Free Online Publications About Oldest Putative (Circa 3.4 Ga) Stromatolites

Free Online Publications About Oldest Putative (Circa 3.4 Ga) Stromatolites

Beautifully illustrated publications about the
Strelley Pool Formation and Apex Chert and the
putative oldest Precambrian (3.4 Ga) stromatolites
that they contain are available for free online as
PDF files. These publications are well-illustrated
with color figures, maps, and pictures.

Brasier, M. D., O. R. Green, J. F. Lindsay, N.
McLoughlin, C. A. Stoakes, A. T. Brasier, and D.
Wacey, 2011, Geology and putative microfossil
assemblage of the c. 3460 Ma Apex Chert,
China Creek, Western Australia : a field
and petrographic guide. Record no. 2011/7,
Geological Survey of Western Australia.
http://www.academia.edu/707534/Geology_and_putative_Microfossil_Assemblage_of_the_3460Ma_Apex_Chert_Western_Australia_-_a_Field_and_Petrographic_Guide

PDF file also found using “Apex Chert” in search
page at: http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/GSWApublications

Wacey, D., N. McLoughlin, C. Stoakes, M. R. Kilbrun
O. R. Green, and M. D. Brasier, 2010, The 3426-3350
Ma Strelley Pool Formation in the East Strelley
Greenstone Belt: a field and petrographic guide. Record
no. 2010/10, Geological Survey of Western Australia.,
Perth, Australia. 64 pp.
http://www.academia.edu/436814/The_3426-3350_Ma_Strelley_Pool_Formation_in_the_East_Strelley_Greenstone_Belt_-_A_Field_and_Petrographic_Guide

PDF file found using “Strelley Pool” in search page at:
http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/GSWApublications

Hickman, A. H., 2008, Regional Review of the 3426-
3350 Ma Strelley Pool Formation, Pilbara Craton, Western
Australia. Record no. 2008/05, Geological Survey of
Western Australia, Perth, Australia. 27 pp.

PDF file found using “Strelley Pool” in search page at:
http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/GSWApublications

Allwood, A., 2007, Stratigraphy and facies of the 3.43
Ga Strelley Pool Chert. Record no. 2008/05, Geological
Survey of Western Australia. Record no. 2007/11,
Geological Survey of Western Australia. Perth, Australia.
27 pp.

PDF file found using “Strelley Pool” in search page at:
http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/GSWApublications

Yours,

Paul H.

"The Cloud" - Great Ted Talk About Being A Scientist

"The Cloud" - Great Ted Talk About Being A Scientist

This is a great Ted Talk that speaks to a part
of conducting science that scientists do not
normally talk about to the lay public

Uri Alon, 2013, Why truly innovative science
demands a leap into the unknown
TEDGlobal 2013, Film 2013.
https://www.ted.com/talks/uri_alon_why_truly_innovative_science_demands_a_leap_into_the_unknown?language=en

There is a web page with materials that give
advice about being a scientist. It is:

Materials for Naturing Young Scientists,
Uri Alon Lab, at:
http://wws.weizmann.ac.il/mcb/UriAlon/index.php?q=materials-nurturing-scientists

It has papers about choosing research topics,
how not to a seminar, and so forth.

For an unrelated story about misadventures
in the peer-review process, go see;

When @#%$! is your imaginary co-author,
Sifter Science News, AAAS
http://news.sciencemag.org/sifter/2014/10/when-is-your-imaginary-co-author?

The true story of Stronzo Bestiale (and other
scientific jokes) by vito tartamella, Parolacce,
Oct. 5, 2014
http://www.parolacce.org/2014/10/05/the-true-story-of-stronzo-bestiale/

Yours

Paul H.

Basaltic Sedimentary Rocks, Gale Crater, Mars

Basaltic Sedimentary Rocks, Gale Crater, Mars

GSA 2014: The puzzle of Gale crater's basaltic
sedimentary rocks by Emily Lakdawalla, The
Planetary Society, October 24, 2014,
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/10231731-gsa-2014-the-puzzle-of-gale.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Free Geologic Time Scale Creator

Free Geologic Time Scale Creator

TimeScale Creator
by Katelyn Verner and Rebecca Bobick,Purdue University

https://engineering.purdue.edu/Stratigraphy/tscreator/index/index.php

According to the web page:

“TimeScale Creator, a free JAVA package, enables
you to explore and create charts of any portion of
the geologic time scale from an extensive suite of
global and regional events in Earth History. The
internal database suite encompasses over 20,000
biologic, geomagnetic, sea-level, stable isotope,
and other events – details are given on the
BUILT-IN DATA page. All ages in TSCreator
version 5.4 are currently standardized to Geologic
Time Scale 2004, and to the Concise Geologic
Time Scale, 2008 compilation. The age model
for TSCreator version 6.3 is from "The Geologic
Time Scale 2012" by F.M. Gradstein, J.G. Ogg,
M.D. Schmitz and G.M. Ogg (Elsevier, 2012).”

