Geological Society of Glasgow

Dippy on Tour: a natural history adventure
2019-04-19 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-18 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-17 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-16 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-15 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-14 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-13 10:00 - 17:00, 2019-04-12 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) and 20 more dates | Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Argyle Street, Glasgow, Scotland, G3 8AG, United Kingdom
Dippy, the Natural History Museum’s iconic Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton, is coming to Glasgow!
As part of a road trip across the UK, Dippy is venturing out of London for the first time since 1905. He will visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum from 22 January – 6 May 2019. And he’s on a mission – to inspire five million natural history adventures, encouraging families to explore the incredible natural history collections and biodiversity in Glasgow.
More information can be found here. Admission to the exibition is free.
As part of the exhibition there will be a “Societies’ Day” at the Kelvingrove Museum on Saturday 16 February. The Geological Society of Glasgow and the Strathclyde Geoconservation Group will have stalls at this event, which , at increasing awareness of groups involved in earth science outreach. If you are interested in helping out on the day then please see any Council member.

'Trix': a Tyrannosaurus rex on display at Kelvin Hall
2019-04-18 10:00 - 17:00 | Kelvin Hall, 1445 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8AW, United Kingdom
An original fossil skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex can be seen at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, until 31st July. The skeleton was found in Montana, USA, in 2013 and is touring Europe courtesy of Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in the Netherlands. The event at Kelvin Hall includes interactive displays and information about the life of this carnivorous dinosaur from the Cretaceous. The exhibition, open everyday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, is expected to be popular so tickets are available for timed entry.
Find out about ticket prices and entry arrangements here.

The geology around Disko Bay, West Greenland (lecture)
2019-04-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Lecture Theatre, Gregory Building, c/o School of Geographical & Earth Sciences, Glasgow, Glasgow City, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
Dr Iain Allison, University of Glasgow
Iain has been leading excursions to the NW Highlands for the Open University Geological Society for almost 20 years and on recent excursions he has considered other areas to visit where similar rocks could be seen. The Lewisian Gneisses of NW Scotland are part of the Laurentian shield of Archaean and Proterozoic basement gneisses which extend westwards across Greenland into Canada.
In Greenland there is a large area dominated by Archaean rocks akin to our Scourian gneisses which are cut by wide doleritic dykes equivalent to the Scourie Dykes. To the north of this Archaean block lies the Nagsuggtoqidian belt of reworked gneisses of lower Proterozoic age which are akin to the Laxfordian gneisses. In addition, on Disko Island there occur thick sequences of basaltic lava and related rocks of Palaeogene age just like our Palaeogene volcanics along the western seaboard in Skye, Mull, Ardnamurchan etc. Thus, Disko Bay shows familiar rocks in a very unfamiliar setting. A group of 12 spent two weeks in the summer of 2018 in west Greenland, starting in the capital Nuuk, before heading north on the coastal ferry to a base in Disko Bay, Ilulissat. From there the group spent time in two communities, Qeqertarsuaq on Disko Island and Gasigiannuit in the south-east corner of Disko Bay.
This talk will cover aspects of the Archaean and lower Proterozoic gneisses and, on Disko Island, their cover of Palaeogene volcanics but also the impressive glacial scenery and culture in west Greenland. A society field trip is being planned to Disko Bay in 2020.
Background reading:
Campbell, Nancy. 2015. Disko Bay, Enitharmon Press.
Glassley, William. 2018. A Wilder Time, Bellevue Literary Press.
Henrikson, Niels. 2005. Geological History of Greenland, GEUS.
Following a post-doc at the University of Western Ontario, Iain came to Glasgow 40 years ago to join the Department of Applied Geology of the University of Strathclyde. In 1989 the department closed and staff and students joined the department in the University of Glasgow to form the new Department of Geology and Applied Geology. Most of his research focussed on the NW Highlands in the Moine Thrust Zone and the unconformity of the Cambrian rocks on the Lewisian gneisses although there was brief research project based on the southern coastal area of Yemen. When the department was reorganised into Earth Sciences, he joined the Science Faculty Office and became the Principal Adviser of Studies for the final years of employment and has now been happily, and busily, retired for 7 years.
