environment - Through the sandglass

art books environment geology history photography sand science travel wildlife

Kitchen physics continued

Some further observations, and hints for readers who wish to try this at home (or in the classroom). I was, as you could probably tell, flushed with the success...

April 1, 2009 7 min read

art books climate_change coastal education environment geology geomorphology history photography rivers_water sand science travel

Sandstone-making microbes, tafoni - and an extraordinary design idea

I love connections. Those unexpected and wonderful threads of stories that link and flow from one subject to another, subjects that would have seemed to have ha...

April 1, 2009 9 min read

art books climate_change coastal education environment geology geomorphology history photography rivers_water sand science travel

April 2009

Musings and news on the extraordinary stories sand has to tell of our planet and daily lives

April 1, 2009 8 min read

art books climate_change coastal education environment geology geomorphology history photography rivers_water sand travel

Clogged Arteries - natural and unnatural rivers

Rivers are vital but also complex and dynamic systems - vital for the planet and vital for us. Civilization has always had an intimate relationship with rivers....

March 1, 2009 6 min read

art climate_change environment geology geomorphology history photography sand travel

Invading dunes

Dunes move - it’s what they do, it’s what makes them dunes as opposed to lifeless piles of sand; and nothing will stand in their way. The images above are of du...

March 1, 2009 5 min read

art coastal education environment history photography sand science travel wildlife

Grain-by-Grain (1): worm superglue

We are not the only species that builds homes and condominium complexes from sand. For example, some foraminifera construct shells from sand grains, as does the...

January 1, 2009 4 min read

art education environment geology history photography rivers_water sand travel

Grain-by-Grain (2): the amazing sand bottles of Andrew Clemens

Sand has always provided a medium, a muse, an inspiration in many ways, but the way in which it inspired Andrew Clemens was extraordinary - and unique. Clemens...

January 1, 2009 13 min read

art books climate_change environment geology photography sand science travel

Granular stuff, earthquakes, and power laws - again

Back in November, in my post on the sandglass, I commented that watching avalanches of sand in a sandglass is to witness one of nature’s most fundamental laws i...

January 1, 2009 4 min read

art climate_change coastal education environment history photography sand science travel wildlife

Of Mice and Sand - Evolution in Action

This is the year of the great Darwinfest and, inevitably, sand makes its contribution. The immediate reference would be to the “sand walk” at Down House in the...

January 1, 2009 6 min read

art coastal education environment geology history photography sand science travel

Sediment Budget Busting

Sometimes you have to wonder. And the good tax-paying citizens of Bournemouth are certainly wondering. An article in yesterday’s UK Guardian newspaper highlight...

January 1, 2009 6 min read