First record of chambered hexactinellid sponges from the Palaeozoic

p. 129-130Most chambered sponges (the polyphyletic group of "Sphinctozoa") are hypercalcified types and most of them probably belong to the Demospongia. "Spinctozoa" occur from the Cambrian to the Recent and are the most abundant sponges in Late Palaeozoic and Triassic reefs and shallow water limestones. Among hexactinellid sponges, chambered forms are very rare including taxa only from the Late Jurassic and the Late Triassic of Europe, Russia, Tadjikistan, Iran or China. There are five genera described Casearia Quenstedt, Caucasocoelia Boiko, Dracolychnos Wu & Xiao, Pseudo-verticillites Boiko and Innaecoelia Boiko, the latter of which is synomised with Casearia by most authors.S

Natural radiactivity from building materials in Spain

The industrial construction sector is very important in Spain. Building materials used in this industry are sources of radiation from natural radionuclides they contain. The European Commission published some recommendations to facilitate the trade of these materials in the E.U. The studies about this subject have increased notably during last years. This, probably, can be associated with the increase interest from natural radiation radiological risk on indoor exposure.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear. CSN-201

Strategies for the dissemination of Geology to general audiences. The province of León as a case study

En este trabajo se describen y analizan diversas actividades de divulgación de la Geología realizadas en la provincia de León (España) entre los años 2017 y 2019. Para su exposición, se agrupan en tres categorías que tienen en cuenta tanto su periodicidad como el tipo de entidades patrocinadoras. Se da a conocer la herramienta de difusión Canal GEO, que ha ayudado a incrementar el número de asistentes. Estas actividades han permitido reconocer tres estrategias que favorecen la persistencia de aspectos geológicos en el imaginario colectivo de los asistentes, así como la integración de la divulgación geológica en el turismo cultural y de naturaleza. Estas estrategias son: 1) el uso del patrimonio geológico como recurso, 2) la integración de los aspectos geológicos en contextos culturales y naturales más amplios, y 3) el establecimiento de sinergias con entidades que trabajan temas usualmente alejados de la Geología pero que tienen gran arraigo en territorios con alta geodiversidadThis paper describes and analyzes several activities to disseminate geology carried out in the province of León (Spain) between 2017 and 2019. For their presentation, they are grouped in three categories that take into account both their periodicity and the type of sponsoring entities. The diffusion tool Canal GEO is presented, which has helped to increase the number of attendees. These activities have allowed the recognition of three strategies that favour the persistence of geological aspects in the collective imagination of the attendees as well as the integration of geological dissemination in cultural and nature tourism. These strategies are: 1) the use of geological heritage as a resource, 2) the integration of any geological feature in wider cultural and natural contexts, and 3) the stablishment of synergies with entities that usually work on issues far from geology but are deeply rooted in territories with high geodiversit

"Mucientes Chert" in the Northern Iberian Plateau (Spain)

The so-called “Mucientes chert" is a variety that appears in the central area of the Iberian North Plateau, in theDueroBasin. It is widely known in the geological and archaeological literature and its use for knapping was especially important in Prehistory. From a macroscopic point of view it is a nodular chert, with white and very porous cortex, and brown to blackish or beige colour in the inner part.In this work we carried out a more accurate petrographic, mineralogical and chemical characterization of this lithology using SEM, XRD and XRF techniques in samples coming from “Las Canteras” (Mucientes village), a chert outcrop of the “Cuestas” Unit (Vallesian-Aragonian, Miocene Age). Also, we have made a review of its geological occurrence and archaeological distribution areas.  It is intended to sketch the delimitation of the geographical area of occurrence taking into account the geological and archaeological references.

