Talk on conodonts, Oxford UMNH, Thursday February 13th, 6pm
"Origin, evolution and ecology of the first vertebrate predators"
An evening talk by Dr Duncan Murdock, Collections Manager of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Conodonts are a group of extinct jawless fish that were the first vertebrates with mineralised 'teeth', called 'elements'. Known almost exclusively from fossils of disarticulated elements, much about this charismatic group of animals is poorly understood. However new analytical techniques can now help piece together their early history.
13th February 2025
The talk will be in the Westwood Room of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History , Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW, from 6 to 7 pm.
For OUMNH visitor information see https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/visit-us
A geowalk on White Horse Hill, Saturday March 1st
This circular walk of about 3 miles starts at the National Trust car park on Dragon Hill Road. Parking charges do apply and are £4 for a day (the walk will take about 2.5 hours) or free for National Trust members if you scan your card.
The walk will give us an opportunity to look at the hill fort, the White Horse and many spectacular geomorphological features such as the Manger. Providing the weather is fine we can also see across the Vale to the north and the Jurassic hills beyond. White Horse Hill has many stories attached to it and we can discuss these.
Walking is on footpaths, there is some ascent and descent and there is no shelter so please be aware of the weather.
1st March 2025
Saturday March 1st, start time 10.30 am
Meeting Point: Dragon Hill Road, Woolstone, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, SN7 7QH
Grid reference: SU 29321 86607
What3words: skimmers.shine.sanded
Geology display at Atom Science Festival, Abingdon Saturday March 15
Details to follow
15th March 2025
Wittenham Clumps geology walk Saturday April 26
The two Clumps are of Cretaceous chalk with a thin capping of Quaternary gravels. They form outliers from the main Chilterns escarpment to the south. Their prominence as a local landmark has led to archaeological significance, and they feature in well-known landscape paintings of Paul Nash.
26th April 2025
Meet at Wittenham Clumps car park SU5677 9234 at 10.30 am for a walk around the two Clumps, lasting about one and half hours.
The quarries and building stones of Wheatley, Saturday July 12th
12th July 2025
details to follow