From Ringstead Bay to British Cenozoic fossils: A collector’s journey into fossil field guides Steve Snowball (UK) This article is a response to a request by the editor of Deposits to write about my inspiration and reasons for writing a series of fossil collecting guides, the latest of which is A Field Guide to Collecting British Cenozoic Fossils, by myself and Alister Cruickshanks, and recently reviewed in Deposits. My personal journey into the world of fossils began at the tender age of nine years, when a kindly uncle handed me a large box of fossils (mostly plesiosaur bones, as it turned out) that he’d picked up while working at the London Brick Company brick fields at Bletchley in Buckinghamshire.

From Ringstead Bay to British Cenozoic fossils: A collector’s journey into fossil field guides

Steve Snowball (UK) This article is a response to a request by the editor of Deposits to write about my inspiration and reasons for writing a series of fossil collecting guides, the latest of which is A…

The weird and wonderful of the Cambrian (Part 2): Amiskwia sagittiformis – the ribbon-like enigma of the Burgess Shale Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second article of my series of short articles on fossils of the Cambrian. Amiskwia sagittiformis is one of the most intriguing and persistently debated animals from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. First described over a century ago, it long occupied a taxonomic no-man’s-land - too soft-bodied for arthropods, too streamlined for worms, and too poorly preserved to clearly reveal its affinities.

The weird and wonderful of the Cambrian (Part 2): Amiskwia sagittiformis – the ribbon-like enigma of the Burgess Shale

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second article of my series of short articles on fossils of the Cambrian. Amiskwia sagittiformis is one of the most intriguing and persistently…

Holtaheia – an inspirational mountain of tragedy, mystery and hope Rosalind Jones (France) Here’s a conundrum. How is it that a mountain composed of schist has a topping of Larvikite granite which is surrounded by a deposit containing Iona Marble, Old Red Sandstone and Triassic pebbles? Furthermore, why did it make global news? How did it inspire students to become geologists? And why was a book written about its unsolved mystery?

Holtaheia – an inspirational mountain of tragedy, mystery and hope

Rosalind Jones (France) Here’s a conundrum. How is it that a mountain composed of schist has a topping of Larvikite granite which is surrounded by a deposit containing Iona Marble, Old Red Sandstone and Triassic pebbles?…

The weird and wonderful of the Cambrian (Part 1): Agnostus pisiformis and the Agnostids – the minimalist trilobites of the Cambrian Seas Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the first of my series of short articles on fossils of the Cambrian. Amongst the most intriguing arthropods of the Cambrian and Ordovician are the agnostids - tiny, simplified, and often beautifully preserved creatures long grouped together with trilobites but still raising questions about their true affinities. Agnostus pisiformis is the best known of the group, a small, pea-sized fossil whose pared-down anatomy makes it one of the strangest arthropods of its time.

The weird and wonderful of the Cambrian (Part 1): Agnostus pisiformis and the Agnostids – the minimalist trilobites of the Cambrian Seas

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the first of my series of short articles on fossils of the Cambrian. Amongst the most intriguing arthropods of the Cambrian and…

Geology museums of mainland Europe: The museum national d’Histoire naturelle’s Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie, Paris Jon Trevelyan (UK) The origins of the collection at the Museum national d’Histoire naturelle’s Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie in Paris date back surprisingly far. In 1625, under Louis XIII, minerals thought to have medicinal virtues were deposited in the ‘droguier du roi’ (royal drug cabinet) associated with the then Jardin royal des plantes médicinales. Later, in 1745, under the influence of figures like Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon and Louis Jean Marie Daubenton, the Cabinet d’Histoire Naturelle opened, and the mineral/geological collections began being publicly exhibited.

