Podcasts

On the following pages you can listen to a variety of podcasts on a wide range of Earth Science related topics.

The Society has just launched a series of podcasts produced by our Earth Scientist Communicator, Sarah Day, featuring our Shell London lecturers, as well as other geoscientists, speaking about their latest discoveries.  We are also showcasing podcasts from other organisations - so keep checking back as we will be updating this page with the latest news and features for you to listen to online.

Episode 3: The Present is the Key to the Past

Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology was published between 1830-1833, and introduced the famous maxim, ‘the present is the key to the past’. Bruce Levell, Chief Geologist at Shell, explains the relevance of this principle to the oil and gas industry today, and why it might be hindering, rather than helping the search for energy resources.

One of the biggest consequences of our use of fossil fuels is its effect on sea level, which is continuing to rise. Is sea level rise natural, or are humans playing a part? And how can geologists help protect our coastlines? Lynne Frostick, Professor of Geography at the University of Hull and Geological Society President, explains what rising tides mean for our future, and how an understanding of our geological past can help us prepare for the future.

Episode 2: Spider Webs and Seamounts

Sarah visits Professor Martin Brasier at the University of Oxford, who made the news last month when he published reports of the world’s oldest fossilized spider webs. Preserved in amber dating back to the early Cretaceous, the webs are 135 – 140 million years old, and capture a crucial period in spider evolution.

November’s Shell London Lecturer, Professor Tony Watts, explains the importance of his research into sea mounts – mountains under the sea. Potential causes of geological hazards, they are also focal points of biological diversity. Earth Scientists remain divided as to their cause, with some critical of the increasingly prevalent ‘hotspot’ theory. 

Episode 1: Climate on Earth and Mars

In our very first podcast, Dr Matt Balme explains how he uses his knowledge of Earth to understand the Martian climate. And Dr Rosalind Rickaby tells of a tiny marine organism that’s facing a big climate challenge.

The ocean’s ability to absorb co2 is vital to reducing the impact of carbon emissions on climate. Approximately one quarter of Co2 emissions caused by human activity are absorbed by the ocean, which is becoming increasingly acidic as a result. By carrying out photosynthesis, marine phytoplankton such as the coccolithophore are an important part of this process, but can struggle to build their shells and skeletal structure as waters become more acidic.

Whilst the ‘paradigm view’ is that the ocean acidification will make it harder for the coccolithophore to build its calcium carbonate shell, recent research suggests they are in fact responding by calcifying even more. Understanding how these tiny marine organisms will respond to rising levels of atmospheric co2 is crucial to predicting how climate will evolve in the future.

Planet Earth Podcasts

• See how examples of NERC earth science, with existing and potential uses, are brought to life in Planet Earth podcasts - listen to the podcasts online.