Stuart Swales

WHAT'S so special about used teabags? In my house, every other bit of kitchen rubbish goes straight in the bin. But not teabags. They get put on a special dish next to the kettle to lie in state for 24 hours in view of everyone. Are tea bags somehow related to the Royal Family? Joe Newson, Fort William

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Map of Europe showing the main geological units as defined by their structural origin and presumed terrane provenance. As the map shows, practically all of central and southern Europe (shaded grey) was derived from Gondwana. These terranes contain Cadmonian and Lower Paleozoic basement rocks. The map also shows the main suture zones. A Alps, AM Armorican massif, B Balkans, BM Bohemian massif, BV Brunovistulia, CIZ Central Iberia Zone, D Dinarides, DO Dobrogea, EC Eastern Carpathians, H Hellenides, IM Iberian massif, IST Istanbul terrane, KB Kirsehir block, MC massif Central, MGCR Mid-German Crystalline Rise, MM Menderes massif, MP Malopolska block, MU Moldanubian unit, OMZ Ossa-Morena Zone, P Pyrenees, R Rhodope, S Schwarzwald, SC Scythian platform, SM Serbo-Macedonian massif, SPZ South Portuguese Zone, SX Saxothuringian unit, TBU Teplá–Barrandian unit, V Vosges. Sen, F. (2021), International Geology Review 64, 2416

There is a debate as to how far the Cadomian terranes, specifically the major Teplá–Barrandian unit of the central Bohemian Massif, traveled away from Gondwana before they accreted to Baltica, eventually to become part of Europe. These figures illustrate contrasting models that have been proposed. (a) In this model there is a large separation between the Teplá–Barrandian unit and Gondwana, and the unit forms a completely detached microplate called Perunica (P). (b)-(d) In these models, there is little separation, and the Teplá–Barrandian unit remains part of the hyper-extended Gondwana shelf. Žák, J et al. (2018), International Geology Review 60, 319

A paleogeographic model showing the break-up of the former northern Gondwanan Cadomian active margin in the late Cambrian and early Ordovician, opening of the Rheic Ocean, transition to an early Paleozoic passive margin, and, finally, the Laurussia-Gondwana collision to form the Variscan orogenic belt. The terranes discussed in the podcast form parts of Avalonia, the Saxothuringian and Ossa-Morena Zones, the Variscan Autochthon, and the Mid-Variscan Allochthon. The Saxothuringian Zone now makes up the northwestern part of the Bohemian Massif. The Ossa-Morena Zone now forms part of the Iberian Massif in Spain and Portugal. The Variscan Autochthon comprises geological units now mainly exposed in southern Europe. The Mid-Variscan Allochthon includes the Teplá-Barrandian and Moldanubian units of the present-day Bohemian Massif. Catalán, J.R et al. (2021), Earth-Science Reviews 220, 103700

Geological map of the present-day Bohemian Massif. The geological structure is complex, largely as a result of the Cadmonian and Variscan orogenies. The map covers a region stretching from southern Poland in the north to northern Austria in the south. It reveals a section across the Variscan orogen from the outer foreland basins (Rhenohercynian) through low-grade Cadomian basement terranes (Saxothuringian and Teplá-Barrandian) to the exhumed high-grade orogenic core (Moldanubian). Adapted from the Geological map of the Czech Republic 1:5,000,000 published by the Czech Geological Survey, Prague, 2007

🧪⚒️I just posted an episode on the orogenies that shaped central Europe: the Cadomian and the Variscan. The former took place on the northern margin of Gondwana, rifting north later to dock to Europe. The latter marked the final assembly of Pangea. It's complex, but I hope you enjoy it! #geology

👋 Hello, Bluesky! We’re Radiocarbon, an international peer-reviewed journal (since 1959) dedicated to advancing radiocarbon research, from calibration and chronology to applications across archaeology, geology, environmental science, and more. We’re glad to be here. #Radiocarbon #Geochronology

#FossilFriday ⚒️

'very manageable if you realize, hey, keep your wheels on the trail'

Yummy geology at the seaside

Almost forgot #FridayFold ⚒️ Upright synform/antiform pair at Croyde Bay, North Devon (Pilton Mudstone Formation). Nice cleavage.

