history - Through the sandglass

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A sanctuary in the dunes

The tide did now its flood-mark gain, And girdled in the Saint’s domain: For with the flow and ebb, its style Varies from continent to isle; Dry shood o’er sand...

February 1, 2011 6 min read

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It's a sandpile world

One of the – many – entertaining research themes for my book was the role that sand plays in the imagery of our imaginations. Large numbers, very small things,...

February 1, 2011 7 min read

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February 2011

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

February 1, 2011 3 min read

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A catch-up round-up of the Geoblogosphere

If I were one for New Year’s resolutions, which, after decades of disappointing self-scrutiny, I’m afraid I’m not, I would probably resolve to try to manage my...

January 1, 2011 7 min read

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Piano bar

News stories are diverse and often strange – the mysterious appearance of a grand piano on a sand bar in Miami’s Biscayne Bay has received global media attentio...

January 1, 2011 2 min read

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Sunday sand: a nuptial arena

This last summer, the wedding of the daughter of friends of ours took place on North Stradbroke Island, off Australia’s Queensland coast. A dazzling expanse of...

December 1, 2010 5 min read

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A prominent role for a sandglass

I promise that I’ll get back to more serious topics shortly, but I’m still trying to catch up on catching up. Among recent distractions was the fact that on Tue...

November 1, 2010 3 min read

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Earth Science Week and Earth Science Literacy

Earth Science Week and Earth Science Literacy It’s Earth Science Week again, stimulated and coordinated by the AGI: Since October 1998, the American Geological...

October 1, 2010 10 min read

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Sunday sand: Brazilian gems

Sometimes, a sand just strikes me as beautiful in its own right – yes, of course it has geological stories to tell, but (although perhaps I shouldn’t admit this...

October 1, 2010 3 min read

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Sunday sand: more forams

Walking on a beach in Bali is, more often than not, a delightful experience, even idyllic. But occasionally it can be a challenge to the balance, a sensation of...

October 1, 2010 4 min read

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Sands of the San Francisco Exploratorium

When I bought my ticket for the Exploratorium, I asked, of course, where there were exhibits that used sand. After initially pointing to one close by, the guy b...

August 1, 2010 7 min read

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Sunday Sand: Marshall Beach, San Francisco

I’ve had the idea of starting a regular Sunday post simply showing off the character of a different sand each week. And, following on from my recent visit to th...

August 1, 2010 4 min read