Chris Rowan is a geologist specialising in the dark arts of paleomagnetism, and getting people to pay him to travel to exotic destinations for fieldwork. Having drilled up New Zealand during his PhD, and South Africa in his first post-doc, he now works at the University of Edinburgh.
Anne Jefferson has a love of all things water-related and blends hydrology, geomorphology, geology, and climate change in her work. She has a Ph.D. from Oregon State University and is now an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
One of the blogging commandments should probably be: know thy readers! Therefore we are following the example of Janet, DrugMonkey and various others (who are themselves riffing from Ed Yong's original idea) and asking you, our readers, to tell us a little about yourselves.
- Who are you? Academic or professional geologist, student, enthusiastic rockhound, general browser?
- What's your level of science education? Postgraduate, undergraduate, school, dropped it like a hot potato at earliest opportunity?
- What originally brought you to this blog, and what keeps you coming back (if indeed, you intend to)?
- Which of the topics covered here do you particularly enjoy? Is there anything you tend to skip?
- Are there any topics that would you like us to write about more often?
- If you lurk rather than commenting, are you content with that? Are there conditions that you think might suck you into commenting?
- If you could ask us to write one post explaining one basic concept in earth science, what would that concept be?
- And finally, we have to ask: which is better, water or rocks?
Comments
"Rocks! Of course." Said the Marie Currie Fellow Post Doc living in the Academic world who is currently doing experimental petrology to determine P/T for some metamorphic reactions and was referred to this blog (and the rest of the geoblog sphere) when she met Kim (of All My Faults are Stress Related) because she was the only other person with a livejournal account who listed things like metamorphic petrology and orogenesis under "interests".
Posted by: a life long scholar | July 3, 2010 8:59 AM
I would be a "general browser" with a Masters degree in Systems and Computer Engineering who spends 40+ hours/week hacking code in a Dilbertesque cube-farm. I don't remember how I found HA (probably followed a link from someplace else in SB). I'll read pretty much anything here because I think earth history is fascinating -- I would love to be able to read a landscape and tell its story, right back to the Pre-Cambrian. However, my formal geology education consisting of exactly one frosh rocks-for-engineers survey course (everything else I know I've picked up from my own reading), I can't do that (yet), and don't have much to contribute comment-wise. But that also means I particularly like posts that take an outcrop, or area, and tell its story.
Between rocks and water, I'd pick the former -- the latter being interesting mostly for what it does to the former. Sorry, Anne ;-). But the question provokes the following ear-worm (suggest fast-forwarding to ~2:00).
Posted by: Eamon Knight | July 3, 2010 10:16 AM
That last question is a trick question - it's scissors that are best, of course.
Posted by: Bob O'H | July 3, 2010 12:17 PM
Rocks are more interesting, but water's more important.
Posted by: Kim | July 3, 2010 1:29 PM
Oh thank goodness, Kim, at least someone is coming to water's defense!
Posted by: Anne Jefferson | July 3, 2010 1:42 PM
Rocks are great! However, water is indespensable and often quite photogenic (think: waterfalls, rapids, rivers, oceans...).
Posted by: Silver Fox | July 3, 2010 1:53 PM
You guys know me pretty well, but here are my answers anyway:
- professional geologist and active researcher
- graduate degrees in geology
- excellent writing has brought me to this blog
- I enjoy all the topics, it's the clarity of explanation that keeps me reading
- Might be interesting to see you guys bring your respective areas of expertise together somehow in a creative way (paleomag and hydrogeomorph, woot!)
- Rocks or water? Oh, I don't know ... I like rocks (or incipient rocks) that were deposited in relation to water!
Posted by: Brian Romans | July 3, 2010 2:03 PM
Rocks!
I'm an academic, but in a completely different field. I was a high school English teacher for 12 years, and now I am an English teacher educator with a ph.d. in reading education. HOWEVER! I am very interested in geology and I happen to teach at an institution that has what I reckon is a pretty good geology program, so I'm pursuing a bachelor's degree in geology/geophysics. One course at a time. I'll be about 80 when I finally graduate.
Level of science education: see above. It's complicated.
I was originally brought to this blog by the pretty pictures. Truth.
I'm pretty much a lurker. And I'm happy with that. But today I'm on vacation, so I have time to comment.
One topic: mass wasting. I can't help it, I love that stuff. The physics behind what makes something roll down a hill and what makes it stay put.
