Hanging out at the Otago University Geology Department to learn about the nature of science is totally awesome!
I have been working with very interesting people on fascinating projects:
Using a variety of tools; brushes, dental picks, delicate chisels and air scribes to remove the matrix (limestone) from 25 million year old fossilised whale bones recovered from North Otago.
Using a microscope and tweezers to pick out tiny tiny brachiopods from crushed quarry material in North Otago.
Cutting up rocks with a diamond saw read for ‘thin section’ preparation
Photographing thin sections under a special microscope that can use polarised light.
I now know a ‘thin section’ is a very fine slice of rock (0.03mm) which started of as a chip of rock glued to a piece of glass and ground down until you can just see and feel it. Thin sections are very important for identifying the minerals that make up the rock. By examining the thin section under special microscopes you can learn a lot about the history and formation of the rock. Thin sections are also analysed by mass spectrometers which tell you about the different molecules that are in the rock.
The past two months have been the most intellectually stimulating time I have experienced, most likely ever!!!
Thanks Royal Society for giving me this opportunity!