Webinars about the TimeScale Creator and other
uses of computers in paleontology and geology
can bed found in "C4P Webinars" at
http://workspace.earthcube.org/c4p/content/c4p-webinars

A related web page is the “Collaboration and
Cyberinfrastructure for Paleogeosciences’ web page at
http://workspace.earthcube.org/c4p .

Yours,

Paul H.

Was There a Sixth Prehistoric Mass Extinction?

Was There a Sixth Prehistoric Mass Extinction?

'Missing' disaster led to all-time worst extinction
by Jeff Hecht, Newc Scientist, October 23, 2014
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22429922.300-missing-disaster-led-to-alltime-worst-extinction.html

Have we missed a mass extinction? Extra catastrophic
event may have occurred 8 million years before the
‘Great Dying’, claim experts by Ellie Zolfgharifard,
Daily Mail, Oct. 23, 2014
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2805194/Have-missed-mass-extinction-Extra-catastrophic-event-occurred-8-million-years-Great-Dying-claim-experts.html

The talk is:

Bond, D. P. G., Wignall, P. B., M. M. Joachimski,
and others, 2014, Catastrophic Middle Permian
Extinction and Extraordinary Recovery in High
Latitudes. Geological Society of America Abstracts
with Programs. vol. 46, no. 6, p.170,
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014AM/webprogram/Paper241677.html
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014AM/webprogram/Session35273.html

Yours,

Paul H.

The"Great Unconformity" And Other Essays About Rocks and Fossils

The"Great Unconformity" And Other Essays About Rocks and Fossils

There is a great blog called "Written in Stone,
which has a number of great and well-illustrated
essays about geology. This includes a series
about the "Great Unconformity."

The Great Unconformity of the Grand Canyon
and the Late Proterozoic-Cambrian Time Interval:
Part I - Defining It
http://written-in-stone-seen-through-my-lens.blogspot.com/2012/01/great-unconformity-of-grand-canyon-part.html

The Great Unconformity and the Late Proterozoic-
Cambrian Time Interval: Part II - The Rifting of
Rodinia and the "Snowball Earth" Glaciations
That Followed
http://written-in-stone-seen-through-my-lens.blogspot.com/2012/02/great-unconformity-of-grand-canyon-part.html

The Great Unconformity at Baker's Bridge:
Part III - Regional Geological and Global
Bio-Evolutionary Significance
http://written-in-stone-seen-through-my-lens.blogspot.com/search/label/Great%20Unconformity

Yours,

Paul H.

Megathrust Earthquakes (NW US) and largest Volcano On Earth - Interesting Online Talks

Megathrust Earthquakes (NW US) and largest Volcano On Earth - Interesting Online Talks

Magnitude 9 - How We Learned that the Largest
Earthquakes on Earth Happen in BC, Deep Time,
Global Change and YOU lecture series,
February 27, 2014 - Simon Fraser University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD0BRSST_8U

A paper that supplements this lecture is:

Atwater B. F., M.-R. Satoko, S. Kenji, T.
Yoshinobu, u. Kazue, and D. K. Yamaguchi
2005, The Orphan Tsunami of 1700—Japanese
Clues to a Parent Earthquake in North America.
Professional Paper no. 1707, U.S. Geological
Survey, Reston, Virginia.

PDF file at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1707/ and
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1707/pp1707.pdf

Another lecture from the same university that
I found interesting, but on another topic is:

Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin and Beyond,
Simon Fraser University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX6aGp3wGlw

and an interesting and informative lecture from the
Houston Geological Society is:

The Largest Volcano in the World-Mid Pacific Ocean
William Sager, HGSGeoEducation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bhUEYNNr1Y

Yours

Paul H.

The Fine Art of Reconstructing Prehistoric Animals

The Fine Art of Reconstructing Prehistoric Animals

Below are some articles about the realities, fantasies,
preconceptions, and pitfalls involved with the
reconstruction of prehistoric vertebrates from their
fossils.