Posted by: Leslie Rush | July 3, 2010 2:14 PM
Anne beat my WoGE#201 in very short order, and I thought smugly that I had chosen a mildly difficult spot. So I come here in part to see that keen mind in action. I already had HA on my science blog feed list so I didn't have far to come, I just do it more often now.
-Eng Technologist (incomplete life science BSc program due to the excessive hedonism of youth and a need to fund that pursuit)
-work experience in Mining, Civil & Geotech
-child rockhound, adult broad science interest
-any topic is great, your judgement- so far so good
-rocks and water, since on Earth you can't meaningfully have one without the other, at least to a few thousand km into the mantle.
My first tech job was at a mine, where much of the geology was hydrothermal (quartz-molybdenite, calcite, kaolinite / illite / montmorillonite alteration) with post mineralization mafic intrusions. While as a child I lived near oceans, rivers and lakes constantly, and saw the effect of water on rock, the mine was my first adult understanding of how water and rock were inseparable partners even kms under the surface of Earth.
Posted by: Jimmy | July 3, 2010 3:20 PM
I am retired now, but I did work in the oil business for a while after getting a BS in Geology from Caltech.
Somewhere I heard about ScienceBlogs and just started looking for Geology-related stuff. I enjoy reading it, so I check back regularly. I like hearing about your paleomag work, because I used to do some of that, way back in the Dark Ages.
Rocks are better than plain water, but water can make ice, and ice can make glaciers, so I guess it is a toss-up.
Posted by: CherryBomb | July 3, 2010 3:56 PM
General browser; Post graduate who discovered this blog shortly after it arrived at SciBlogs, at a time when I was generally interested in increasing my understanding of geology. I like all kinds of stuff, but particularly those related to geohistory, especially as it relates to biohistory (so write more of them kind :). I also like your geoblogosphere dealie because it allows me to scan a lot of geology related posts without visiting each site. And of course, without question, beer is better.
Posted by: Divalent | July 3, 2010 5:32 PM
Geology professor (structure/tectonics background but teach at a community college). I browse a lot of blogs and read what's interesting to me.
Posted by: HudsonValleyGeologist | July 3, 2010 6:18 PM
Retired chemist, worked for DuPont for many years. I enjoy most topics, especially PZ and Greg Laden. Isis is never dull! My interest and experience in biology is a bit thin. Living in Canada, we don't seem to see some of the extremism existing in the US but we have issues for sure.
I post now and again, read a lot and fritter away the time. I write a science column now and again for a small newspaper.
Science Blogs is a required stop almost daily.
Posted by: Rod | July 3, 2010 8:45 PM
I'm an actuary (FCAS) and an avid amateur geologist (less of a rock hound and more interested in structural geology).
My BA was in a mathematical corner of psychlogy (psychophysics). I took an earth-science course 15 years ago, but have learned most of my geology by reading and podcasts.
I'm happy to lurk mostly. I love rocks, but scissors are nice too...
Posted by: Ezra Robison | July 3, 2010 10:41 PM
Female, 45, and I'm an enthusiastic general reader of science. I'm also a failed geology student - I spent 3 years as a major. I still like geology best, but I can't handle the math needed to be a professional. I found Scienceblogs several years ago and it's one of my favorite browsing spots on the net. I'm usually quite content to lurk. I think Aardvarchaeology and Eruptions are the only Sciblogs that have thus far tempted me to comment. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so earthquake news and research is always appreciated. Your new Friday Focal mechanisms looks like an excellent feature. I'd be very interested to hear more about slow quakes - Episodic Tremor and Slip. I would like to read more from both of the bloggers here, both rocks and water will be fine.
Posted by: JSB | July 4, 2010 5:19 AM
Love this blog - it is so informative - the stuff on the Haiti earthquake was superb - accurate, to the point, easily understandable but not dumbed down. This type of science writing is rare - so keep it up!
Semi pro geologist - mainly work in IT now but still highly active in earth science promotion - field studies, teach adult ed night classes, RIGS, stuff like that. Currently doing a part time MSc at Glasgow University looking at gabbroic intrusions in SE Mull
I live in the Isle of Mull, so its a geological Mecca here.
I think I originally found this blog via Pharyngula, but it may have just been a general google - cant remember!
Keep up the good work - earth science promotion at its finest!
Posted by: James Westland | July 4, 2010 8:02 AM
Lessee... shall have to put myself down as a geology fangirl with some rockhoundish tendencies. I want to know how the world works! I'm sick of looking at interesting rocks and not knowing what they are, and really sick of looking at a landscape without knowing how it formed.
