Fossil Sea Dragons at Radstock Museum

The exhibition of marine reptile fossils at Radstock Museum will be on display from February 2nd until March 25th 2009.
In 1996, Simon Carpenter found a giant marine reptile called a pliosaur at the Blue Circle Cement works at Westbury, Wiltshire. This was excavated by a team of geologists from Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery and the University of Bristol. The specimen was donated by Blue Circle Cement PLC to Bristol City Museum. Simon's new crocodile has been named Dakosaurus carpenteri after its discoverer. (Click here for more details - 'Fossil Collector is immortalised')
Radstock Museum
Waterloo Road
Radstock
BA3 3EP
Tel: +44 (0)1761 437722
E-mail: info@radstockmuseum.co.uk
Tuesday to Friday inclusive, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays: 2pm to 5pm
Saturday: 11am to 5pm
Closed Mondays except for Bank Holidays

Why were bugs big? - February 18th

There will be a meeting on Wednesday 18 February. Dr. Simon Braddy will talk on the subject ‘Why were bugs big?’
Dr. Braddy’s PhD research was concerned with eurypterid (sea-scorpion) palaeobiology, particularly their reproduction, respiration (involving exceptionally preserved fossils from the Soom Shale, Lagerstätte in South Africa). He takes a particular interest in the fact that many ‘bugs’ were, in the past, much larger than those we now find.
Meetings are all held in the SH Reynolds Lecture Theatre, Wills Building, Queens Road and start at 19:30. All welcome.

Charles Darwin's 200th birthday

It is Charles Darwin's 200th birthday on Thursday 12th February. Lots of events are planned all over the country for this event:-
Darwin 200
Darwin at the BRLSI, Bath
Darwin at Bristol Zoo
Darwin @ Bristol
Darwin was as much a geologist as he was a naturalist. Try:-
Earthlearningidea 'A time-line in your own backyard' and Darwin's 'Big soil idea'

Protection for the world's oldest crystals

Click here to read how an Australian Geoheritage reserve will save ancient zircons from abuse.