Geology museums of mainland Europe: The museum national d’Histoire naturelle’s Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie, Paris

Jon Trevelyan (UK) The origins of the collection at the Museum national d’Histoire naturelle’s Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie in Paris date back surprisingly far. In…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 11): Yorgia – the segmented enigma of the late Ediacaran seafloor Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the eleventh and last of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Yorgia is one of the most distinctive members of the Ediacaran biota - a broad, quilted, segmented organism that thrived on the shallow seafloors of the White Sea region of northwest Russia around 560 million years ago.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 11): Yorgia – the segmented enigma of the late Ediacaran seafloor

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the eleventh and last of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Yorgia is one of the most distinctive members of the Ediacaran…

A history of the plate tectonics of Britain (Part 1): Britain assembled – oceans, collisions and the making of a geological patchwork Jon Trevelyan (UK) Britain is often described as geologically quiet. There are no active volcanoes, no subduction zones, and only modest earthquakes. Yet, for its size, few countries display such a concentration of geological variety. Mountain uplands, volcanic terrains, deeply folded rocks, and ancient metamorphic cores all occur within a relatively small area. The explanation for this diversity lies not in Britain’s present tectonic setting, but in a long and complex tectonic history that assembled the country piece by piece from fragments that originated far apart.

A history of the plate tectonics of Britain (Part 1): Britain assembled – oceans, collisions and the making of a geological patchwork

Jon Trevelyan (UK) Britain is often described as geologically quiet. There are no active volcanoes, no subduction zones, and only modest earthquakes. Yet, for its…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 10): Tribrachidium – the tri-radial enigma of the Ediacaran seas Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the tenth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Of all the organisms populating the Ediacaran oceans, Tribrachidium stands out as one of the most geometrically extraordinary. Living around 555 million years ago, it possessed a perfectly tri-radial body plan - a symmetry type unknown in animals today. Preserved primarily in the sandstones of South Australia and the White Sea region of northwest Russia, …

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 10): Tribrachidium – the tri-radial enigma of the Ediacaran seas

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the tenth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Of all the organisms populating the Ediacaran oceans, Tribrachidium stands…

A Field Guide to Collecting British Cenozoic Fossils, by Steve Snowball and Alister Cruickshanks Books devoted specifically to collecting Britain’s Cenozoic fossils are surprisingly rare. While collectors are well served by guides to the country’s Palaeozoic and Mesozoic fossils, the younger deposits that record the last 66 million years of Earth history have received far less attention. A Field Guide to Collecting British Cenozoic Fossils aims to address that gap by providing a practical introduction to the fossils and collecting sites associated with these deposits.

A Field Guide to Collecting British Cenozoic Fossils, by Steve Snowball and Alister Cruickshanks

Books devoted specifically to collecting Britain’s Cenozoic fossils are surprisingly rare. While collectors are well served by guides to the country’s Palaeozoic and Mesozoic fossils, the younger…

Geology museums of mainland Europe: The Museo di Storia Natural, geology and palaeontology, Verona Jon Trevelyan (UK) The geology and palaeontology section at the Museo di Storia Naturale: geology and palaeontology in Verona is one of those museum experiences that perhaps quietly insists you pay attention if you notice it there among the other attractions of this lovely town. Fig. 1. The entrance to the museum. It doesn’t shout with flashy interactives or staged drama (which I hate).

Geology museums of mainland Europe: The Museo di Storia Natural, geology and palaeontology, Verona

Jon Trevelyan (UK) The geology and palaeontology section at the Museo di Storia Naturale: geology and palaeontology in Verona is one of those museum experiences that perhaps quietly insists you pay…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 9): Spriggina – a segmented pioneer of the Ediacaran world Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the ninth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Spriggina is one of the most iconic animals of the late Ediacaran Period, living around 550 million years ago, just before the Cambrian explosion transformed life on Earth. Known from beautifully preserved impressions in the Ediacara Member of South Australia, it is often portrayed as a possible early ancestor - or at least a close relative - of the arthropods or annelids.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 9): Spriggina – a segmented pioneer of the Ediacaran world

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the ninth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Spriggina is one of the most iconic animals of the late Ediacaran Period, living…

Critical minerals (Part 10): Antimony – a metal with a long memory Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) Antimony is one of those elements that most people have heard of at one time or another, but when asked why it is important, they would be at a loss for words. However, it is critical in making flame-retardant fabrics, battery grids, solders, bearings, ammunition and specialised electronics. As an element-mineral, it does not have the cultural importance of copper or gold, nor the industrial use of aluminium or steel.

