In chemistry student Dorontina Domi first couple of months of her placement at BGS, she has rotated between different laboratories including organics, collagen extraction and modern environmental gas analysis. This has provided her with a broad experience of the different instruments and sample preparation techniques that are required within BGS Stable Isotope Facility (SIF). In this blog, Dorontina tells us about some of her experiences so far. 

Carbon and nitrogen isotopes in organic materials

A wide array of instruments in the SIF can be used to analyse the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope composition of organic materials found in sediments, soils and plant materials. The bulk of the analysis is carried out using an Elementar isoprime precisION isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) with a vario ISOTOPE cube elemental analyser (EA). The samples are combusted in the EA and are then passed onto the IRMS on a continuous flow of helium carrier gas, selected for its inertness and separation efficiency for measurement.

While learning sample preparation, I gained experience in using microbalances to weigh samples down to 200 micrograms (or 0.0002 grams), which is a miniscule amount that is challenging to see with the naked eye. I compacted the weighed sample material into either crucibles or capsules, depending on the instrument and their auto sampling methods.

When analysing these sample materials for C isotopes, it is important to understand whether the results are representing organic or inorganic C fractions contained in the material. Organic carbon consists of compounds sourced from living organisms and their remains, and inorganic carbon, such as from carbonates, is formed from biological and geological processes. The two forms of C have very distinct isotope compositions (inorganic C typically has more carbon-13 compared organic C) and even a small amount of inorganic C contamination in samples can offset target organic C isotope values.

Samples must therefore be treated to remove inorganic C prior to isotope analysis. I acidified samples using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and rinsed them with purified water, using a centrifuge to ensure thorough washing, until the pH tested neutral. This process dissolves the inorganic C fraction and isolates the organic C fraction.

SIF houses 13 mass spectrometers, so I have also gained experience in how staff conduct maintenance, such as on the Elementar IRMS. I assisted in replacing the consumables to ensure that the analyses are performed with a high precision and accuracy.

Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotopes in prehistoric bone samples

Comparing carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotope ratios from carnivores and their prey allows us to distinguish the palaeo-diet of animals and the of different species. This allows us to interpret their relationships during different ages and draw inferences from the data on changes associated with climate differences. For example, the higher the nitrogen isotope composition (δ¹⁵N) the more ‘carnivore-like’ feeding habits took place, therefore the main prey for each species can be identified.

Statistical tools called Bayesian mixing models will be used as a framework to integrate the large proportion of data from throughout modern and Pleistocene times and to infer the relevant data. Through this, the project will assess how changes in climate and environment influenced the feeding behaviour of the wolves and their resilience during reductions in prey availability. This information is crucial to understand the influence climate change will have on the endangered species in the future and help conservation strategies.

As part of the sampling programme, I was given an opportunity to spend a day at the laboratories in London, where I observed the meticulous drilling process used to cut small pieces of material from a variety of different fossil species for later analysis. The samples were cut from areas that will minimise damage of the structural integrity of the bone for conservation purposes.

As well as fossil samples, the project is also analysing contemporary wolves from Croatia and their prey as a comparison. These samples are less than 100 years old and required an initial solvent treatment in the geomicrobiology lab before collagen extraction could begin.

I have also helped to prepare the samples for isotope analysis, where a multi-step process takes place to extract the collagen, before it is purified and analysed via the EA-IRMS.

Carbon isotopes in methane samples

Another aspect of my training coversÌýanalysing methane (CH₄) gas samples for their carbon isotope composition using a Sercon HS2022 with CyroGas.

This instrument works by purifying the sample gas via carbon dioxide (CO₂) traps and a cryogenic gas trap to remove any other sources of carbon present that are not from CH₄, thus reducing potential sources of contamination. The sample gas then flows through a combustion tube, where the CH₄ is converted to CO₂ and cryogenic trapping takes place, ensuring that the CO₂ is concentrated in the final trap and can be released to the mass spectrometer rapidly. This allows for a narrow, sharp peak that can be analysed and replicated with a high precision. I also hope to help with the analysis of hydrogen (H) isotopes via the pyrolysis of CH₄ to H₂.

Working at BGS as a student

If you are an undergraduate student looking for an opportunity within stable isotopes, I highly recommend BGS. Not only is it the largest UK producer of stable isotope data, but it is also a supportive workplace to be a part of. There are a variety of clubs to involve yourself in such as the BGS Wilding Group. Staff and volunteers maintain the natural areas at BGS to promote wildlife biodiversity, as a commitment to sustainability.

I would like to extend a massive thank you to everyone at the Stable Isotope Facility for welcoming me with such support and excitement. It has been an incredible start to the placement and I am looking forward to the rest of the year!

About the author 

Dorontina Domi is an undergraduate chemistry student at the University of Surrey, completing her industrial placement at SIF, which is located at BGS headquarters in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire. 

I recently had the opportunity to attend and present at the 13th International Conference on Methods and Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry (MARC XIII) in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i, USA. This conference is an international forum for discussing advances in radioanalytical chemistry and its applications.