El “Sílex” en la Meseta Norte: sectores central y noroccidental

In this work, a review of the available data on the different types of flint (flint, chert and radiolarites) and of some slates sensu lato utilized for knapping during the Prehistory is carried out in the Northwest quadrant of the Iberian North Plateau, understood as the territory that covers all the hydrographic basin of the river Duero. We have begun with an evaluation of the geological base, by means of field works and analysis of the bibliographical references on these types of rocks and of the geological forma- tions of the ones that can proceed. These have been divided into four source areas: 1) Cantabrian Zone, constituted of sedimentary rocks; 2) “Centroibérica” Zone, formed by metamorphic and igneous rocks; 3) Paleogene and neogene materials that fill the basin of the Duero; and 4) The quaternary river terraces of the Basin of the Duero, whose materials come from the erosion, transportation and sedimentation of diverse rocks from the source area 3 and, in smaller measure, from the source area 1. The fol- lowing section value the data on those raw materials found on archaeological contexts throughout different prehistoric periods. Available studies focus on the following rocks: black chert (laminated and not laminated), radiolarite, “slates”, and the so-called “Mucientes Flint”. Finally, the data obtained in the two previous sections are crossed to outline an image of the management of these lithic resources along the Prehistory, its strategies of exploitation as well as a sketch of its circulation by this region.En este trabajo se realiza una revisión de los datos disponibles sobre los diferentes tipos de sílex (sílex, chert y radiolaritas) y de algunas pizarras sensu lato utilizados para la talla durante la Prehistoria en el cuadrante Noroeste de la Meseta Norte, entendida como el territorio que abarca toda la cuenca hidrográfica del Duero. Se ha comenzado con una evaluación de la base geológica, mediante trabajos de campo y análisis de las referencias bibliográficas sobre estos tipos de rocas y de las formaciones geológicas de las que pueden proceder. Estas últimas han sido divididas en cuatro áreas fuentes: 1) Zona Cantábrica, constituida por rocas sedimentarias; 2) Zona Centroibérica, formada por rocas metamórficas e ígneas; 3) Materiales paleógenos y neógenos que rellenan la cuenca del Duero; y 4) Las terrazas fluviales cuaternarias de la Cuenca del Duero, cuyos materiales proceden de la erosión, transporte y sedimentación de diversas rocas constituyentes del área fuente 3 y, en menor medida, del área fuente 1. En el siguiente apartado se valoran los datos que, sobre esas materias primas, pueden extraerse de los contextos arqueológicos a lo largo de los distintos periodos prehistóricos. Los estudios disponibles se centran en las siguientes rocas: chert negro (laminado y no laminado), radiolarita, “filitas” (pizarra sensu lato) y el denominado “sílex de Mucientes”. Fi- nalmente, se cruzan los datos obtenidos en los dos apartados anteriores para esbozar una imagen de la gestión de estos recursos líticos a lo largo de la Prehistoria que nos permita apuntar sus áreas de aprovisionamiento, sus estrategias de explotación así como un bosquejo de su circulación por esta región

Compromiso educativo con las ciencias de la Tierra. Emilio Pedrinaci y la AEPECT

Emilio Pedrinaci contagiaba su optimismo y su pasión por la enseñanza. En este artículo hablan aquéllos que compartieron con él la creación y evolución de la Asociación Española para la Enseñanza de las Ciencias de la Tierra (AEPECT) y la publicación de su revista desde 1992, dos años antes de la aparición de Alambique. Trabajador de espíritu infatigable, Emilio se implicó en movilizaciones por la enseñanza de las ciencias de la Tierra y en diversas acciones solidarias. De todo ello da buena cuenta este texto

LegioLit: Knappable material lithotheque in the Prehistory Laboratory at the University of León, Spain

This work introduces a comparative collection located in the Prehistory Laboratory at the University of León (Spain) specialised in knappable raw materials, mainly comprising radiolarite and black chert (micro-crypto crystalline quartz), from the western Cantabrian Mountains (north of Iberian Peninsula). A standardised protocol of sample collection and data organisation was developed, which includes the use of several methodologies. First, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for referencing lithic sources. Second, direct observation of the sample for the macroscopic characterization, both de visu and stereomicroscope. Third, petrographic microscopy for a description of main petrological, and palaeontological features, complemented with the identification of the different minerals that make up the samples by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Forth, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Thermogravimetry – Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TG-DSC) for geochemical and thermal features of the samples. Finally, the results of these analyses were entered in a database. All this information is contributing towards the creation of a physical reference collection specialised in local Palaeozoic formations (mostly from Devonian to Carboniferous) that outcrop in the western Cantabrian Mountains, a region whose potential resource base was previously not very well known. This collection would allow to compare archaeological lithic remains from different sites inside and outside the Cantabrian Mountains

The Escalada Formation: Characterization of a potential chert supply source in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) during prehistory.

A study of the chert nodules found in the Escalada Formation (Carboniferous, Ponga region, Cantabrian Zone) was carried out as a means to characterise a number of lithic raw materials found in several prehistoric sites of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). This study comprises fieldwork aimed at locating the outcrops and obtaining samples. Some selected samples from two localities were used for both petrological (macroscopic and microscopic analyses from thin sections) and geochemical (X-ray fluorescence and powder diffraction) analysis. The macroscopic study shows a rather homogeneus coloration and a conchoidal fracture although two extreme types of cherts with a variety of intermediate forms can be differentiated according to the matrix composition. The microscopic analysis shows a high heterogeneity in carbonate versus silica percentage and gentle differences in some other features such as type of silica, origin of carbonates, occurrence of organic matter and type of skeletal components. The results of several geochemical analysis suggest that there are not geochemical features neither in the major elements nor in the traces that allows us to clearly distinguish between the analysed samples. All these studies allow us to define the main features of these chert nodules and to establish several types and varieties among them. Those varieties with high percentage of silica and with a more homogeneous matrix are the most suitable samples for knapping. These results together with the study of the geological and geographical location of archaeological sites suggest that the nodules from the Escalada Formation likely were lithic material supply sources used in knapping activitiesWhen aiming to demonstrate the use of these materials at archaeological sites the sole macroscopic analysis of the pieces does not suffice; further analyses, such as those involving thin sections, are necessary. The absence of chert from Escalada Formation in some Mesolithic sites in the area was confirmed via these additional analyses

