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Morla, the Ancient One
Manouria morla is a new species of fossil tortoise, named after Morla, a fantasy character from the book The Neverending Story written by Michael Ende, later adapted as a movie in 1984.
Morla, the Ancient One, is a giant tortoise who lives in the Swamps of Sadness. The newly described species is the oldest known species of the genus from the Early Miocene of Czechia; therefore, the Ancient One. Its comes from the swamp deposits of Ahníkov (NW Bohemia), a parallel to the Swamps of Sadness. For additional information on the find see Planetárium or Novinky.cz
Workshop on archaeomagnetic dating
We invite all interested parties to a workshop focused on archaeomagnetic dating. It will take place in the premises of the Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v. v. i. at Praha-Lysolaje and Průhonice on December 2, 2025.
The aim of the workshop is to provide a comprehensive overview of the method that allows to determine the age of heat-affected archaeological finds based on the preserved record of geomagnetic field. The morning and afternoon blocks will be guided by researchers from the Laboratory of Paleomagnetism at Průhonice together with their foreign colleagues, who will share their experience in the field of archaeomagnetism. Participants can register online here. For additional information click here.
A new book on alkaline rocks
A new volume ‘Alkaline Rocks: Economic and Geodynamic Significance through Geological Time’ has been just published by the Geological Society of London. The book brings together the latest insights into alkaline rocks – a specific group of igneous rocks that represent an important source of critical metals essential for modern technologies and sustainable energy.
The publication was co-edited by Prof. Lukáš Krmíček, who contributed alongside an international team of experts.
Additional information about the book here
Latest geological insights into the Říp Hill volcano
Research by Czech geologists od the Institute of Geology CAS, Charles University, Masaryk University and VŠB_Technical University Ostrava revealed that the legendary landmark of Říp Hill is a remnant of a volcanic eruption that occurred over 26 million years ago. This hill, cocated near the zone of significant Tertiary volcanic activity (Ohře Graben), was formed during a subsurface explosion of the so-called maar volcano. The eruption was triggered by the contact of rising magma with groundwater. The sudden conversion of water into steam caused an extreme build-up of pressure, leading to a powerful explosion. A crater was formed on the surface, later filled with lava. This solidified lava lake, spaed by erosion, now forms the main body of the hill. The research was also contributed by two high school students within the Open Science program of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
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