Geology with ‘Virtual WGCG’ in lockdown
Here we add content and links in place of the events which we cannot run under Lockdown
• Newest additions are at the top, shown in event date sequence • Click to see an Entertainment for Lockdown and there is always lots of new geology content
on WGCG Instagram WGCG Twitter
and WGCG Facebook
and YouTube
WGCG offers popular winter evening geology talks & summer field visits • Guests, visitors & new members are always welcome • Know nothing? That’s fine!
• Any level of interest or knowledge or experience in geology is welcome • Come along, take look, give it a try • Got a question or a rock query? Ask us!
WGCG Geology Free Talks: Wednesdays 7:30 pm via Zoom for 2021
21 Apr – ‘Henry Clifton Sorby: Sheffield’s Greatest Scientist’, Noel Worley
19 May – Iapetus No More – The continental collision that shaped Scotland, by Angus Miller
* NOTE: if lectures are still on Zoom at this point, this talk will be postponed until the speaker can attend in person, and be replaced in January by an alternative.
News: Now published: WGCG 2021 Spring Newsletter
Click pic or Here to see & read Newsletters or download as PDF
Contents Click a heading to see in Magazine Page Turn format
- Meanwhile … News and Updates
- News of Future Activities, Mike Allen
- Arran Field Trip September 2020, Debrah Parke, Paul Abernethy, Peter Hawksworth
- The Castle Bank Biota & Microscopes for Amateur Science, Joe Botting & Lucy Muir
- Alfred Wegener and the Kenilworth Connection, Ian Fenwick
- Monitoring Warwickshire’s Geology SSSI, Brian Ellis
- The Geology of Your Street, Norman Dutton
- Local Geological Sites, Condition Monitoring 2020, Phil Henser
Link to our page on: Burton Dassett Country Park
Down to Earth – March 2021, Issue 99 is here to view on-screen or download
Please click link above or photo on left.
Down to Earth – February 2021, Issue 114 is here to view on-screen or download
Please click link above or photo on left.
Posted 10-Feb-2021:
Down to Earth – February 2021, Issue 98 is here to view on-screen or download
Please click link above or photo on left.
Posted 26-Nov-2020:
Down to Earth – December 2020, Issue 96 is here to view on-screen or download
Please click link above or photo on left.
Posted 14-Nov-2020: 
Down to Earth – November 2020, Issue 113 is here to view on-screen or download
Please click link above or photo on left.
Posted 06-Nov-2020: November edition of Geoscientist available – https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Geoscientist/November-2020
Posted 26-Oct-2020: Down to Earth – November 2020, Issue 95 is here to view on-screen or download
Posted 09-Oct-2020: Free Online Talks & Events published by West Midlands Regional Group of the Geological Society
Wed 19 Aug, Virtual Talk (Zoom or YouTube)- Mining in North Wales, by Rob Vernon
Wed 12 August, ‘Wednesday Video’ – The Day the Dinosaurs Died – BBC
Following on from Prof Jo Morgan’s talk last week, on the drilling of the Chicxulub impact crater, here is the BBC documentary by Prof Alice Roberts of The University of Birmingham who gives a fantastic explanation of the scientific importance of this work.. This is a must view…… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id-M1lerGDQ
Wed 3 August, ‘Wednesday Video’ – Drilling of the Chicxulub impact crater in the Gulf of Mexico | Prof Jo Morgan
There is a series of recorded talks that you may be interested in from the Geologists’ Association. The GA video lectures are normally only available to GA Members but for the duration of the Covid-19 lockdown / restrictions (and who knows how long this will last), they will be freely available – so do make the most of them while you can!