Formal education stopped at some outstanding physical geology courses at a community college, but have been filling in with a number of books that (currently) outweigh the number of rocks dwelling in my domicile.
I can't remember how I got here - most likely a link from one of the other science bloggers. There's not enough geology around ScienceBlogs! If I'd known what "allochthonous" meant before I came to this blog, would've been here sooner. ;-) The excellent writing on all things geology keeps me returning. And I likes it all - including the Twitter links. As for topics, all I really want from you is more. On everything.
I like being a lurker. That allows me to shut up and learn. Guess I'd comment more if there was some sort of "Time for the geology novices to ask silly questions of the professionals" feature.
As far as one post... mountain-building. Though you may have covered that at some point in the past and I haven't seen it yet...
And, finally, ROCKS! ROCKS ROCKS ROCKS ROCKS ROCKS! Although I should really learn more about water, but let's face it, it's not something you'd normally pluck up, put in a pocket, and take home as a souvenir and a mystery waiting to be solved. It's beautiful in its native setting, but stuck in a little vial on a table, it doesn't tell stories like rocks do. I'm originally from Arizona, after all - water's a novelty, but rocks are old, solid friends.
Thanks for all the lovely geology!
Posted by: Dana Hunter | July 4, 2010 8:22 AM
-Academic AND professional AND recreational geologist in Seattle: I teach it mornings, consult it afternoons, and hike it weekends and holidays (on Haleakala as I write this).
-BA, History, 1981; MS, Geology, 2008
-Was referred to HA by WOM.
-I don't skip much. I read almost everything.
-Rocks OR water? Pff. Rocks AND water. I vote for more geobiology, which happens at the interface of water and rock.
-I lurk because y'all are smarter than I am and because you have more interesting things to say than I do. However, since you asked, I promise to post when I have something smart and interesting to say.
-You might talk about the relationship between watery surface processes and tectonics. E.g., it has been shown that faster erosion has lead to faster (vertical) uplift in parts the Himalayas (Finnegan et al., 2008). Is there a relationship between water or clay (a la Schleicher et al., 2010) and the enormous (horizontal) distances thrust sheets have travelled? if you can fit microbes into the thrust sheet story, that'd be sweet.
Thanks, HA team.
Posted by: Matthew von der Ahe | July 4, 2010 10:24 PM
General browser with rockhound background. Undergrad science (with intro local geology course) follower of mags like New Scientist & Scientific American. Stumbled on the blog while looking up the Lusi mud volcano. Kept reading the allgeo aggregation. I scan HA but don't read as much since you left South Africa. I lurk because I don't have anything stronger than opinions to add. I wouldn't mind seeing yearly updates on Lusi. Rocks to look at water to follow the processes. Cheers. Steve
Posted by: Steve Gunnell | July 4, 2010 10:32 PM
Rocks for me..
graduate degree in geology
I don't comment regularly but am an avid reader of this blog. I like the clear explanations and the liberal use of excellent figures and diagrams.
Posted by: suvrat | July 5, 2010 12:13 AM
I am a professional internet troll. For the past seven years, I have not left my mother's basement, and I spend all my time posting derogatory comments on websites in exchange for money, scraps of food, or laundry service. I read this site because I once tried to burrow my way out of mom's basement, and when I reached the bedrock, it was always leaky where the sandstone meets the smooth, wavy rock. This makes the sandstone crumbly, so I have nowhere to attach my manacles. And I don't want to dig my escape tunnel there because it is too wet.
Posted by: Lab Lemming | July 5, 2010 8:21 AM
I got a degree in Geology in 1971 and used it for a bit while working in Africa where, in addition to the day job as an information officer, I did some field work on the geology of SE Botswana in relation to Landsat imagery. Got an MPhil from the OU for that (one of the first MPhils) and then tutored Science Foundation course Earth Science for the OU during the 1980s. Worked in a Middle Eastern ministry of water resources during the 1990s where I had to write up glowing descriptions of what the ministry was doing whilst gritting my teeth. Came across HA serendipitously on Twitter and have enjoyed the well-written posts. I feel too ignorant these days to make intelligent contributions via comments. Rocks surely are interesting but my professional background has made me realise just how vital it is to follow the water. I see Chris Rowan's tweets about posts but I haven't seen any of Anne's posts yet, other than a terrific photo of a piedmont glacer which is currently my PC wallpaper.
