News

Jacqueline Kreller, winner of the 2005 David M. Forget Essay

The magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck the area off the western coast of northern Sumatra on Sunday morning, 26 December 2004, at 7:59 am local time (00:59 GMT) triggered massive tsunamis that inundated coastal areas in countries all around the Indian Ocean rim, including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The region is historically prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the margins of tectonic plates. However, tsunami waves of this magnitude are rare and the level of preparedness was very low.

Peter Russell

The oxidized zone of ore deposits has fascinated me for many years because of the process of their formation and the resulting reddish brown rocks. The colourful rocks are a signal to prospectors that economic ore cannot be far away. Stories abound of rusty outcrops luring prospectors across the southwestern U.S.A. to grub in the rocks to find a fortune, or a flicker of hope, which faded rapidly. Many generated a flurry of penny stocks, which changed from promise to worthless paper.

Wat On Earth: September 2005 (PDF)

This issue is authored by Alan V. Morgan

Alan V. Morgan

Duncan Kwok, Peter Russell, and Amy Sittler

The mineral talc is a hydrous magnesium silicate. A massive talcose rock is known as steatite, and an impure massive variety is called soapstone. 

Alan V. Morgan

Alan V. Morgan

One of my most treasured books is a first edition of Lyell's "Principles of Geology (being an attempt to explain the former changes of the Earth's Surface - by reference to causes now in operation)." Published in 1830 - in two volumes, although a third was added an 1833 - this was the same edition that Charles Darwin took with him on his round the world voyage of the Beagle.

A Teaching Tool for Earth Sciences Education
John Etches, Environmental Educator

The focus of this teaching tool is to foster an understanding of the scientific approach to the interpretation of the Earth's history and, therefore, provides insight into the discipline of geology.