Critical minerals (Part 10): Antimony – a metal with a long memory

Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) Antimony is one of those elements that most people have heard of at one time or another, but when asked why it is important, they would be at a loss for words. However, it is critical in making…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 8): Rangea – a fractal frond from the dawn of complex life Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the eighth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Rangea is one of the most distinctive and important members of the Ediacaran biota. Dating to roughly 550 million years ago, it is amongst the earliest organisms to exhibit complex, modular body architecture. Its elegant, leaf-like form - built from repeated, branching elements arranged in a fractal pattern - has made it a central figure in debates about the origins of multicellular life.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 8): Rangea – a fractal frond from the dawn of complex life

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the eighth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Rangea is one of the most distinctive and important members of the Ediacaran…

Explaining the Earth: An Introduction to the Earth and its Systems, by Paul Binns Paul Binns’ Explaining the Earth: An Introduction to the Earth and its Systems is an attractive and highly accessible introduction to the planet and its major systems. Beautifully illustrated throughout with full-colour photographs and clear explanatory diagrams, it offers a brisk survey of the familiar territory of introductory Earth science - rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, oceans and atmosphere, the Earth’s interior, mountains, deserts and so on, and the processes that shape them.

Explaining the Earth: An Introduction to the Earth and its Systems, by Paul Binns

Paul Binns’ Explaining the Earth: An Introduction to the Earth and its Systems is an attractive and highly accessible introduction to the planet and its major systems. Beautifully illustrated throughout with…

Park County yields treasure trove of chalcedony and petrified wood Luke Sattler (USA) I recently took a field trip to the Hartsel and South Park area of Colorado with my brother, grandparents, Steven Veatch (the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups Leader) and his wife, Shelly. We went to look at two pieces of real property owned by Steven Veatchin South Park, which together consisted of a large expanse of flat grazing land, bounded by mountains.

Park County yields treasure trove of chalcedony and petrified wood

Luke Sattler (USA) I recently took a field trip to the Hartsel and South Park area of Colorado with my brother, grandparents, Steven Veatch (the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups Leader) and his wife, Shelly. We went to look at two pieces of…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 7): Kimberella – the Ediacaran grazer that changed the story of animal evolution Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the seventh of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Kimberella is one of the most influential fossils from the Ediacaran period, living around 555 million years ago and preserved primarily in the White Sea region of northwest Russia. Unlike the enigmatic fronds and quilted organisms that characterise much of the Ediacaran biota, …

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 7): Kimberella – the Ediacaran grazer that changed the story of animal evolution

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the seventh of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Kimberella is one of the most influential fossils from…

The Oldest Rocks on Earth: A Search for the Origins of Our Planet, by Simon Lamb The Oldest Rocks on Earth is composed in a consciously popular-science style, making it an enjoyable read, as well as an informative one for readers interested in how geologists reconstruct the earliest history of our planet. This approach allows Simon Lamb to interweave the science with his own research history, particularly his PhD work and later field studies in Swaziland (as it was when he carried out his work, but now renamed Eswatini), where he investigated some of the oldest rocks on Earth.

The Oldest Rocks on Earth: A Search for the Origins of Our Planet, by Simon Lamb

The Oldest Rocks on Earth is composed in a consciously popular-science style, making it an enjoyable read, as well as an informative one for readers interested in how geologists reconstruct the earliest history of our…

The death of the Upper Greensand: A stratigraphic obituary for a vanished formation Jon Trevelyan (UK) For much of the twentieth century, generations of students (and amateurs like me) learned a tidy, mid-Cretaceous succession for southern England: Lower Greensand – Gault Clay – Upper Greensand – Chalk. It appeared in every textbook, diagram and museum panel. There was an appealing symmetry to the sequence, with two sands bracketing the impervious Gault and the Chalk resting neatly above.