As a PhD student, attending MARC XIII was an invaluable experience. The conference gave me the opportunity to share the latest findings of my project, as well as to engage with researchers from all over the world and gain insights into nuclear forensics and analytical chemistry.

During the conference, I delivered a presentation entitled ‘Exploring the analysis and diagnostic value of oxygen isotopes for nuclear forensics’. My talk focused on the method development of microfluorination, which enables precise oxygen isotope analysis using minimal sample sizes. I discussed the optimisation of the fluorination reaction, thereby improving oxygen yields and the relevance of this technique to forensic investigations of nuclear materials.

The method I have been working on has the potential to enhance the nuclear forensic toolkit by providing reliable oxygen isotope signatures from oxide materials, including heavy metal oxides. I also shared preliminary results from test samples and outlined plans for applying the method to other laboratories.

As well as presenting, I attended various sessions covering topics, including: Ìý

• environmental radioactivity measurements
• activation analysis
• radiation detectors and instrumentation
• nuclear proliferation prevention and safeguards
• mass spectrometry methods for detecting radioactive materials

It was inspiring to experience the interdisciplinary nature of the field and to see how researchers are pushing the boundaries within radiochemistry.

One of the standout moments of the conference was a student networking event that brought together students and researchers from various US national nuclear laboratories. It was a fantastic opportunity to have informal, face-to-face conversations with professionals from places like , , and . As a student based outside the USA, I found it incredibly valuable to learn more about the kinds of research being done at these institutions and to hear about career pathways, postdoctoral opportunities and collaborative projects.

Of course, being in Hawai’i added to the experience! While most of the time was dedicated to sessions and discussions, I managed to take some time to enjoy the spectacular surroundings, which made the conference even more memorable.

Attending MARC XIII was a valuable experience that allowed me to engage with the global research community. The feedback and connections I gained will undoubtedly shape the next stages of my PhD research. I’m excited to follow up with the researchers I met and to explore potential collaborations. I look forward to future conferences and events in the field of radioanalytical chemistry.

About the author

Paulina is a third-year PhD student at BGS and the University of Nottingham. Her PhD is funded by AWE.

Phosphorus (P) is a key limiting nutrient for many lake systems. However, a rise in the level of phosphorus in lake waters can stimulate the growth of excess plants and algae. The increase in phosphorus facilitates rapid increases in lake productivity, causing events as such as algal blooms, which can lead to reductions in water quality. Phosphorus has been one of the major nutrients responsible for algal blooms over the last several decades.

Most sources of excess phosphorus in lakes are external to their catchments and are mainly due to human activities, such as agricultural runoff, sewage discharge and industrial pollution. These external sources of phosphorus have been well defined over the years and, in many of the UK most important lakes, they are regulated and strictly limited.

Lakes such as Esthwaite Water in the Lake District have seen significant reductions in external phosphorus inputs over recent decades, through conscious management to combat previous nutrient pollution problems. However, many lakes, including Esthwaite Water, are still experiencing issues with major algal blooms, despite stringent regulation and monitoring.

Our research aims to quantify why levels of phosphorus in these lakes are still so high, by assessing how much is still coming in from external sources and how much is being sourced from the nutrient-rich sediments historically deposited within the lake.

This round of fieldwork saw the team collecting three lake sediment cores (for isotope and geochemical analyses) as well as numerous water samples from the lake itself and its input streams. All these samples will be analysed at the Loughborough University or BGS laboratories.

It is hoped that the stable phosphate oxygen isotope analysis of the lake sediments in particular will offer novel insights into the past and current phosphorus dynamics at Esthwaite Water. The team will then be able to identify if the lake sediments are contributing a large enough legacy source of phosphorus to the lake waters to maintain the algal blooms that the lake suffers from.

This work is ongoing and experimental but, if successful, it could be applied to a large range of polluted lake systems in the UK and worldwide, to help identify and fingerprint phosphorus sources.

Funding

This work was facilitated and supported by established Esthwaite scientists Gareth McShane and Ellie Mackay from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

About the author

The mysteries of Stonehenge have baffled scientists for centuries. In the 2010s, archaeologists and geologists identified two quarries in Wales as the sources of Stonehenge legendary standing bluestones. Now, new evidence published by scientists in August 2025 consolidates this connection.

A century ago, in 1924, archaeologists discovered a cow jawbone that had been carefully placed beside Stonehenge south entrance and dated it to the monument very beginning in 2995 to 2900 BCE. The discovery has intrigued historians ever since. Why had it been placed there? Why was this animal considered special? Researchers from BGS, Cardiff University and University College London have used isotope analysis to bring this artifact to life, helping to reveal further tantalising glimpses into the origins of the historic landmark.

The scientists sliced the cow third molar tooth, which records chemical signals from the animal second year of life, into nine horizontal sections. They were then able to measure carbon, oxygen, strontium and lead isotopes, which each offer clues about the cow diet, environment and movement.

The oxygen isotopes revealed that the tooth captured roughly six months of growth, from winter to summer, whilst the carbon isotopes showed the animal diet changed with the seasons: woodland fodder in winter and open pasture in summer. Additionally, the strontium isotopes indicated the seasonal food sources came from different geological areas, suggesting that the cow either moved seasonally or that winter fodder was imported.

