Comments for The Beagle Project

Comment on Tall Tales and Land Planarians by Uruguay on Two Dollars a Day | The Beagle Project

Uruguay on Two Dollars a Day | The Beagle Project — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:48:14 +0000

[…] Dousterswivel was another one of Darwin’s many references to literature of the day. In this case, it was a character from Sir Walter Scott’s book The Antiquary written in 1816. It is the story of an amateur archeologist/historian who “collects” artifacts and seeks the love of a young woman. Herman Douterswival is a character who is described as a “charlatan professor”. Not that long ago, Darwin also compared himself to another questionable historical character – Baron Munchausen (see Tall Tales and Land Planarians). […]

Comment on Strangers on a Trail by Uruguay on Two Dollars a Day | The Beagle Project

Uruguay on Two Dollars a Day | The Beagle Project — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:48:11 +0000

[…] Alas no record of Don Francisco or Morante that I can find. But if anyone from the area knows a connection to a historical figure or local family, please let me know. I was thrilled in March when a descendant of one of Darwin’s traveling companions wrote in with a comment to the site. What a cool personal touch (see the comments in Strangers on a Trail). […]

Comment on Discovering Marble and Practicing Patience by James Ellligner

James Ellligner — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:58:47 +0000

I am continually amazed on Darwin’s many talents and interests, including geology!

Comment on Old Schist and Other Gneiss Rocks by Discovering Marble and Practicing Patience | The Beagle Project

Discovering Marble and Practicing Patience | The Beagle Project — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:10:59 +0000

[…] In the world of decorative stone, almost everything is called either granite or marble. However, as I often point out to my students, names used for marketing stone are not always the same as rock names used in geology. To geologists, marble has a much more specific meaning – it is a metamorphic rock that forms from the exposure of limestone (a sedimentary rock) to high temperature and pressure. Limestone is made of basically one mineral – calcite (calcium carbonate). So when that rock is metamorphosed, there are not a lot of different elements present to rearrange into new minerals. So during metamorphism the atoms simply recrystallize, forming new calcite crystals which are, in many cases, coarser then the calcite grains they started out as in limestone. (For a lesson on metamorphic rocks see Old Schist and Other Gneiss Rocks.) […]

Comment on The Art of the Beagle – Augustus Earle: Part I by Letters from the Darwin Sisters | The Beagle Project

Letters from the Darwin Sisters | The Beagle Project — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:23:37 +0000

[...] was the artist in residence on the Beagle, though his illness kept him from participating much (see The Art of the Beagle – Augustus Earle). It would not be long before he gave up on trying to “recover” and would head back [...]

Comment on Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes by tamara

tamara — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:07:47 +0000

Now I finally understand better Beaufort scale

Comment on A Thousand Shades of Blue by Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes | The Beagle Project

Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes | The Beagle Project — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:48:22 +0000

[...] cases uses calibrated scales such as Werner’s color scales mentioned in earlier posts (see A Thousand Shades of Blue). It seems like he should have known about the scale by [...]

Comment on Watching a 19th Century “Plasma Screen” by Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes | The Beagle Project

Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes | The Beagle Project — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:48:18 +0000

[...] to the South & North of it are comparatively rare.” (April 24) (See A Mighty Pampero and Watching a 19th Century “Plasma Screen” for more on these meteorological [...]

Comment on A Mighty Pampero by Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes | The Beagle Project

Gales, Foul Winds and Fair Breezes | The Beagle Project — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:48:14 +0000

[...] phenomena which both to the South & North of it are comparatively rare.” (April 24) (See A Mighty Pampero and Watching a 19th Century “Plasma Screen” for more on these meteorological [...]

Comment on Crossing the Shallow Sea by PK Read

PK Read — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:19:30 +0000

Still enjoying your Beagle Project. Thank you.