- The BBC report, ‘Chicxulub ‘dinosaur’ crater drill project declared a success‘ has additional excellent photos and text at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36377679
Wed 29 July, ‘Wednesday Video’ – Mercury: Geological Mapping a Mysterious World | David Pegg
Watch here: https://youtu.be/8J4D9XM1sJo
Wed 22 July, ‘Wednesday Video’ – The Cretaceous Geology of Flamborough Head
This week we continue our virtual field trip up through the Cretaceous around Flamborough head and exploring the relationship with the overlying glacial till deposits Flamborough Head part 3 – https://youtu.be/54L_-pRBQi4 Flamborough Head part 4 – https://youtu.be/VM_fJGYDhwI
From earlier, 2 short video introduces viewers to Flamborough Head, a chalk headland on the Yorkshire coast with some amazing structural features Flamborough Head Part 2 – https://youtu.be/5YpOtOiaYDU Flamborough Head Part 1 – https://youtu.be/wT5lQ_MWMfk
Wed 8 July, Zoom Talk – Contrasting Islands: The Geology of Eigg and Rum, by Angus Miller
Abstract: The Hebridean islands of Eigg and Rum are separated by just a few miles of sea, but could hardly be more different in their scenery, topography and land use. Of course this is due to the underlying geology. Both islands have a basement of sedimentary rocks (formed 800 million years apart!). Then, 60 million years ago, this area was a focus of volcanic activity: Eigg is mostly formed by the eroded remains of extensive basalt lava flows, whereas Rum was the site of a central volcano. It is a fascinating clash of rock types and morphologies that has formed two contrasting islands.See PDF here
Wed 17 June, Zoom Talk – Isle of Arran
We will host another Zoom on Wed 17 June. It promises to be a well-illustrated landscape and geological delight. Outline to see/download: Talk 2020-06-17 The Geology of Arran To participate, register for the talk by Mon 15 June at warwickshiregcg@gmail.com The Zoom meeting code will be circulated. If you are unfamiliar with using Zoom, please do not be daunted. It is very easy and a practice session can be arranged in advance of the talk (including talking you through things on the phone if needs be). If you want to sign up for the practice, please register by Saturday 13th June at warwickshiregcg@gmail.com
Wed 10 June, Video: Deep carbon cycling over the past 200 million years
Contributions from tectonic settings. contributions from tectonic settings. Kevin Wong (2019 Award Winner)
Wed 6 June, Video: Birth of Britain 2 of 3 Ice Age – Tony Robinson
This is a great video explaining the mechanisms that brought about the ice ages. Tony Robinson takes us on a tour around Britain looking at the geomorphologic features that were a consequence of the ice ages of Britain. At: https://youtu.be/nvk6DUmTuvE
Wed, 27 May, Video: How the Alps were formed – Part 2
This is the second part of this OU video of the formation of the Alps. This talk focuses on the Pennine mountain range (Southern Section) of the Alps which contains evidence of the subducted oceanic plate that existed between Italy and Europe prior to the Alpine orogenic event. The scenery, as well as the geology, is outstanding. https://youtu.be/lwSov6m1f7U
Wed, 20 May, Video: How the Alps were formed
The Wednesday Geology Video this week take us on a trip to the Alps. Ever wonder how these imposing mountains were formed? Staff of the OU take us on a trip and explain how they have been able to unravel these amazing structures. https://youtu.be/HEU10pVbVQM
18 May, Video: Mount St Helens eruption 40th anniversary
For those of you interested in volcanoes, this is a good website with lots of information about the Mount St Helens eruption, marking the 40th anniversary of the event. It seems that there will be a ‘virtual day’ taking place live on anniversary tomorrow, 18th May. https://volcano.si.edu/projects/sthelens40/
13 May, Talk: Fracked or Fiction? Martin Carruthers, via Zoom
