Author Archives: mwilson

About mwilson

Mark Wilson is an emeritus Professor of Geology at The College of Wooster. He specializes in invertebrate paleontology, carbonate sedimentology, and stratigraphy. He also is an expert on pseudoscience, especially creationism.

Wooster geologists in the heart of American science

mwilson June 9, 2011 10:00 pm

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA–The National Science Foundation (NSF) is a federal agency charged by Congress “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…” It had a budget last year of $6.9 … Continue reading →

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Wooster Geologist in … a library

mwilson June 8, 2011 1:32 pm

WASHINGTON, D.C.–And not just any library — The Library of Congress. I am in the Thomas Jefferson Building, the front of which is shown above. In the heart of the Jefferson complex is the Main Reading Room (see below), where … Continue reading →

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Wooster’s Fossil of the Week: Coated snails! (Middle Jurassic of France)

mwilson June 5, 2011 1:02 am

In 1988 I had my first visit to France, hosted by my English friend Tim Palmer. We explored Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) limestones in Normandy tracking looking at hardgrounds and other hard substrates. Along the way we stopped in a quarry … Continue reading →

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A gecko’s end

mwilson May 31, 2011 11:32 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–What is Will examining so intently? There was drama on the outcrop this afternoon. We are used to seeing cute little geckos clinging to the rocks we study. As we skirted the edge of a limestone cliff, Will … Continue reading →

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Wooster Geologists at the Siege of Lachish (2700 years later)

mwilson May 30, 2011 11:59 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Every time I visit the British Museum in London, I examine the fascinating relief from Nineveh showing The Siege of Lachish. The detail is extraordinary as the story is told in sequence through dozens of panels. It is … Continue reading →

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Wooster Geologists at the Center of the World

mwilson May 30, 2011 11:44 pm

Our visit to Jerusalem was to meet geologists at the Geological Survey of Israel main complex in the western part of the city. Those discussions went very well and we met new people and learned much. Will and I also … Continue reading →

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Wooster Geologists return to the Dead Sea

mwilson May 30, 2011 3:09 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Today Will and I went to Jerusalem for meetings at the Geological Survey of Israel headquarters. Much more on that later. On the way Yoav drove us along the west coast of the Dead Sea. Will got a … Continue reading →

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Mishash, b’gosh

mwilson May 29, 2011 1:55 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Today Will and I drove south, east and north to meet Dr. Yael Edelmen-Furstenburg of the Geological Survey of Israel. She gave us a most excellent tour of the Mishash (pronounced ME-shawsh) Formation (Campanian, Upper Cretaceous) in the … Continue reading →

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Incidents of Travel in Southern Israel

mwilson May 29, 2011 11:23 am
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A wall of Cretaceous ammonites

mwilson May 28, 2011 3:11 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–On our way back from Eilat this afternoon, Will and I took a short hike to see the “Ammonite Wall” on the southern outside beds of Makhtesh Ramon. It is an impressive tilted array of large ammonites in … Continue reading →

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