Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

Nature Magazine's Summer Reading List

Nature Magazine's Summer Reading List

Theft at Johannesburg Geological Museum

We have to inform you that the Johannesburg Geological museum has suffered yet another recent theft of specimens and this has been a major theft.

Most of the gemstones were stolen as well as some mineral specimens. Two of the mineral specimens are rhodochrosites from the Kalahari manganese field.

There are two pictures attached of these two specimens. Both are large museum-sized specimens.
In addition, two native silver specimens  were stolen. There may be more specimens stolen that we are not aware of.

Please circulate this email and the two photos as widely as possible. This must be publicized as widely as possible.

Anyone with any information must please contact the Museum curator Kate James at (+27) 011-833-5624 extension 252 or on email katherinej@joburg.org.za

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Events for July & August 2013

Sat, 8/3	Elgin Public Museum, 1st Annual Book Sale, 10 am to 3 pm.
Sat, 8/3	10 am to 3 pm, Elmhurst Greenfest, Wilder Park, booth by Lizzadro Museum, August 3 “Dynamic Earth Activities at Green Fest”  Museum geologist Sara Johnson offers activities for children K thru 4th grade. Designed to demonstrate earth’s unique treasures, experience sifting for fossils and minerals, creating fossil and crystal imprints and putting together a Pangaea puzzle. Held in Wilder Park and hosted by the Elmhurst Park District, Green Fest promotes environmentally safe practices, green companies and organizations with resources for the environmentally conscious. For more information see www.elmhurstgreenfest.org.
8/9 - 8/11	48th Annual GEM MINERAL – FOSSIL  SHOW – SWAP  Lawrence County Fairgrounds, South of Bedford, IN - Directions: From IN 37, south of Bedford  go to the junction of IN37 and US 50, turn west on US 50. Go about 0.6 miles, fairgrounds on right. Address: 11265 W US 50, Bedford, IN Miner Safety Training is currently scheduled. Check http://lawrencecountyrockclub.org/rockshow.html or call 812-295-3463
8/24	Lizzadro Museum, Elmhurst, IL “Stone Inspiration: The Lapidary Art of Derek Levin” Artist Derek Levin will present his process for choosing and cutting stones, his penchant for creating impermanent compositions with gemstones and his inspiration for creating lapidary art. Lecture – Adult – 2 p.m. – 60 minutes Reservations Recommended.  Regular M
8/24	Earth Discovery Day at the Falls of the Ohio August 24 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. • Experience an earthquake in a “Quake Cottage” simulator • Bring in your unknown fossils, rocks and minerals for identification • Explore the fossil beds with a knowledgeable guide* • Presentations by geo-scientists* • Children’s Craft Activities with a geology theme • Geology clubs with rocks, minerals & fossils • Build your own rock, mineral and fossil egg carton collection • Collecting piles: Silurian and Devonian fossil and Cave in Rock minerals • Brochures about dozens of fossil/geology-themed parks and museums • Discover the world of fossils and minerals through the microscope * See our web site: www.fallsoftheohio.org for a schedule. Admission (good for the day): $5 age 19+, $2 age 2 – 18, under 2 free. Educational group rate $2 per student.
8/24 - 8/25	Gold and Treasure Expo, Winnebago County Fairgrounds, Pecatonica IL Contact: Moss Holl 815-239-1641
8/24 - 26	The Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana, is hosting a Life in the Silurian: A Fossil Symposium geared for serious amateurs on August 25 & 26. It is an extension of the Earth Discovery Day on August 24. The cost is only $15 and includes a full day of presentations on Silurian fossils of the central U.S. The preliminary speaker list includes Chris Cozart, Carl Brett, Don Mikulic, Kenny Popp, Todd Hendricks and others. The field trip will be to a location where Silurian fossils can be collected. Reservations are necessary for symposium.

Phosphorus From Meteorite

From Yahoo ESCONI Group - via Dave

A new study suggests that phosphorus, an element that is key to life as we know it, was brought to Earth by a meteorite bombardment during the Archean eon, 3.5 billion years ago.

Summary at: http://www.scienced aily.com/ releases/ 2013/06/13060415 3520.htm

Journal abstract at: http://www.pnas. org/content/ early/2013/ 05/30/1303904110

Triassic amphibian and therapsid shared a burrow

From ESCONI Yahoo News Group via Dave -

From the Karoo Basin of South Africa. The authors used non-destructive X-ray synchrotron computed microtomography to probe fossilized burrows.

Summary at: http://www.scienced aily.com/ releases/ 2013/06/13062215 4602.htm

Full on-line article at: http://www.plosone. org/article/ info%3Adoi% 2F10.1371% 2Fjournal. pone.0064978

Fossil Symposium - Aug. 25 & 26,l 2013 - Clarksville Indiana

The Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana, is hosting a symposium geared for serious amateurs on August 25 & 26. It is an extension of the Earth Discovery Day on August 24. The cost is only $15 and includes a full day of presentations on Silurian fossils of the central U.S. The preliminary speaker list includes Chris Cozart, Carl Brett, Don Mikulic, Kenny Popp, Todd Hendricks and others. The field trip will be to a location where Silurian fossils can be collected.

If you would like more details, reply to this e-mail. Due to the room size, space is limited to 35 participants.

Information about Earth Discovery Day is at: http://www.fallsoft heohio.org/ special_events. html.

Alan Goldstein, Park Paleontologist
Interpretive Naturalist
Falls of the Ohio State Park
201 West Riverside Drive
Clarksville, IN 47129-3148
(812) 280-9970 ext. 403

Fireworks Depend on Geology

Via Scientific American:

...There’d be no fireworks without geology. Geologist High Maintenance Mom provides a great overview of the science of fireworks, explaining in kid-friendly ways how physics, chemistry and geology combine to create pyrotechnic magic. She’s a great resource to start with if you want to make your trip to see the fireworks show a fun teachable moment for your kids....

Science Creates Questions

Via BigThink

Paradoxically, few areas of human endeavor are as wedded to dogma as science. Time to crash the wedding.

Devil in the Data deconstructs the latest findings in fields as diverse as neuroscience and sociobiology to arrive at a data-first view of emerging knowledge, the assumption being that competently done science produces first-rate questions, not answers.