Members are invited to enjoy some Fieldwork at Home by revealing • The geology of your house, ground beneath, or garden, • Geology of your daily walk? • Your favourite specimen (rock, fossil. or mineral) or favourite geology related photograph in your collection? More info These two websites might be of interest to those who are interested in volcanoes. Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report – https://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm – Gives updates and information about recent volcanic eruptions around the world. Volcanoes of Kurile-Kamchatka Island Arc. Webcams – http://geoportal.kscnet.ru/volcanoes/webcams.php – Webcams showing some of the volcanoes in Kamchatka. Some of them are often active. The Amazing Volcanic Past of the Black Cuillins, Presented by Tony Robinson – This is part of the Birth of Britain series The Black Cuillins of Skye – https://youtu.be/aBWJZBdWug0 – A 20 minute YouTube video – starts at 31:45 – Wait for it to load. Black screen will give way to video. The remains of ancient volcanic systems on Skye can be seen in the Cuillin and Red Hills. This was formed during an intense period of volcanic activity in the area during the time when north west Europe was splitting from North America and the North Atlantic was formed. The Black Cuillins are mainly made up from gabbro and peridotite and the Red Hills from red-coloured granite. These rocks were formed about 55 million years ago, relatively recent in geology terms. Database of Iceland’s Volcanoes http://futurevolc.vedur.is/
Rivers Under the Sea talk – https://youtu.be/1WILdCMqTJs
What Coal Mining Hydrogeology tells us about the Real Risks of Fracking – https://youtu.be/PpX1eyDgomA
Updates to the Geology in the West Country – https://mailchi.mp/125b1a997048/updates-to-the-geology-in-the-west-country-blog?e=71a78b414a
ENTERTAINMENT FOR LOCKDOWN
Some Geological(ish) Links, Websites & Magazines to Keep Adults and/or Kids Entertained During the Lockdown Newest items at the top of this section
Here is a trailer for the Jurassic Marine Fossils Museum – Steve Etches collection. Comment by Ray Pratt, WGCG Hon Sec, “Having listened to a lecture from Steve, talked with the man and been shown around his fantastic purpose built museum I can assure you that anyone interested in geology would be interested in this.” It is entitled: Stoneley Lecture: Plumbing the Depths of the Kimmeridge Clay With Rd Steve Etches MBE and part of GEOLiteracy Tour 2019 Also see: 16 Sept 2020 Zoom Talk: Life & Death in the Jurassic Sea of Dorset by Malcolm Hart for WGCG https://old-2021.wgcg.co.uk/events/event/sept-2020-talk-life-death-in-the-jurassic-sea-of-dorset-malcolm-hart/ NEWS: The August Extra 2020 edition of Down to Earth Magazine
Down to Earth – Down to Earth, Issue 92, August 2020, Part 1 of 2 (Page 1-19) is here to view on-screen or download Down to Earth – Down to Earth, Issue 92, August 2020, Part 2 of 2 (Page 20-40) is here to view on-screen or download Exotic Terranes of the Pacific Northwest This is a easy to understand lecture on Terranes. Delivered in a lively and amusing style, the lecture brings together important structural processes that are unravelled using lithology, paleomagnetism, biostratigraphy as well as other techniques. Whilst the area discussed is the NW of North America, the process applies to the Terranes of the UK. Well worth a watch. Speaker is Nick Zentner of Central Washington University. Members are invited to enjoy some Fieldwork at Home by revealing • The geology of your house, ground beneath, or garden, • Geology of your daily walk? • Your favourite specimen (rock, fossil. or mineral) or favourite geology related photograph in your collection? More info NEWS: The May 2020 edition of Down to Earth is here to view as an on-screen download Pages 1-16 and Pages 17-32
Geoheritage and the UK’s Most Significant Geological Sites – Rob Butler, University of Aberdeen
Excellent Geo Walk & Trail Guides – Free download: Leaflets, guides & books created/commissioned by WGCG – Please enjoy within Gov.uk Covid 19 Guidelines I.e., “One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household.”
Interpretation Boards & Panels – Free download: Created or commissioned by WGCG.
- The Dinosaur Database – Dinosaur Pictures and Facts
- Rockwatch – The UK’s Nationwide Geology Club for Children
- Earth Learning Ideas
- Deep TIme Voyager (see above) – is for all ages.
See: Virtual WGCG (in menu above) – as it is updated with new content to interest, entertain and inform during the Lockdown What is WGCG all about? See About WGCG
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