Conferences and Workshops

It’s conference season folks and I’ve been listening to the live feed of the Michigan State University Digital Archaeology Institute. This week they’re looking at how map-related frameworks can help you explain your data visually. There is a step-by-step guide as well as downloadable resources and great advice available at the #msudai tag.

Next week in Portsmouth we’ll have Flugsaurier 2015, the place to be if you love pterosaurs. I am trying to get there myself but, if you go, it would be great to have a chat with you about it. There’s going to be some great new stuff coming out of it. Watch that space.

Immediately after that we have SVPCA of course – this year in neighbouring Southampton. the two conferences are so close in space and time that they’re sharing a field trip between them! I can’t make it to SVPCA but get in touch if you’d like to write a review for us about it.

News

Good news for the California condor: their mortality rate has fallen from 37% in 2000 to an all-time low of 5.4% thanks to the efforts of conservationists. The main threats to condor survival are power lines and lead content in their diets. Aversion therapy has taught the condor to steer well clear of the power lines. You can read all about it here.

It’s take-over day – when the social media accounts of major institutions are taken over by young people. We’re looking forward to seeing what they do with them, it’s going to be a great learning experience for us all.

News from the Blogosphere

The Geological Society have launched a photography competition that is right up the GCG‘s alley. To enter, send in a picture of one of Britain and Ireland’s top 100 geosites. For the list and how to enter, click here. There’s a lot of beautiful landmarks that didn’t make the cut.

Highlights from the Papers

Dave Hone and colleagues have published on a beautiful specimen of Rhamphorhynchus – complete with soft tissue and possibly-associated coprolite. You can read the paper here.