The death of the Upper Greensand: A stratigraphic obituary for a vanished formation

Jon Trevelyan (UK) For much of the twentieth century, generations of students (and amateurs like me) learned a tidy, mid-Cretaceous succession for southern England: Lower Greensand – Gault Clay – Upper Greensand –…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 6): Funisia dorothea – early experiments in animal reproduction Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Funisia dorothea is one of the most revealing fossils from the late Ediacaran Period, offering a rare glimpse into the behaviour of early animals rather than only their anatomy. Found in the Ediacara Member of South Australia and dating to around 565-550 million years ago, this tubular organism is remarkable for the way it grew, reproduced and formed dense communities on the seafloor.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 6): Funisia dorothea – early experiments in animal reproduction

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Funisia dorothea is one of the most revealing fossils from the late…

Critical minerals (Part 9): Tungsten – the minerals, geology, technology roles, and collector appeal of a strategic metal Michael C. Mackiewicz (USA) Tungsten as an element is well-known for its extreme physical characteristics. It melts at a higher temperature than any other metal, is unusually dense, and remains hard and stable even under extreme heat, thereby making it crucial in both scientific and industrial settings. Even though tungsten has these special qualities, it has not made it any more familiar to the general public.

Critical minerals (Part 9): Tungsten – the minerals, geology, technology roles, and collector appeal of a strategic metal

Michael C. Mackiewicz (USA) Tungsten as an element is well-known for its extreme physical characteristics. It melts at a higher temperature than any other metal, is unusually…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 5): Fractofusus – the dominant rangeomorph of the Mistaken Point biota Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period Fractofusus is one of the most abundant and ecologically revealing organisms of the Ediacaran Period, flourishing around 565 million years ago in the deep-marine settings of the Mistaken Point Formation, Newfoundland.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 5): Fractofusus – the dominant rangeomorph of the Mistaken Point biota

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period Fractofusus is one of the most abundant and ecologically revealing…

The geology of Essex Robert J Williams (UK) Fig. 1. Walton-on-the-Naze. To the north-east of London lies the county of Essex, which extends out to the east coast of England. Although not noted for its geology, it does have quite a bit to offer the amateur geologist. In addition, there is a significant body of published geological research on the area and, in this article, I will discuss some of the geological work (focusing, in particular, on the London Clay) that amateur palaeontologists and collectors have undertaken in recent times to show that amateurs really can make a difference to the earth sciences.

The geology of Essex

Robert J Williams (UK) Fig. 1. Walton-on-the-Naze. To the north-east of London lies the county of Essex, which extends out to the east coast of England. Although not noted for its geology, it does have quite a bit to offer the amateur geologist. In addition, there is a…

Forests, floodplains and the first amber: Terrestrial transformations during the Carnian Pluvial Event Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the last of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE and the second described the marine ecosystem upheaval during those times. This final article turns to the continents, examining how the CPE transformed terrestrial landscapes and ecosystems. When the Triassic continents turned green At the start of the Late Triassic, much of Pangaea’s interior was a world of seasonal dryness, red-bed floodplains, ephemeral lakes and sparsely vegetated uplands.

Forests, floodplains and the first amber: Terrestrial transformations during the Carnian Pluvial Event

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the last of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE and the second described the marine ecosystem upheaval…

Critical minerals (Part 8): Graphite – a quiet mineral with a big story Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) A familiar mineral with an unfamiliar story Graphite is one of those minerals that most people think they intrinsically know until they actually hold a good specimen in their hands. The word ‘graphite’ brings visions of pencils and grey streaks. However, graphite occupies the centre of some of the most important industrial systems of the twenty-first century.