Patterns in Palaeontology: Palaeoart – fossil fantasies
or recreating lost reality? by Mark P. Witton Paleontology
Online, http://www.palaeontologyonline.com/articles/2014/patterns-palaeontology-palaeoart-fossil-fantasies-recreating-lost-reality/
and http://www.palaeontologyonline.com/articles/category/patterns-in-palaeontology/

The accuracy of palaeoart and the 'new' Spinosaurus
by Mark P. Witton, September 1, 2014, Witton’s Blog
http://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-accuracy-of-palaeoart-and-new.html

The changing life appearance of dinosaurs by
Darren Naish, Scientific American, September 1, 2014
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/2014/09/01/changing-life-appearance-of-dinosaurs/?print=true

Paul H.

New Paper About Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis

New Paper About Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis

Holliday, V. T., T. Surovell, D. J. Meltzer, D. K. Grayson,
and M. Boslough, 2014, The Younger Dryas impact
hypothesis: a cosmic catastrophe. Journal of Quaternary
Science. vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 515–530, August 2014

Abstract at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jqs.2724/full

PDF file athttp://www.geo.arizona.edu/sites/www.geo.arizona.edu/files/pictures/JQS2014--Holliday%20et%20al.%20FULL.pdf

A couple of recent abstracts about the Corossol Crater,
which is mentioned in the above paper are:

Higgins, M. D., P. Lajeunesse, G. St-Onge, R. Sanfacon, and
M. Duchesne, 2013, Impact Breccia Clast from the Corossol
Crater, Canada. 76th Annual Meteoritical Society Meeting.
Meteoritics and Planetary Science Supplement, id.5190
http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2013/pdf/5190.pdf

Higgins, M. D., P. Lajeunesse, G. St-Onge, J. Locat,
R. Sanfacon, and M.J. Duchesne, 2014, The Submarine
4-km diameter Corossol Crater, Eastern Canada: Evidence
for an impact origin.''] Geophysical Research Abstracts.
vol. 16, p. EGU2014-4190.
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2014/EGU2014-4190.pdf

Yours,

Paul H.

Lecture About Organic Rich Mudstones (Including Their Paleontology)

Lecture About Organic Rich Mudstones (Including Their Paleontology)

There is a wonderful, although long, lecture about
organic rich mudstones that can be viewed online.
It is “Organic Rich Mudstones-Questions” at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GVdJAmf7FU

Although it aimed toward oil and gas exploration,
he does discuss the paleontology and taphonomy
of organic rich mudstone (“back shales”) in some
detail. What he has to say about the paleontology and
taphonomy of these rocks is quite interesting.

This lecture is just one of number of lectures that
the Houston Geological Society has online at
http://www.hgs.org/multimedia_Education

I also found interesting is “The Largest Volcano in
the World-Mid Pacific Ocean” by William Sager at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bhUEYNNr1Y

Yours,

Paul H.

Ocean Floor Remapped With Satellites - Thousands of Unmapped Seamounts Found

Ocean Floor Remapped With Satellites - Thousands of Unmapped Seamounts Found

Scientists Discover Thousands Of Uncharted
Mountains Hidden Beneath The Sea, Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/04/thousands-sea-mountains-discovered_n_5929880.html

The web site is “Exploring Ocean Tectonics from Space.”
http://topex.ucsd.edu/grav_outreach/

The paper is

Sandwell, D. T., R. D. Müller, W. H. F. Smith,
E. Garcia, and R. Francis, 2014, New global
marine gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1
reveals buried tectonic structure. Science. vol. 346,
no. 6205, pp. 65-67.
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6205/65

Their mapping of the extinct spreading ridge
and associated transform faults within the
Gulf of Mexico is also quite important.

Yours,

Paul H.

Is it volcano season?

Is it volcano season?

Is it volcano season? From Japan to Iceland, scientists
probe the reasons why there are so many eruptions lately
by Robin Wylie, Washington Post,September 30, 2014
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/09/30/is-it-volcano-season-from-japan-to-iceland-scientists-probe-the-reasons-why-there-are-so-many-eruptions-lately/

The paper is:

Palladino, D. M., and G. Sottili, 2014, Earth's spin and
volcanic eruptions: evidence for mutual cause-and-effect
interactions? Terra Nova. vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 78–84,
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ter.12073/abstract

Another article about volcanos with pictures;

Icelandic volcano Bardarbunga causes hundreds of
tremors, but offers fantastic photographs by Staff,
National Post, September 16, 2014
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/09/16/icelandic-volcano-bardarbunga-causes-hundreds-of-tremors-but-offers-fantastic-photographs/

Yours,

Paul H.