatnajökull glacier, forming a massive plume up to 20 km tall.  It was the biggest eruption in Iceland since Hekla 1947.  Locally, … Continue reading →

Last month, the Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Iceland and the Iceland Glaciological Society organised an expedition to Grímsvötn to study the deposits of the eruption that took place there in May.  This post describes some of … Continue reading →

I knew that Icelanders have a reputation, like most Scandinavian countries, of having a strong sense of community and inclusiveness.  But I was particularly impressed when I saw that this office had gone as far as putting up a copy … Continue reading →