The long controversy over the term ‘Quaternary' as a chronostratigraphic unit may be reaching an apotheosis, judging from recent papers (Pillans and Naish, 2004; Gibbard et al., 2005; and referencest herein). The...The long controversy over the term ‘Quaternary' as a chronostratigraphic unit may be reaching an apotheosis, judging from recent papers (Pillans and Naish, 2004; Gibbard et al., 2005; and referencest herein). The debate is no longer centered on whether there should be a place in the geological time scale for a unit termed ‘Quaternary'-despite its dubious past, it cannot be denied that a large body of earth-historical research is strongly identified with this term. The challenge now concerns an appropriate rank and definition of Quaternary with regard to other chronostratigraphic units. Several options have been proposed (Pillans and Naish, 2004), and Gibbard et al. (2005) encourage a debate on these before decision is reached. In this brief note, we describe an arrangement not previously considered that seems advantageous. It is instructive, however, to first review the Pleistocene Series and Neogene System, the two units that are directly affected by introduction of the Quaternary into the chronostratigraphic hierarchy.展开更多
This is an account of the changes in funding, administration, and management of the British Geological Survey (BGS), the oldest government-funded geological survey in the world, from the early 1980s to 2000. It will i...This is an account of the changes in funding, administration, and management of the British Geological Survey (BGS), the oldest government-funded geological survey in the world, from the early 1980s to 2000. It will interest students of public administration, historians of science and geological surveys, and those who have followed the convoluted recent history of BGS. Peter Allen has rendered a most valuable service in documenting and describing as an insider (he only recently retired from a position as Assistant Director) the struggles to maintain the Survey and its prime role of discovering,展开更多
文摘The long controversy over the term ‘Quaternary' as a chronostratigraphic unit may be reaching an apotheosis, judging from recent papers (Pillans and Naish, 2004; Gibbard et al., 2005; and referencest herein). The debate is no longer centered on whether there should be a place in the geological time scale for a unit termed ‘Quaternary'-despite its dubious past, it cannot be denied that a large body of earth-historical research is strongly identified with this term. The challenge now concerns an appropriate rank and definition of Quaternary with regard to other chronostratigraphic units. Several options have been proposed (Pillans and Naish, 2004), and Gibbard et al. (2005) encourage a debate on these before decision is reached. In this brief note, we describe an arrangement not previously considered that seems advantageous. It is instructive, however, to first review the Pleistocene Series and Neogene System, the two units that are directly affected by introduction of the Quaternary into the chronostratigraphic hierarchy.
文摘This is an account of the changes in funding, administration, and management of the British Geological Survey (BGS), the oldest government-funded geological survey in the world, from the early 1980s to 2000. It will interest students of public administration, historians of science and geological surveys, and those who have followed the convoluted recent history of BGS. Peter Allen has rendered a most valuable service in documenting and describing as an insider (he only recently retired from a position as Assistant Director) the struggles to maintain the Survey and its prime role of discovering,
