Author Archives: Ron Miksha

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About Ron Miksha

Ron Miksha is a bee ecologist working at the University of Calgary. He is also a geophysicist and does a bit of science writing and blogging. Ron has worked as a radio broadcaster, a beekeeper, and Earth scientist. (Ask him about seismic waves.) He's based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The Death of Heezen

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Ron Miksha

The Des Moines Register described Bruce Heezen as a large man. This, they said, contributed to his early death at age 53, on this day in 1977. But when we look at photographs of Bruce Heezen, he doesn’t appear to … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, History, Oceans, The Book | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mountains by Destruction

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Ron Miksha

Gustave-Émile Haug. Now, there’s a name you don’t hear everyday. Unless you specialize in the obscure. But everyone has a birthday, today would have been Haug’s, so let us remember the French geologist for his role in helping to develop … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Non-drift Theories | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Earth’s Mid-life Crisis

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Ron Miksha

Some researchers think the Earth went through a mid-age doldrum, a sleepy period of listless ennui. Its plates slowed down, they claim. Or maybe stopped churning completely. For about a billion years, (1.7-.75 bya) the planet was boring. No serious … Continue reading →

Posted in How Geophysics Works | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How Hot is Hot?

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Ron Miksha

How Hot is Hot?  4,000 degrees K, according to new study.  Researchers at the Magma and Volcanoes Laboratory (CNRS U Blaise Pascal) and the European Synchrotron (ESRF) have collided to make sense of the really hot temperatures at the core-mantle … Continue reading →

Posted in History, How Geophysics Works, The Book | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Oklahoma – An Earthquake Hot Spot?

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Ron Miksha

When we think of American earthquakes, we think of California where the huge plates of the San Andreas are slip-sliding past each other. Or maybe the south coast of Alaska, near the subduction zone that formed the Aleutian and Kuril … Continue reading →

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Kickstarting Tectonics

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Ron Miksha

The Mountain Mystery. tells the story of how (most) geologists and geophysicists finally agreed that plate tectonics moves the continents, opens ocean basins, and scrunches crust into mountains. But what started the tectonic motion? Most of us assume that the scheme … Continue reading →

Posted in History, How Geophysics Works | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Searching for Haida Gwaii

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Ron Miksha

Haida Gwaii. Totem poles and sea mist shroud the west coast islands of Canada. Rain is occasionally heavy enough to drown a duck. (30 cm a day is possible.) Or maybe the ducks drown in the tsunamis – earthquakes give … Continue reading →

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Doodling Mary Anning

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Ron Miksha

Today Google has a doodle honouring Mary Anning, one of palaeontology’s pioneers. The reason Google chose Anning on this day?  It remembers her birthdate – she would have been 215 years old today. Alas, she didn’t reach 50. Here is … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, History, The Book | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

It’s different

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Ron Miksha

Convicted of forgery, American attorney Amos Eaton spent five years in prison. Released at age 40, his law career ruined, and still protesting his innocence, he moved on. That was in 1815. Geology became his greatest interest and teaching was … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, How Geophysics Works, Philosophy, Science Education | Tagged | Leave a comment

Columbus rides again

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Ron Miksha

    It seems the Santa Maria has been found. Marine archaeologist Barry Clifford and his team believe they have found the sunken vessel. Columbus left Europe in August, 1492, with three ships – La Pinta, La Nina, and Santa Maria, … Continue reading →

Posted in Exploration, Oceans | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment