Ancient Geology 8.1: Tropical ‘Coral’ Atolls and Foliated Schists

My last day of enchanting geology:

• Saint Patrick’s rocks (my name :-), created by some of Britain’s oldest life forms.
  • Stromatolites (earliest bacteria to be photosynthetic – like modern plants) which formed these limestone rocks – just like modern corals do in shallow tropical waters today. Sadly a microscope is required to see the fossil bacteria and I left mine at home!
    • This represents one of the most revolutionary moments in the history of our planet.
      • These were near a bench commemorating the spot that the Dalai Lama (allegedly – I haven’t fact checked this) declared was the most peaceful spot in the World.
      • It is overlooked by one of Britain’s nuclear power stations, which dominates a nearby headland.

Then a quick dash to get to Holyhead’s ‘New Harbour’ before the last bus of the day. To see foliated New Harbour schist:

Life, Water and Plate Tectonics

Tomorrow, during my train journey home, I hope to share more controversial information on the links between rocks, water and life.

That plate tectonics has been essential to the maintenance of life on Earth has become generally accepted during the past couple of decades of this new century. The earth’s geological processes, driven by plate tectonics, enable a recycling of elements essential for life to exist.

Water is essential to plate tectonics, for it acts as a lubricant and lowers the melting point of basalt. Water is also essential to life.

As a biologist by training, with some physics, chemistry and biochemistry included, I have been increasingly aware that life does not merely passively react to its environment. It actively participates in bio-geo-chemical processes, especially in the water cycle…

I am alive – and I definitely affect the world around me – but I hope my contributions to change are generally positive (on balance 🙂

And thinking of balance – it is that time again! Nos da, bawb! (Good night, everybody!)

<- Ancient Geology 7: Catching Up

Ancient Geology 6.2: Granite, Serpentine and Mantle Plumes ->

Ancient Geology 8.2: Tropical ‘Coral’ Atolls and Life Changing Stromatolites ->