Talks

The Chalk of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire belongs to a sedimentary basin distinct from, and yet closely related to, other late Cretaceous basins in southern England. For many years, geologists attempted to fit the southern biostratigraphy onto the northern succession; rather like fitting a square peg in a round hole!

Given by Mike Howgate (HGS). Abstract: To most interested lay-people and even most vertebrate palaeontologists the theory that birds arose from a group of Theropod dinosaurs is now regarded as an incontestable fact. However there are a handful of dissenters from this supposed certainty. I am one. I will start by outlining the position of […]

given by Dr Mick Oates (Retired: BG) Abstract: Ammonites are a popular subject, as they are both common and rather attractive planispiral fossils.  So it is no surprise that they attracted interest from ancient times.  The talk will cover a lot of ground, from early beliefs attached to these petrifactions dug from the ground to […]

given by Dr Colin Prosser (Principle Specialist in Geoconservation, Natural England). Rearranged from October 2020. Abstract: The UK is extremely geodiverse with many geological features and sites of international, national and local importance for research, education, tourism and recreation. However, we are a small country with a large population and our geoheritage is subject to […]

given by Tony Doré (Global Chief Scientist, Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI) agdore@gmail.com, tdore@egi.utah.edu) Abstract: Meeting burgeoning global energy demand while mitigating anthropogenic climate change must overcome the challenges of denial and indifference, and also the negation of some genuine attempts by industry to move towards cleaner energy.  Real progress will come not from blame […]

given by Dr Bethan Davies (Royal Holloway, University of London) Abstract: Understanding how the last British-Irish Ice Sheet behaved in response to external climatic forcing may be used as an analogue for how the Antarctic Ice Sheet may behave in the future. We can use these empirical datasets to calibrate numerical simulations and better understand […]

given by Dr. Neil Adams (University of Oxford Natural History Museum) Abstract: A repeated response to abrupt climate warming among vertebrates is body size reduction, which has been observed in response to anthropogenic climate change and to abrupt warming events in the geological record. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this size decrease among […]

given by Prof. Steve Sparks (University of Bristol). Abstract: The volcanic eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat (1995 to 2010) is one of the most detailed studied eruptions of an andesite volcano. The research led to major advances in understanding volcanic processes. The eruption was also a traumatic experience for the people of Montserrat […]

Progress so far; understanding the risks; and how technology, planning and logistics help address the challenges of tunnelling through a highly fractured chalk aquifer. given by David Eve (ALIGN, Head of Engagement & Compliance for HS2) Abstract: Who are Align and how does the company fit within the HS2 structure? This leads on to an […]

given by Dr. Tony Waltham, travelling geologist. Abstract: A long and varied history of great canal construction extended throughout the 1800s, and included the first attempt at a canal across Panama, which failed in its early stages. It was therefore into the next century that that the Americans built the Panama Canal between 1904 and […]