Browsing the BGS News Archive - News Releases

New research has revealed that some events in Earth's history happened more recently than previously thought.

Scientists from the British Geological Survey and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, publishing this week in the journal Science, have refined the data used to determine how much time has passed since a mineral or rock was formed.

They report uranium isotopic composition of minerals, used to date major geological events, which are more accurate than previously published.

The major effect of this is to reduce previous age determinations by up to 700 000 years.

The BGS are aware that the Auction Mart site, North Road, Ripon, is the subject of a planning application. Last year (21 November 2011) the BGS were offered copies of the site investigation information and are on record in the reply as having stated that:

'This part of Ripon is particularly problematical and very difficult to investigate and interpret, it may be a challenge to develop and some of the site may be too dangerous to build on.'

An energetic M-class solar flare erupted on the Sun earlier today. This was associated with a coronal mass ejections (CME) that is expected to arrive at Earth tomorrow.

There is an increased chance of viewing the aurora during local night time hours assuming dark and clear skies, though this is dependent on the configuration of the interplanetary magnetic field embedded in the solar wind.

For updates and further information go to BGS Geomagnetism or for tips on Viewing the Northern Lights in the UK

Data from the BGS seismic networks in the region were examined and signals consistent with a possible sonic origin were recorded at around 15:13/15:14 UTC on several stations. The observations received are similar to those which have been received previously for sonic boom. RAF Kinloss were contacted and have advised that there were two military jets on exercise in the area at the time.