My Widnes dev VMs are W7 and will stay that way.

Or even www.gla.ac.uk/news/headlin... ;-)

"Under pressure" 🎶🥳

This is the best result. Otherwise, 10 years from now you'd all look back and think "wait, Shakespeare in Love won best picture?"

How nice of them.

Hope he's fixed his "Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit"

A Brief History of Modern Art in Poetry 1. Impressionism Roses sway in softened reds, Violets swim in murky blues, Sugar sparkles in the light, Blurring into golden you. 2. Surrealism Roses are melting, Violets are too. Ceci n’est pas le sucre. Keith is a giant crab 3. Social Realism Roses are dead, Violence is rife. Don’t sugar coat This bitter life. 4. Abstract Expressionism Are and. Violets roses so. You sweet blue. Are are red is sugar 5. Pop Art Roses go BLAM! Violets go POW! Sugar is COOL! You are so WOW! 6. Conceptual Art Roses are red, Coated in blood: A deer’s severed head Drips from above

Here’s another poem for National Poetry Day. This one is called ‘A Brief History of Modern Art in Poetry’.

Well played.

Since kyanite made it to the final of Mineral Cup, I decided to contribute. Vote kyanite!

Not only is kyanite gorgeous, it's also a key metamorphic index mineral and thus one of my favourite minerals to find. Here are a few examples I've come across.

See alt text for details

#MinCup25 #kyanite

Less than two hours left! Kyanite has a slim lead, but I would love to see it earn a strong win! 🧪⚒️

A group of people in winter clothing are standing on the rocks of Siccar Point. Some are taking photos, others are examining the rocks.

Inspire the next Hutton of our time!

Donate now to bring Hutton’s story and discoveries to life, so we might inspire the next great mind to challenge the status quo, break the mould, and make the next world changing discovery.

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/siccar-point

📸 Brodie Sandilands

Poster for the fossil walks event, featuring a partial fish fossil, preserved in black on a pale yellow rounded rock. Text reads: Fossil Walks 2025. Includes logos for National Trust for Scotland and Hugh Miller's Birthplace Museum.

The Hugh Miller Birthplace Museum has some fantastic #ScotGeolFest25 events, including guided fossils walks along Cromarty beach!

Joined by an experienced guide, you’ll discover the rocks, fossils, & geology that captivated Hugh Miller

📅 Every Sat and Sun ⏰ tide dependant

Vote #Kyanite. You know it makes sense. #MinCup25

Episode 34 of the ongoing eruption of #Kīlauea

Kyanite – Mineral Properties, Photos and Occurrence The kyanite mineral is important for metamorphic petrology and also forms attractive mineral specimens or even gem quality crystals.

#Kyanite is a super important mineral for metamorphic petrology. It is trichroic and has different hardness perpendicular and parallel to its long axis.

Check our comprehensive overview:

#MinCup25 #MinCup #mineral #crystal #mineralogy

mineralexpert.org/article/kyan...

From the other place

#kyanite party (Roan, Norway) #MinCup25

Vote the BLUE KNIFE!!

#Kyanite is an index mineral for formation under high pressure & low temperature, continental collision conditions, besides having the pretty blue blades!!

Vote #MinCup25!

Building the James Hutton Deep Time Trail crowdfunder is now a fifth of the way to its target. Can you help it along? #SiccarPoint #JamesHutton #geology www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/siccar-point

Two reindeers in the snow in front of a house

Vote for #tugtupite. It has been named for reindeer blood which was shed when when Tutu the reindeer girl gave birth to her first child.

Make the reindeers proud 🦌⚒️
#MinCup25

"At least the word 'rat' is correct"

Lest we forget:

A photomicrograph of an eclogite rock under a petrographic microscope. The rock shows brightly coloured pyroxene minerals around near-black garnets.

Discover the intricate structures of rocks and soils under the microscope in this interactive webinar 🪨🔬

Join the Logitech team as they tech their process for producing thin sections - blending science, craft, and artistry!

📅 Thurs 2nd October, 14:00 - 15:30, via Teams