Dig Deeper: Week 3 – Coastal Defences at Lyme Regis
Week three of our Dig Deeper series takes Rockwatchers to a place many consider to be the birthplace of earth sciences – Lyme Regis. Retired teacher and resident expert in geography and geology of Weymouth and its surrounding areas, Alan Holiday explores why Lyme Regis is such a haven for geologists. As a regular Rockwatch magazine contributor and field trip leader, Alan is the perfect person to show us why the underlying geology at...
Bone Cancer Diagnosed in Dinosaur
Rockwatchers interested in the fields of geology and medicine may be intrigued to read a post written by Gretchen Vogel of Science magazine that reports on some fascinating findings recently published in The Lancet Oncology confirming a bone cancer diagnosis in a dinosaur. The dinosaur bone belonged to a Centrosaurus, which was a horned, plant-eating dinosaur. This particular dinosaur, discovered in Alberta in Canada, lived...
Fossil of Hell Ant proves different killer strategy
Rockwatchers may be interested to read a post written by Lucy Hicks of Science magazine who reports on a new-found fossil which proves how an ancient species of ants known as Hell Ants – or Ceratomyrmex ellenbergeri – killed their prey differently to modern ants. Lucy writes that the scientists who wrote the paper for Current Biology believe that these ancient extinct species of ants caught and killed prey by moving its...
Free online film and Q&A on travelling time with rocks
Rockwatchers who have already caught up with our most recent instalment in the Dig Deeper series About Time by Dr Robert Chandler will be interested to know there’s an online event taking place this Wednesday 12th August from 10.00-11.30am, with Dr Anjana Khatwa on this very subject. Anjana – also known as JurassicGirl – will be doing a spot of time travelling herself to reveal the mysteries hidden inside rocks that...
Dig Deeper – About Time
Week two of our Dig Deeper series is About Time – a field trip with a difference. In fact, Dr Robert Chandler will be taking you on a journey through and about time. Dr Who fans will appreciate the analogy for sure! Robert had his passion for geology sparked as a young boy and spent his entire career passing on this passion as a teacher to many young people, and now as a Rockwatch Ambassador, brings his expertise and passion to...
Rockwatch Treasurer and Committee Member, John Crocker sadly died
We are very sad to report the death of Dr John Crocker on 22nd May 2020. John had been the Rockwatch Treasurer and a greatly valued member of the Rockwatch Management Committee for many years. Part of John’s Chemistry degree was a course in Geology which led to a lifelong fascination of the subject – mainly rocks and minerals. He loved to go out into the field and collect specimens and ‘read’ the landscape. The picture shows...