Author Archives: davidbressan

Newton’s Alchemy and early Geochemistry

Posted on March 17, 2013

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) is today remembered for his contributions to optics, mechanics and gravity, but as a typical polymath of his time he was also interested in alchemy. And through his interest in this early predecessor of chemistry he … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemistry, Geology, Philosophy | Leave a comment

How Forensic Seismology investigates into Ship-Disasters, Terrorist-Attacks and secret Nuclear Tests

Posted on January 13, 2013

The collision of the cruise ship “Costa Concordia” on January 13, 2012 was recorded by the seismograph station “Monte Argentario“, situated on the Italian mainland. From the eyewitness testimony and the Automatic System of the ship the time of collision … Continue reading →

Posted in Geology, Science | Leave a comment

Earthquake Beasts

Posted on November 2, 2012

Myths and legends maybe represent the oldest efforts to record and deal with geological phenomena.  The Japanese Namazu-myth is one of the most popular and remembers the tragic connection between society and earthquakes. However many other societies incorporated earthquakes into … Continue reading →

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De Loys’ Ape

Posted on October 8, 2012

Louis François Fernand Hector de Loys, (1892-1935) was a Swiss geologist and pioneer of oil field prospection in Europe, Africa and America. Unfortunately de Loys is today less known for his geological work than for a story involving a strange … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Evolution, Geology | Leave a comment

Richard Owen, the “Sea-Serpent Killer”

Posted on September 15, 2012

Philosopher Francis Bacon (1561-1626) argued that science should also consider “all prodigies and monstrous births of nature; of everything in short that is in nature new, rare and unusual“. So if you have a tale or post to share, unusual … Continue reading →

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The Earth-like Mars

Posted on August 14, 2012

Mars – a distant, extraterrestrial world, but it shares some surprising similarities with Earth. The rotation period is almost the same with 24 hours, 39 minutes and 21,67 seconds (as measured by astronomer William Herschel in 1777-1783), the planet possess … Continue reading →

Posted in astronomy, Biology, Geology, Science | Leave a comment

Geologizing Women into the Field!

Posted on March 8, 2012

Geology usually requires outdoor activities in remote, inhospitable, hazardous or dirty environments. At the beginning of the 19th century it was hard to imagine that a gentleman would engage voluntarily in such an activity and it’s seemed even less comprehensible … Continue reading →

Posted in Geology, History, Science | Leave a comment

Frauds, Fakes and Fossils

Posted on February 7, 2012

Almost every student of earth sciences knows the hoax perpetuated on poor Dr. Johann Bartholomäus Adam Beringer (1667-1738), often told in textbooks as warning of blind faith and argument from authority in science. However careful study of the still existing “lying … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Biology, Geology, History, Philosophy, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

January 6, 1912-2012: 100 years of Continental Drift!

Posted on January 6, 2012

January 6, 1912 the German meteorologist Alfred Wegener presented in a lecture entitled “Die Heraushebung der Großformen der Erdrinde (Kontinente und Ozeane) auf geophysikalischer Grundlage” (The uprising of large features of earth’s curst (Continents and Oceans) on geophysical basis) for … Continue reading →

Posted in Geology | 2 Comments

More Science than Fiction

Posted on December 17, 2011

Science-fiction stories and movies are not only entertainment for a rainy day but also mirrors of the scientific abilities, ambitions, even anxieties of a society. A short overview about tales and movies shows this evolution. The decade of 1950 to … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Environmental History, Geology, Humour?, Science, Teaching HPS | Tagged , , | Leave a comment