White calcite crystals, a platy white calcite rose and green fluorite on drusy quartz. From the Hamme Tungsten Mine. Photo: Chris Tacker/NCMNS.
Volcanoes. Earthquakes. Gemstones. Mineral crystals. Climate change. Meteorites. It’s all in a day’s work for a geologist. Celebrate the start of Earth Science Week with Rocktober, where you can interact with earth scientists, identify rocks, minerals and fossils and enjoy earth science-based activities like solving crimes with geology. Because Rocktober rocks!
Exhibits
All exhibits will be on the third floor of the Nature Exploration Center.
Ask a Geologist
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Bring your rocks, minerals, and fossils for identification by the NCMNS Geology and Paleontology Collections Manager!
Digging Up the Dirt on Forensic Geology
Hanna Forensics, LLC
Become a forensic geologist and use rocks, minerals and soil to help solve a crime.
Everyday Geology: From Minerals to Volcanoes
NC State University Marine Earth & Atmospheric Science Department
Match up everyday items with their mineral constituents and learn about how and where volcanoes form.
Mystery Minerals
North Carolina Geological Survey
Budding geoscientists will use their detective skills to observe and test mineral samples in order to solve the mystery of the minerals!
Rock Art!
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Explore the rich human history of rock art! Learn about the amazing rock paintings and carvings crafted by ancient indigenous artists in NC and help foster a passion for cultural heritage preservation! Tap into your creative side and make your own awesome “rock” art using recycled cardboard, markers, and kid-safe carving tools!
Rockhounding NC
Tar Heel Gem & Mineral Club
We’ll be fishing for rocks! Visitors will have a play fishing pole and will get a category of rocks, from which they can choose.
Rocks and Fossils at the Nanoscale
Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN)
Get up close and personal with the Earth! RTNN will have a collection of rocks and fossils that you can view at the micro and nanoscale using microscopes, including a portable electron microscope.
Presentation
This presentation will be in the Windows on the World Theater on the third floor of the Nature Exploration Theater.
2:00 pm: The La Soufriere (2020-2021) Eruption
Thomas Christopher, Montserrat Volcano Observatory
This presentation will give an overview of the La Soufriere (2020-2021) eruption and the monitoring and challenges that were encountered.
About our presenter
Thomas Christopher got his BSC in geology in 2000 from the University of the West Indies. He earned his PhD from St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge, in 2010. His main research interests are volcanic degassing, igneous petrology and fluid geochemistry.