What rocks tell and how we came to understand it
November 23, 1963 the first episode of the British science-fiction television programme “Doctor Who*” was broadcast. The series follows the adventures of the “Doctor“, last survivor of the Time Lords, an incredible advanced alien race once native to the planet Gallifrey...
Cabinet of curiosities proudly presents… This Week Geohistory: November 15, 1835: the “RMS Beagle” arrives to Tahiti, where a geologizing Darwin tests his famous reef-evolution-theory November 14, 1797: Birthday of Sir Charles Lyell, he is best known for introducing uniformitarianism in geology, however he was also interested in the enigmatic origin of Loess, a windblown [...]..
You can still enter the naming contest and now this week cabinet of curiosities – links for a lazy afternoon… This Week Geohistory: November 9, 1934: Birthday of a collection of organic molecules called Carl E...
“Very scanty acquaintance with practical geology, I’m exceedingly interested in all wider problems with which it deals” Alfred Russel Wallace (1896) When Charles Darwin published “The Origin of Species” in November 1859 geologists were still discussing the age of the earth...
Early naturalists were obsessed with the idea to collect and to describe all the secrets of earth, many unusual and strange things were therefore displayed – for education and amusement – in “Wunderkammern” or “Cabinets of Curiosities“...
“the magisterium, our great work, the stone” “The Alchemist” Act 1. Scene 4 4. – The Philosopher’s Stone Today we remember Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) for his contributions to optics, mechanics and astronomy, but as a typical scholar of his time he was also interested in more obscure knowledge, like provided by alchemy...
“O, it is excellent – To have a giant’s strenght, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.” “Measure for Measure” Act 2, Scene 2 3.
“When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” “Macbeth“ Act 1, Scene 1 2. – The Thunderstone Already the Roman scholar Pliny describes them as “Idaei dactyli” (the fingers from the mountain Ida)...
“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble…” “Macbeth“ Act 4, Scene 1 For everybody who´s planning to boil a magical potion or plans a witches gathering for All Hallows’ Eve, this week I will present some geological ingredients for a perfect witch’s brew: 1...
October 23 is (in)famous as supposed earth’s birthday – this date is mentioned in many textbooks retelling the life of Irish Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656).
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