The NW Highlands of Scotland probably has the best scenery and geology in the world. You can find the oldest rocks in the British Isles, the first evidence of life, ancient landscapes carved out by preCambrian rivers and beautifully exposed Lower Palaeozoic clastic and carbonate sediments.
These all form part of a major fold and thrust belt on which the metamorphosed Moine schists were emplaced.
However, geologist Roderick Impy Murchison saw this as a conformable succession. It is worth asking the question, why did Victorian geologists so completely miss evidence that is so obvious to geologists today?
The answers lie in the state of geological science at the time, geopolitics and social climbing. Resolution of the Moine thrust controversy was a turning point in the history of geology gave us the foundations of the science of geology as we now know it.
View the promotional video for this talk
Biography: As a carbonate sedimentologist Dr Gutteridge has worked on carbonate systems from all parts of the geological column throughout the world. He did his first degree at Leeds, which had a strong structural emphasis at that time. This included numerous lectures and field trips to NW Scotland, particularly to the Moine thrust. Dr Gutteridge has been back there many times since and this lecture offers a new perspective on an old controversy.
The talk will be given live at St Francis of Assisi in Kenilwoth. Members and guests are encouraged to attend in person if possible. Registration is not required and there is plenty of free car parking available at the venue.
We will attempt to transmit this talk live over Zoom to those who are unable to attend the venue. Zoom participants must register in advance using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkc-ygrTosHN1ORd5Zkt_eWbPyrTqnUoEm