Critical minerals (Part 8): Graphite – a quiet mineral with a big story

Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) A familiar mineral with an unfamiliar story Graphite is one of those minerals that most people think they intrinsically know until they actually hold a good specimen in their hands. The word…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 4): Ernietta – the buried basket of the Ediacaran seafloor Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the fourth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. And among the most intriguing organisms of the late Ediacaran Period is Ernietta, a sack-shaped, partly infaunal creature that lived around 548-541 million years ago in the shallow seas of what is now Namibia.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 4): Ernietta – the buried basket of the Ediacaran seafloor

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the fourth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. And among the most intriguing organisms of the late Ediacaran Period is…

What Did Dinosaurs Think About? by Ronan Le Loeuff Jon Trevelyan (UK) At first glance, What Did Dinosaurs Think About? looks like a slightly mischievous title attached to a familiar subject. Dinosaurs, after all, have been thought about endlessly; whether they themselves did much thinking is another matter. Ronan Le Loeuff’s book makes no claim to settle that question definitively, but it does something arguably more interesting - it asks what sort of…

What Did Dinosaurs Think About? by Ronan Le Loeuff

Jon Trevelyan (UK) At first glance, What Did Dinosaurs Think About? looks like a slightly mischievous title attached to a familiar subject. Dinosaurs, after all, have been thought about endlessly; whether they themselves did much thinking is…

In praise of a favourite fossil site: the beach from Overstrand to Cromer, north Norfolk Stephen K Donovan (UK) If asked what is my favourite fossil collecting site, I would have to say the Farquhar’s Beach oyster bed on the south-central coast of Jamaica. I taught at the University of the West Indies for over 12 years and this locality was an easy drive. In my retirement I doubt if I will ever see it again – too far away and too expensive a trip – but it has a special place in my heart.

In praise of a favourite fossil site: the beach from Overstrand to Cromer, north Norfolk

Stephen K Donovan (UK) If asked what is my favourite fossil collecting site, I would have to say the Farquhar’s Beach oyster bed on the south-central coast of Jamaica. I taught at the University of the West…

Reefs in crisis: Marine ecosystem upheaval during the Carnian Pluvial Event Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE. This article turns to the marine record, tracing how the CPE destabilised reefs and reorganised shallow-marine ecosystems. When the Triassic seas lost their balance In the early Late Triassic, the warm epicontinental seas along the western Tethys margin were home to thriving carbonate platforms.

Reefs in crisis: Marine ecosystem upheaval during the Carnian Pluvial Event

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE. This article turns to the marine record, tracing how the CPE destabilised reefs…

Planetary Geology: An Introduction (3rd ed), by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi Jon Trevelyan (UK) Planetary geology occupies an awkward but fascinating position between disciplines. It draws its physical framework from physics and astronomy, its observational tools from remote sensing and space missions, and its interpretative instincts from terrestrial geology. Planetary Geology: An Introduction by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi has, since its first appearance, sought to bring these strands together into a coherent teaching text.

Planetary Geology: An Introduction (3rd ed), by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi

Jon Trevelyan (UK) Planetary geology occupies an awkward but fascinating position between disciplines. It draws its physical framework from physics and astronomy, its observational tools from remote sensing and…

Fluorite (Part 7): The collector’s gem with critical importance Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Fluorite has long captivated mineral collectors with its range of colours, sharp cubic crystals, and its magical glow under ultraviolet light. Once sought after for its beauty, it is now a mineral that is essential to modern industry and clean-energy supply chains. Fluorite, also called fluorspar, is now considered a critical mineral by the US Geological Survey, the European Union and China, and a strategic mineral by the UK.

Fluorite (Part 7): The collector’s gem with critical importance

Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Fluorite has long captivated mineral collectors with its range of colours, sharp cubic crystals, and its magical glow under ultraviolet light. Once sought after for its beauty, it is now a mineral that is…