Posted by: Sue Hutton | July 5, 2010 9:54 AM
* Who are you? Academic or professional geologist, student, enthusiastic rockhound, general browser? I'm none of these...I am a middle school teacher who has to try and make earth science the most riveting year my students have spent in school. Since I never thought any of this was cool, I've been reading and reading to learn more so that I can reverse the feeling I had.
* What's your level of science education? Postgraduate, undergraduate, school, dropped it like a hot potato at earliest opportunity? I was more of a math person so I did the minimum...girls weren't welcomed in the sciences back in my day.
* What originally brought you to this blog, and what keeps you coming back (if indeed, you intend to)? I'm learning so much from what you write and then I turn around and share it with my students. They love what you write.
* Which of the topics covered here do you particularly enjoy? Is there anything you tend to skip? Some of it gets too technical for me and for them, so we skip that. But we get lots of help
* Are there any topics that would you like us to write about more often? We learn so much about earthquakes and volcanoes....anytime something blows up a middle schoolers thinks it's wonderful
* If you lurk rather than commenting, are you content with that? Are there conditions that you think might suck you into commenting? Not sure.
* If you could ask us to write one post explaining one basic concept in earth science, what would that concept be?
* And finally, we have to ask: which is better, water or rocks? Water seems much more understandable to me and the kids....but we are gradually learning more about rocks. The stories they have to tell. But it's tough to fall in love with them when there is no money for field trips and rocks are limited to what I can bring into my classroom.
Posted by: Marsha Ratzel | July 5, 2010 10:38 AM
A more serious response:
1) Professional geologist with grad degree, consulting.
2) see above
3) I probably came here originally through Kim's old blog; I come back for great reports about everything you write about - old rocks, paleomagicianry, eqkes, water, geomorph...
4) Love the reporting on eqkes, love seeing water and rocks related to landscape (or anything related to landscape/geomorph).
5) I'd like some posts that explain some of the hydro terminology, which wasn't being used (or was hidden from us rock-types) when I was in school some 30-odd yrs ago.
6) I mostly lurk, comment occasionally.
7) And would it be at all worthwhile/reasonable to have a few posts explaining how geomorph has changed since Wm Morris Davis? That's almost history of geomorphology, maybe, but advances have been made and ideas have changed.
8) You gotta have both!
Posted by: Silver Fox | July 5, 2010 11:32 AM
1. professional (Hydrogeology/Environmental).
2. B.S Geology, completed graduate course work mainly in geophysics (& some hydrogeology).
3. Link from another blog, enjoy the links and commentary.
4. I like the varied topics and tying them together.
5. Interactions between the geologic specialties, and with other professions.
6. Write BS (e.g. neoliberal economics) and you may get a comment.
7. Gravity.
8. Depends on the situation.
Posted by: jeg3 | July 5, 2010 12:44 PM
BSc Geol / Biol Joint Honours, specialising in Palaeontology, now turned to the Dark Side of the Internet and the big ole Yankee Dollar.
I found the blog from a search about Ediacaran organisms in Namibia, which is my passion.
Well researched, interesting articles. I still dig rocks (literally, most weekends). Plus I accidentally set this blog to my homepage and I don't know how to change it back (parts of this paragraph are not true).
I enjoy anything Geol. Keep it coming!
Write more about the Precambrian! :-)
I normally lurk, but haven't been a lurker long and intend to be a poster.
I debate a lot of growing Earth nutjob pseudoscientists... I'd like to know more about the early Pacific Ocean - what is the current state of the art information about it Pre-Jurassic.
Water on rocks, then those bits of rocks in water, then just rocks, then start it all over again.
Posted by: peter hent | July 5, 2010 2:35 PM
1. Rockhound from birth, got the bug from my dad and grandfather. I'm an HR executive who is going to law school at night, but my brother is a geologist.
2. MBA with undergraduate degree in Political Science. During undergraduate school I took physics, geophysics and astronomy to fulfill my science requirements.
3. Linked from another blog - I think for the Haiti summary. I love coming back, especially for the info about Yellowstone and earthquakes in general. Dr. Lucy at Cal Tech is my hero!
4. I like your variety of topics, but if pressed I would not mind more on volcanoes
5. I prefer to lurk most of the time, with only an occasional comment.
6. Maybe something about the current trends and methodologies in research, and perhaps some items you think you know, but that recent research has changed the thinking about.
