Send us a text Richard White is a man whose PhD involved spending weeks utterly alone in Australia's central desert. In this episode, he recounts tales of encountering herds of camels (while in bed!), carrying half a ton of rocks in an overloaded 4WD, and exploring remote terrain by following his dream... Richard's story is one of the glorious independence and a little eccentricity that makes a remarkable geologist. Teaching resources (questions prompts) for 12-16 year olds can be found...
Send us a text Alina, with stunning grace and grit, transformed herself from a village girl tending cattle to an indomitable spirit, working for her nation's water security. From stumbling upon geology, to drilling for water in the driest corners of the Namib Desert, while battling unimaginable financial hardship, Alina's story isn't just about rocks and water: it's a testament to the transformative power of education, opportunity, and sheer human resilience. Teaching resources (questio...
Send us a text Chris is a geologist whose passion for the planet was ignited by a trekking trip to K2. Prepare for an absorbing tale of Antarctic fieldwork, traveling by icebreaker (much better than flying), battling katabatic winds strong enough to launch 200kg (400 pound) fuel drums, and the glorious, rule-breaking, solitary climb of a remote Antarctic peak. Chris's story is a reminder that sometimes, getting lost is the best way to find yourself. Teaching resources (questions prompts...
Send us a text This episode introduces the Emily, who quite literally found love (and some really interesting rocks) while running a Pentagon-backed mineral exploration program in Afghanistan. Prepare for "free-range geologists" navigating perilous terrain in body armor, battling bubbling lithium lakes in repurposed dune buggies, and the logistical chaos of getting radioactive samples into the Pentagon. It's a love story, a post-war story, and a thrilling, hilarious testament to the unexpecte...
Send us a text Meet Tim Ivanic, a British-Australian geologist who started life as an artist. Tim fused his passions for rocks and art in the 'Aeon Sounds Project', turning geological data into music and sound: imagine volcanoes as instruments, geological time transformed into sound, the synesthetic transformation of crystals into music. It's a wild, unexpected, and brilliant dive into how science and art can, and should, sing in harmony. Teaching resources (questions prompts) for 12-16 year ...
Send us a text David Schofield never really planned on being a geologist. But sometimes, life (and an outbreak of foot and mouth disease) throws you a curveball. David recounts his adventures mapping vast stretches of the Saharan desert, learning to survive on newly-learned resilience and sheer geological grit, and becoming the leader he hadn't realised he was. Teaching resources (questions prompts) for 12-16 year olds can be found here: https://www.tes.com/resource-detail/resource-13276404
Send us a text Gillian is a Nairobi-based geologist who didn't exactly stumble into the field, but rather, geology found her, from a phone call that led her on a new path to discovering her purpose. Gillian's early experiences of fieldwork in a remote Kenyan landscape include a heart-pounding encounter with wildlife. And she shares her insights on overcoming challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field. If you're a woman considering a STEM career, Gillian's honesty about carving out her sp...