Science & Math / Earth Sciences

Today the Northeast of Scotland is the picture of peace and tranquillity. Some of the highest quality agricultural land is to be found here. But it was not always like this. Although the area lacks...

Welsh doctor Henry Hicks had one huge passion: Geology. Author of over 60 important articles and academic papers, he made a major contribution to 19th century geological study and, despite being an amateur with no formal training in the subject, was eventually elected president of both the Geologist’s Association and the Geological Society.

The archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland are the products of some of the most dramatic events which have occurred in the Earth’s history.The Shetlands are the eroded roots of a vast mountain range...

Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize 2019The rocks of northern Scotland tell of turbulent events involving continental collisions that unleashed cataclysmic forces, creating a chain of mountains,...

In this book Alan McKirdy explores the Outer Hebrides, together with the volcanic rocks that build the outposts of Rockall, St Kilda and the Shiants, tracing their extraordinary journey through time and across the globe.

Argyll and the islands that lie off from the west coast of the Kintyre are some of the most historically resonant places in Scotland. But the rocks beneath tell a story of an even more ancient world...

This book is a fascinating exploration into Edinburgh's geological history over millions of years, from the passage of ice during a great freeze that has left an indelible stamp on Edinburgh's cityscape, to long disappeared seas to create the stunning elegance of Edinburgh's New Town, to the Industrial Revolution and the present day.

In Set in Stone, Alan McKirdy traces Scotland's geological journey, explaining for the non-specialist reader why the landscape looks the way it does todays. He also explores Scots and those working in Scotland have played a seminal role in the development of the science of geology, understanding Earth processes at a local and global scale.