Volcano under Stoke-on Trent?

Houses in Stoke-on-Trent could be heated by geothermal energy by 2019

A dormant volcano 350 million years old is believed to be heating rocks and water to more than 105°C (220°F) underground

Less than two miles beneath Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, is a layer of rocks heating water to up to 105 degrees Celsius.

Experts think it is so hot because it is linked to volcanic activity back in the Devonian period.

This heated water could be brought to the surface and used to heat homes

Only one currently exists in the UK at the moment, in Southampton

Stoke City Council will invest £52m ($85m) in the project starting in 2016

Information from the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror!

Japan volcano eruption

Mount Ontake started erupting at lunchtime on Friday spewing out small rock and ash over a two-mile wide area

Police confirm at least 36 hikers have been located in a state of 'cardiac arrest' and are feared dead

They are Japan's first deaths from volcanic eruption since 1991, when 43 people died at Mount Unzen

Rescue efforts with army helicopters were used to airlift survivors from the mountain side

The volcano is 230km west of Tokyo but has not yet caused any disruption to flights in and out of the city

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed the military to rescue the hikers from the area

Rescue efforts have now been called off due to rising levels of toxic gas near summit and approaching nightfall 

For more information and video of the eruption click here (for BBC) and here (Daily Mail)

Volcano and Aurora Borealis

Video of volcano and Northern Lights click here

Spinosaurus dinosaur was 'semi-aquatic animal'

Fossils reveal terrifying cross between Tyrannosaurus rex, crocodile and a whale which could walk as well as swim

A terrifying cross between Tyrannosaurus rex, a crocodile and a whale was the largest predator ever to walk the Earth - or swim in its rivers.

Spinosaurus is the first dinosaur known to have been adapted to an aquatic lifestyle.

Weighing 20 tonnes and measuring almost 50 feet, it was nine feet longer than the largest T. rex specimen known.

It also had jaws filled with vicious slanted teeth and a snout like that of a massive crocodile, while its short muscular hind legs were equipped for paddling and resembled those seen in early limbed whales.

For more information click here
For a video of Spinosaurus click here

How do you stop the flow of lava?

Authorities on Hawaii's Big Island have declared a state of emergency as lava from the Kilauea volcano threatens residential communities and roads. Is there any way to stop a lava flow and save the homes in its path?

Click here for more information, the photo is from Etna not Kilauea.

Britain's Rocky Past

To find out about Britain's Rocky road click here.

Mendip Rocks 2014!

Rock Festival

There are lots of events over the next couple of months to extend your geological knowledge, and learn more about the local area.

It would be great to see you going along to an event, 

why not take a friend! It might be useful information for an EPQ, enrichment, or even a nice thing to do with a parent?!

You might like to include it on an UCAS personal statement 

for an Earth Science degree.

For more information click here

Icelandic eruption

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29003031

A fissure eruption has begun north of the Vatnajokull Icecap. There has been a large earthquake swarm under and to the north of the Vatnajokull Icecap suggesting a sub glacial eruption may have been imminent. However the eruption has begun as a spectacular fissure eruption as can be sen on the attached link.