This is Siccar Point. This is where we first learned that the Earth is ancient. Not just old, not just thousands of years, but so old that it seemed almost to have been around forever. It is arguably the birthplace of modern geology. The concept of an ancient Earth was important to Darwin’s thinking about evolution, too.
Now, there is a proposal that could damage this incredibly important location by digging a trench across is and filling them with concrete. Learn more here, including ways you can lodge objections.
Here’s the email I sent:
I'm an biologist and educator. I tell my students about the importance of Siccar Point in the development of science, and how geologists used Siccar Point to demonstrate the great age of the earth. That Siccar Point taught us something so fundamental about the history of the planet makes it a scientific landmark. As such, it should be preserved as best as possible.
Consequently, I object to the plan put forward by Drysdales Limited, because I am concerned about the potential damage done to this historic geological formation.
I think Siccar Point should be something like a World Heritage Site.
Photo by arvidbr on Flickr; used under a Creative Commons license.
