science

I Shall Distract You With a Bearded Dragon and a Geology Picture

Dana Hunter2 Comments

It’s one o’ those weeks, people. I haven’t got time to write anything of substance. So I shall give you a video of a bearded dragon playing video games instead.

When I saw that, I about died from the cute. And then I decided I need to get a smartphone and see if I can teach my cat how to play Angry Birds.

Ye olde blog’s been notably light on geology lately. I haven’t had the time to research and write as I’d like, a fact I’ll remedy shortly. In the meantime, Evelyn’s started a geopic meme, and I’d best jump on that bandwagon before it’s left the parade, eh? Here’s a lovely little snap from Rosario Beach, San Juan Islands, Washington:

Wave refraction, ribbon chert, argillite, and basalts, oh my. You can take a virtual field trip here. And someday, I promise, I’ll take you on an in-depth exploration of the place.

I Shall Distract You With a Bearded Dragon and a Geology Picture
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Okay, So This Is Only the Greatest Plate Tectonics Song Ever

Dana Hunter5 Comments

I didn’t know this song existed 5 minutes ago. Then I pulled up YouTube, saw it in the “recommended,” and decided what the hell. Now it’s one of my favorite geology songs of all times.

Watch the video. Just don’t do so in a place where peals of laughter are frowned upon, i.e. at funerals, during wedding ceremonies, or if you work for a humorless corporation.

Okay, So This Is Only the Greatest Plate Tectonics Song Ever

That'll Be Me. In a Book. A Paper One, Even

Dana Hunter16 Comments

So, I’m in the midst of a frantic day of playing catch-up, I glance at my email, and I see this thing that says “Welcome to Open Lab 2012.” And for a moment, I’m not really absorbing that. I’m like, “I didn’t sign up for any conferences yet. Oh, hey, there’s an email from the folks who’re doing that pitch workshop tomorrow night that work doesn’t want me to go to because poor planning on their part constitutes an emergency on my part, and… ZOMG WTF?”

Oh. Right. Open Lab’s not a conference, it’s an anthology. One that Chris Rowan nominated me for (yeah, saw right through that innocent whistle, buddy). So I open the email, and it’s got all this verbiage about how “Adorers of the Good Science of Rock-breaking” has been accepted and here’s a contract and some edits and professional author stuff. Oh, and we need these rights so it can be published world-wide.

What?!

They are going to chop down trees and make them into paper and print my words on it, and then bind that paper together with paper that has got words from rock-star quality science bloggers on it, and they’ll put all those pages in a nice cover and release it to the world next fall, and I still can’t quite believe that’s actually taking place. I’ll probably be clutching that book, looking at my by-line, and still not believing this is actually taking place. I’ll have to find a good psychiatrist before then. That way, I’ll have a professional specializing in the treatment of psychiatric disorders assuring me that I haven’t had a psychotic break.

On the assumption that I have not, actually, had a psychotic break, thank you! Thank you, Chris Rowan, for nominating me. Thank you, my friends in the geoblogosphere, for inspiring me. Thank you, my readers, for giving me a reason to write words down and post them. Thank you, Open Lab, for briefly taking leave of your senses and choosing that post of mine for inclusion. Thank you, everyone who believed I wrote words worthy of this.

Now, if one of you happens to live in the Seattle area, would you kindly drop by and give me a rather large pinch?

That'll Be Me. In a Book. A Paper One, Even

Educating a Professor

Dana Hunter2 Comments

Science is complicated. Experts in one field may have only passing acquaintance with another, and can get things rather wrong when they step outside their comfort zone. Case in point:

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/glacial_till/status/142406581416497153″]

Now, mind you, this wouldn’t be much of an issue – yes, a professor shouldn’t be spreading misinformation, but we all get things wrong sometimes. But this gentleman, when advised that it’s heat from the mantle that drives plate tectonics, and that said heat is the result of radioactive decay, did not say, “Whoops, my bad.” He doubled down and claimed that the Moon’s gravitational pull is still the main driving force. Considering how minuscule that tug is, there’s no way it could generate so much heat. Yet this educator seems to think the Moon is Jupiter, we’re Io, and about a dozen professional geologists taking him to school on Twitter are wrong.

