Monthly Archives: October 2012

Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Bivalve Borings (Upper Miocene of Spain)

This beautiful object has a complex history. In the center is a gray limestone cobble that eroded from an underwater ridge and rolled free on a shallow coral reef in an area now near Abanilla, southeastern Spain. It was encrusted … Continue reading

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An IS Meeting in the Phoenix Airport

Phoenix, Arizona – The Wooster geologists hit a little snafu on their return trip from Arizona. Fortunately, they’ve been rebooked on a red-eye and have 12+ hours to spend in the airport. Instead of relaxing with a coffee or shopping … Continue reading

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Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Silicified sclerobionts (Middle Permian of southwestern Texas)

During my work at the National Museum of Natural History last week, I had my research desk amongst the many cabinets housing the famous Permian brachiopod collection made by the eminent paleontologist Richard E. Grant (1927–1995). Most of these specimens … Continue reading

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A Different Kind of Conference

Flagstaff, Arizona – The Volcanism in the American Southwest conference is different from any meeting that I’ve attended. First, most of the participants are geologists at academic institutions or government agencies, but there are also a good number of emergency … Continue reading

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A Visit to Meteor Crater

ARIZONA – A short drive east of Flagstaff will bring you to a fabulous view of the San Francisco Peaks and a Natural Landmark called Meteor Crater. Meteor Crater was named as one of Smithsonian Magazine’s “ten most spectacular geological … Continue reading

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My First Trip to the Grand Canyon

ARIZONA – Contrast Dr. Wilson’s view in the Smithsonian with my view in Arizona: Believe it or not, this was my first trip to the Grand Canyon, and it didn’t fail to impress. It was a perfect day to hike … Continue reading

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Wooster Geologists at the Smithsonian

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It is Fall Break at the College of Wooster, so some of the geologists have taken the opportunity to get out of town. Dr. Meagen Pollock is under the bright blue skies of the gorgeous state of … Continue reading

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Wooster Geologist in Arizona

ARIZONA – This Wooster Geologist has exchanged Ohio’s cool fall weather for blue skies and sunshine in Arizona. I’m here for a conference on Volcanism in the American Southwest, but I thought I’d come out early to explore some of … Continue reading

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Wooster’s Fossil of the Week: A spiriferid brachiopod (Middle Devonian of northwestern Ohio)

I begin my Invertebrate Paleontology course by giving each student a common fossil to identify “by any means necessary”. This year I gave everyone a gray little brachiopod, one of which is shown above. They did pretty well. Kevin Silver … Continue reading

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Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Giant ostracods (Silurian of Estonia)

During our Estonian expedition this summer, Richa Ekka (’13) chose as her Independent Study project focus the Soeginina Beds (lowermost Ludlow, Upper Silurian) of the Paadla Formation exposed in southeastern Saaremaa Island. These carbonate sediments, mostly dolomitized, were deposited in … Continue reading

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