Meeting Details
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Time | 2.00 pm on the last Friday of the month |
| Duration | 1 1/2 to 2 hours |
| Location | Castle Street Centre |
| Coordinators | John Burrows
Mke Dewey |
What we do
Our meetings consist of talks by a guest speaker or group member, group study activities, or visits to places of scientific interest. Each meeting is planned to completely cover a specific subject. Subsequent meetings may cover a related subject but not rely on the matter of a previous meeting. In this way anyone who misses a meeting will not be at a loss.
A geological field trip
Our policy is that talks and studies do not require specialised knowledge. If some members wish to go more deeply into a topic then we would arrange to meet outside the programmed meetings. Mathematical topics are not covered unless the members wish for a change. We welcome tackling any subject a member would like to raise and like to think our interests range widely.
Past subjects have been '600 million Years of Cumbrian Geology' by Mike Dewey one of our Group members, 'New Light on Light' by Professor John Inglesfield and a group study on 'Future Energy Sources'. Questions are encouraged as we go along to increase understanding.
Visits, outings and social events may be at times outside the normal schedule of meetings.
We have also visited the Lambrigg wind farm, the Windermere sewage works and the Windermere aquarium.
New members would be very welcome.
Reports
July 2010
The dates and subjects for the next “season” are shown below. The order may be changed as I fill in the gaps.
- 24 September 2010: Cumbrian Mines and Minerals – Mike Dewey
- 29 October: Personality – John Kincey
- 26 November: Subject to be announced
- December: No Meeting
- 28 January 2011: Energy Crops versus Agricultural Crops – Vernon David
- 25 February: Subject to be announced
- 25 March: Subject to be announced
- 29 April: Subject to be announced
Malcolm McIver has offered to talk on either Pi and its History, Early Days of Nuclear Energy or Earth’s Magnetic Field. Please let me or Mike know if you have a preference and also if there is any topic you would like us to tackle. I can talk on Radioactivity.
I suggest we discuss at our early meetings whether to add a lunch or other social event to the programme.
Last March Mark Simpson, who is closely involved with the Mining History Society, gave a very interesting talk on the Coniston Copper Ore Field and Mining in the Lake District. It started in the 16th century and was amazingly diverse and extensive in Cumbria. Now slate is the only mining still carried out. Mark brought to notice the extensive literature available, the fine preservation work being carried out and trails that can be followed such as the one in Coniston.
In April, Vernon David gave a Global Warning Update after the Copenhagen Conference. He summarised the agreements of the previous Kyoto conference in 1997 and Bali in 2007 and how far these have been fulfilled. The aim to keep carbon dioxide levels below 450 ppm, which should limit temperature rises below 2 degrees C presents enormous problems. Rising populations will be one of the biggest factors together with increased energy use in the developing countries.
Our June Walk in Smardale led by Mike and Gill Dewey was marred by wind and rain. It was very interesting geologically and for the viaduct and railway but the famous butterflies very much deserted us. I am sure it will be remain memorable particularly things like the quarry sites, which Mike had surveyed and were now preserved and respected by planning authorities.
If you can give a talk please come forward, our main aim is self help. Mike and I can help with presentations. They can be done very effectively with OHP and conventional slide shows it does not have to be all computerised. If know of someone who would give us a talk but only require moderate expenses please let me or Mike know.
John Burrows
March 2010
Our next two talks are:
- 26 March – The Coniston Copper Ore Field and Mining in the Lake District, Mark Simpson.
- 30 April – Carbon Capture and Storage and Climate change after the Copenhagen Conference, Vernon David.
We shall recess for the summer except for a Summer Walk in Smardale Wednesday on 9 June 2010, led by Mike and Gill Dewey. This will be of interest geologically and for its nature, particularly butterflies. Meet 10:30 am at Newbiggin-on-Lune at grid ref. NY 700054, which is an unclassified road on the left as you reach Newbiggin-on-Lune on the A685 from Junction 38 of the M6. Please let Mike or John know if you wish to come because parking is restricted and it will help if we can share cars.
Our programme will start again in September. The dates for meetings are: 24 September, 29 October and 26 November. There will be no meeting in December. Subjects and speakers will be announced later. If you can give a talk please come forward, our main aim is self help. Mike and I can help with presentations. They can be done very effectively with OHP and conventional slide shows it does not have to be all computerised.
We have continued since October 2009 with a very good series of talks. In November Mike spoke on the geology of Mars with a wonderful series of pictures from the robots there, one of which has wandered 3.1 km over 5 years and exceeding all performance expectations. There has clearly been flowing water in the past but how much remains now seems a big question.
15 members attended an enjoyable lunch on 19th January 2010 at Kendal College and the food was very good. Despite the great British meat theme the College did provide some vegetarian alternatives.
At the end of January Dr Colin Reynolds gave a talk Carbon in Context. Dr Reynolds brought out the complexity of the production and fixation of carbon dioxide in the oceans, plants and living and dead organisms and uncertainties in quantifying them. We need to remember the greenhouse gas effect was necessary to give a ‘liveable’ temperature. Without it would be 33 degrees C cooler. 150,000 years ago we had similar carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to now and clearly survived but the rates of change now are probably greater than they have ever been and many claim man-made, hence a worrying problem. The effect was described by Fourier in 1824 and studied by Arrenhius in1896, so not a particularly new phenomena.
Our February talk was in a new area for the group: The Science of Intelligence – Some Unanswered Questions? by John Kincey, a member of the group. John admirably covered a wide field including among others the definition of intelligence, lifetime changes, genes and environment, nature or nurture, cultural values and do men and women differ. Well men are better by about 2 points overall, possibly because they have bigger brains but women excel in certain tasks. The questions and comments after showed the interest in the talk. Ian Hodkinson made a point that racial groups in the more temperate regions may perform better in tests because their brains are kept cooler; an area for research?
I would like help, particularly with obtaining speakers. I am heavily involved with running the ski, croquet and chess clubs.
John Burrows
November 2009
Please note that our meetings will start at 2:00 pm from January 2010 by popular request.
I have booked 20 places for lunch at Kendal College on Tuesday 19 January at 11:45 for 12:00 hours. Spouses, partners and friends are welcome. I will require a £5 deposit (non-returnable) with your booking. The theme is Great British menu of Meat dishes and will cost £12.
I missed our first meeting of the year in September when I was told Vernon David gave a very interesting talk on Global Water Supplies. Though the Earth is known as the blue planet Vernon’s handout shows only 2.5% of the Earth’s water is fresh and 69% of that is bound up in glaciers. Though they are already fighting over water in some parts of the world we seem alright in Cumbria but might have to take steps to keep it from the southerners.
Our October talk was about a water turbine electricity generation project in the local Kentmere valley by Iain Johnston. It was an excellent presentation including pleasant photos of all along the river Kent. The drive to get planning permission in the National Park and funding by a voluntary body of people was amazing. The scheme will produce 350 kilowatts of electricity for about 75% of the year. All seems set for them to start construction next spring. The profits will be for the benefit of parishioners and possibly research into natural problems.
I wish to resign as coordinator in April after 9 years. I am heavily involved with running the ski, croquet and chess clubs and expect more family commitments. Please think about volunteering I will help and give talks if you wish.
John Burrows