Perhaps the BBC can educate him.

And then…

And there you have it.

Now that we’ve had our class with yummy Scottish accents and sweeping visuals, I believe we should indulge in a sing-song.

 

Educating a Professor

Accretionary Wedge #40: Hey, Pumpkin, You Rock!

Dana Hunter1 Comment

Okay, yes, lame-ass post title. It’s all a cunning plan to get you to click away from here and go savor the spicy pumpkin goodness of the 40th Accretionary Wedge, in which geo-lanterns are on delightful display.

See? We still do geology round here occasionally! More to come, I promise!

Accretionary Wedge #40: Hey, Pumpkin, You Rock!

Near Seattle? Bored? I Haz Solutionz For Ye

Dana Hunter

So, you don’t shop (or you’re done shopping), you’re sick of hanging round the house looking at relatives and leftover turkey, and you’d like to go do something interesting with your life. Possibly even with your relatives.

I haz things for ye.

Burien Little Theatre’s Inspecting Carol opens this weekend. Saturday’s date night will get you two-for-one tickets if you order by email or phone. I believe Sunday’s sold out, but the play’s on until December 18th, so you’ve got a little time. It looks hysterical – don’t miss it. I’ll be going either next Sunday or the one after – if you’re interested in heading down there with me, let me know, and we’ll make a day of it.

On Monday night, the Forum on Science and Ethics Policy has an event you might want to partake of:

FOSEP will co-host the Science on Tap talk on November 28th at 7pm at Ravenna Third Place Pub. A clinical veterinarian from SNBL (Preclinical Services for Drug Development) USA will present “Drug Safety and Animal Research – No safe alternatives”. This presentation will discuss why animals are needed for certain laboratory studies and the role of alternative solutions in animal research. Please note, that this talk does not reflect the views of FOSEP or its members in line with our non-advocacy position; however, we are excited to work with Science on Tap!

I’m hoping to make it, but I’d dedicated this weekend to the gods of NaNo. Even an atheist doesn’t fuck with them. But we’ll see if I can negotiate a temporary release.

So there you go. Things to do! People to see! Fun to be had!

As for my non-Seattle area readers, I’m afraid all you can do is look on us with envy. That, or find local events of your very own.

Near Seattle? Bored? I Haz Solutionz For Ye

Sweeping Sands

Dana Hunter3 Comments

First, let me take your breath away. Just for a moment. I’ll give it back, I promise.

Sand Dunes, Oregon Coast

Back in 2010, my intrepid companion and I went geotrekking with Lockwood, and he took us to see some ethereal dunes on the Oregon coast just north of Florence. This photo comes from a viewpoint somewhere past Darlingtonia Wayside, below Seal Rock Cave. I’ve had it on my mind to write up for ages now. I still haven’t got the research done, but Brian Romans and Galileo’s Pendulum have declared Sand Dune Week, so now’s as good a time as any to tease you with a few photos, and reminisce about Sand Dunes I Have Known.

Continue reading “Sweeping Sands” →

Sweeping Sands

Not Made of Cheese (Definitely) nor Labradorite (Probably): Lunar Anorthosite

Dana Hunter2 Comments

When last we left labradorite, we’d discussed the fact that large bits of the Moon are composed of anorthosite. Isn’t that labradorite, you ask? And the answer is no. Not quite. Labradorite is a mineral, and anorthosite is a rock often made of it, but the two are not precisely equivalent.

I’m thrilled to say that ye olde labradorite post inspired another post at Sandatlas on just this topic: Lunar anorthosite. This is brilliant! It clarifies a lot of confusion and explains a lot about the Moon in the process.

So go read that, and enjoy some lovely pictures of anorthosite fetched down from the moon by Apollo astronauts.

Thin section photograph of Apollo 16 Rake Sample(s) 60055,4 using cross nichols light*

 

Lunar Ferroan Anorthosite 60025

 

Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison Schmitt Collects Lunar Rock Samples

*Mind you, that’s “crossed nicols” (.pdf), despite what the caption from NASA says. Thanks to Silver Fox for the correction!

Not Made of Cheese (Definitely) nor Labradorite (Probably): Lunar Anorthosite