7. Oooohh, that is a tough question. I love the water too, but a good rock is hard to beat.
Posted by: Michele | July 6, 2010 5:27 PM
I'm just getting my feet wet as an undergrad with full intention of continuing on to graduate/masters level degree at Oregon State. I've spent loads of time in Death Valley, Titus Cyn, Nopah range, some mapping. I came here looking for work that has been done (if any) of the potential connected ness of the heat source under the basin and range province as it may or may not relate to subducted seafloor spreading center now under said province and potential of connectedness to Baja spreading center. Thanks for the articles and info, I just bookmarked you! SD
Posted by: Sean D | July 7, 2010 11:00 PM
1. Geoscience editor, friend to geoscientists, likes walking, stretching out, and picnicking on rocks.
2. Does a psych degree count? Otherwise, finished w/some biology in undergrad college...
3. Came to this blog under the influence of Twitter - come back for the people and good science/social stuff.
4, 5, 6, 7 -- lurker, no special designs on what I want or want to see more of... I appreciate this blog as a resource for Tweeting and linking to in GSA Connection.
8. Water!
Posted by: Kea | July 8, 2010 4:39 PM
1) my BA maybe in geology & music, but my graduate degrees are simply in geology
2) I probably followed Kim...
3) sorry Anne, but water is just not my thing, so I tend to read all of Chris's posts & only about half of Anne's
4) I like Chris's idea about the weekly seismic reports... maybe also a weekly water roundup (I would promise to read it!)
5) I usually feel like others have already commented what I might have said, so I lurk more than I otherwise might
6) no idea for one post...
7) and I like rocks better, but water prob wins out for what will be more useful to the general public
Posted by: Elli | July 9, 2010 3:57 PM
Obviously, I'm behind on blog reading.
Who are you? I am a librarian who loves science. As a kid, I had colorful nightmares about the mountain near my home erupting and burying my town in Colorado; consequently, as an adult, I made sure that all 3 of my kids know the difference between a metamorphic mountain and an igneous one (Roan Plateau is largely composed of oil shale). When you live in Colorado where cool formations abound, you're likely to have an interest in geology.
What's your level of science education? I took geology courses in college as an undergrad.
I tried out a lot of different science blogs. This one has personality, along with good information.
I have no strong opinions on the other questions, but I suppose that in the water vs. rocks question, I vote for erosion, which is performed partly by water on rocks. Erosion is what the western US is all about.
Posted by: Jude | July 12, 2010 4:42 PM
Also catching up and will follow Highly Allochthonous at their new location. Best wishes for a smooth transition.
Who are you? Environmental engineering professional, with outside interests, like geology, that manage to creep the workside of life (see below).
What's your level of science education? Postgraduate, former academic.
What originally brought you to this blog?
Geology of Scotland posts, of course.
Which of the topics covered here do you particularly enjoy?
Serial posts on a theme. Seismic activity reports. Anne's water quality and hydrology posts.
Detailed technical explanations (with excellent graphics) for the geological setting and seismic history for major earthquakes, provided here, cannot be under-estimated in their importance.
Is there anything you tend to skip? No.
Are there any topics that would you like us to write about more often?
Yes. The worlds civil unrest 'hotspots' tend to be natural resource problem areas, especially for potable water access. A bit of hydrology background/history to explain why, would go a long way to understanding decades of violence, disease, poverty in these areas.
Afghanistan and Haiti for instance.
If you lurk rather than commenting, are you content with that? Are there conditions that you think might suck you into commenting?
I comment occasionally. Your posts tend to be uniformly high-quality and informative. More would be better, if possible. If you need coin, make T-Shirts or cool posters for a fund raiser, if necessary - I would happily support you.
If you could ask us to write one post explaining one basic concept in earth science, what would that concept be?
People have to connect personal choices and ethos to the quality of their environment, particularly air, water and soil quality. This has an truly staggering impact on environmental health, and in turn, human health and welfare.
Anything you can post to help your readers understand soil-water-rock interactions, leaching and contaminant migration as a result of surface and groundwater pollution would be a marvelous help.
And finally, we have to ask: which is better, water or rocks?
Hand-and-glove. You cannot separate the two. Together, they make this blog a must read.
One more favor: consider hosting a 'journal club' once a month with a favorite paper that changed how you think about a topic.
Cheers!
Posted by: Passerby | July 12, 2010 8:42 PM