Critical thinking among institutional academic advisors and sociodemographic, professional and academic variables: a multicenter correlation study

Background: In nursing education, essential skills include Critical Thinking (CT). There is scant evidence on how nurse educators could promote CT in students in a clinical context. Objective: To analyse the level of CT and correlated variables in healthcare nurses overseeing the clinicals of nursing undergraduates. Methods The study population were all nurse educators for clinicals at hospitals with nursing undergraduates. To evaluate the CT skills of nurses the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire (N-CT-4 practice) was administered. Frequencies, percentages and measures of central tendency and scatter were obtained. A bivariate analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between the nurse educators' CT level and the sociodemographic, professional and academic levels. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare two independent groups. Statistical significance was defined as P <.05. Results: The total number of participants was 639. The highest mean CT level was seen in clinical nurses involved in undergraduate nursing instruction and with experience of up to 10 years (mean CT score = 372 (33.3), p=.007). Global CT levels were similar in women and men (mean CT score: 364 (31.9) in women and 358 (40.5) in men, p=.187), with statistically significant differences only observed in the intellectual and cognitive indicator (P =.022). Conclusions: CT levels are high in teaching healthcare professionals in the clinical environment

Uranium-bearing minerals characterization with laboratory reflectance spectroscopy: study of Córcoles fossil site, Guadalajara

En la naturaleza, el ion uranilo se asocia comúnmente a arse-niatos, fosfatos y vanadatos; uno de los orígenes secundarios más frecuentes del uranio está asociado a fosfatos cálcicos biogénicos. En este estudio se han caracterizado minerales de uranio con espec-troscopia de reflectancia VNIR-SWIR de laboratorio (400-2500 nm). Entre las muestras estudiadas se han incluido los minerales secun-darios de uranio: metatorbernita, metautunita y metauranocircita, así como fosfatos cálcicos (biogénicos e inorgánicos) y fósiles coe-xistentes con mineralizaciones de metatyuyamunita encontrados en el yacimiento de vertebrados del Mioceno inferior de Córcoles (Cuenca del Tajo, Guadalajara, España). Este yacimiento representa un ejemplo de la formación de minerales secundarios de uranio de tipo fosfatos. Su origen es el resultado de la interacción de los fósiles con aguas subterráneas u otros fluidos mineralizadores portadores de uranilo (UO22+) durante la diagénesis. Los minerales con uranilo muestran rasgos de absorción a 1100, 1330 y 1672 nm atribuidos a los aniones uranilo. Dada la escasa información preexistente, la ca-racterización de los minerales que contienen uranio aporta valiosa información con gran potencial para ser aplicada en teledetección. Los datos obtenidos pueden ser de utilidad en la exploración, carac-terización y/o protección de los yacimientos de uranioUranyl ion is commonly associated with arsenates, phosphates and vanadates; one of the most frequent secondary origins of ura-nium is associated with biogenic calcium phosphates (bones and teeth) in nature. In this study different uranium minerals have been characterized with laboratory VNIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy (400-2500 nm). The samples studied included the secondary ura-nium minerals: metatorbernite, metautunite and metauranocyrci-te. Calcium phosphates (biogenic and inorganic) and fossil remains coexisting with metatyuyamunite mineralization found in the Lower Miocene fossil vertebrate deposit of Córcoles (Tajo Basin, Guadalaja-ra, Spain) have also been studied. This deposit represents a remar-kable example of the formation of secondary uranium minerals of the phosphate type. Its origin is the result of the interaction of fossils with groundwater or other uranyl (UO22+) bearing mineralizing fluids during diagenesis. The uranyl-bearing minerals show absorption features at 1100, 1330 and 1672 nm attributed to uranyl anions. The characterization of uranium-bearing minerals provides valuable information with great potential for application in remote sensing, given the scarcity of pre-existing information. The obtained data can be useful in the exploration, characterization and/or protection of uranium deposit