The lead isotopes revealed composition spikes during the late winter to spring, pointing to a lead source that was older than the lead in the rest of the tooth. The composition suggests the cow originated from an area with Palaeozoic rocks, such as the bluestones found in Wales, before moving to Stonehenge.

This is the first time that scientists have seen evidence linking cattle remains from Stonehenge to Wales, adding further weight to theories that cows were used in the transportation of the enormous rocks across the country.

This study has revealed unprecedented details of six months in a cow life, providing the first evidence of cattle movement from Wales as well as documenting dietary changes and life events that happened around 5000 years ago. A slice of one cow tooth has told us an extraordinary tale and, as new scientific tools emerge, we hope there is still more to learn from her long journey.

Prof Jane Evans, BGS Honorary Research Associate.

In addition to this discovery, researchers also concluded that the unusual lead signal could not be explained by local contamination or movement alone. Instead, there was another explanation: that lead stored in the cow bones had been remobilised during the stresses of pregnancy. If true, this would mean the cow was female and pregnant or nursing during the tooth formation. To test the hypothesis, the team applied a peptide-based sex determination technique at the University of Manchester, which showed there was a high probability that the animal was female.

This research has provided key new insights into the biography of this enigmatic cow whose remains were deposited in such an important location at a Stonehenge entrance. It provides unparalleled new detail on the distant origins of the animal and the arduous journey it was brought on. So often grand narratives dominate research on major archaeological sites, but this detailed biographical approach on a single animal provides a brand-new facet to the story of Stonehenge.

Richard Madgwick, professor of archaeological science at Cardiff University.

Stonehenge has many secrets left to be uncovered. However, this latest research helps fill in just a few more of those gaps as we learn more about this legendary landmark.

This is yet more fascinating evidence for Stonehenge’s link with south-west Wales, where its bluestones come from. It raises the tantalising possibility that cattle helped to haul the stones.

Michael Parker Pearson, professor of British later prehistory at University College London.

The research paper, , is now available to read.

Carbon and oxygen isotopes in carbonate are a useful tool that can tell us about our environment. For example, oxygen isotopes in tooth enamel are useful in archaeology when researchers want to find out where individuals they are working on are from, or to track animal movement and husbandry. We can also use this technique to analyse modern-day shells of molluscs such as whelks or scallops, to see how they are adapting to rising sea-water temperatures as a result of climate change. Ìý

Stable isotope analysis at BGS

The Stable Isotope Facility at BGS can analyse a range of carbonate types, including tooth enamel, speleothems, calcite minerals and a wide range of shells, for carbon and oxygen isotopes. We currently have several instruments that can analyse carbonate materials including very small samples down to 5 micrograms — which would fit on the head of a pin!  

During analysis, laboratory staff need to check whether the sample data produced is accurate. We do this by analysing standard materials that have a predetermined value in every sample batch. Both the samples and standards are analysed using the same method, so if the standard data is accurate and precise, the sample data should be correct. Standards are also used to correct data if there is a measurement offset from the known value. We use multiple standards to cover the range of our sample isotopic values.   

Why do we need in-house standards? ​  

We are developing new in-house (internal) standards to use in our laboratory for three reasons. Firstly, we analyse thousands of samples each year, which means we need a lot of standard material. International standards provided by external bodies can be expensive and can run out, so creating our own standards internally helps decrease costs and makes sure there always enough standard material available.  

Secondly, because we analyse some unusual carbonates, it is best to have a standard that matches the sample material we are measuring. Finally, there are very few oxygen isotope standards currently available for carbonates, especially carbonate in tooth enamel. This is because carbonates in powder form exchange oxygen with the atmosphere, causing carbonate isotope values to change over time, meaning materials used for standards do not last long.   

What are we testing?

We are currently working on developing three new internal carbonate standards that we can use as a reference material for our work.

The first is Bahamian oolite aragonite, which we call BOA for short, which comes from a beach composed of oolitic sand in the Bahamas. BOA is composed of round and tiny, egg-shaped ‘ooids’, which form in warm shallow seas and are then deposited on the beach.

The second is made up of fragments of whelk shells, (sometimes known as sea snails). The shells we have are waste from the fishing industry, where the whelk is removed and sold as food and the shells are repurposed for decorative use and in gardening.

The third and final material is from a high-temperature skarn (HiTS) rock that has come from western Romania. This rock formed when magma heated limestone bedrock from below, producing a skarn punctuated with calcite veins, which we extracted. ​This material is probably the most valuable to us as it has a very low oxygen isotope composition, making it useful as a reference material for archaeological tooth enamel samples, as they tend to have low values. 

Creating the internal standard

To use these new materials as an internal standard, we need to ensure that they meet certain requirements:  

• they have homogenous​ carbon and oxygen isotope values   

• there is an isotopic and chemical match to routine samples​  

• they are affordable, available, accessible and abundant  

• they are chemically and isotopically stable over time  

To make sure we meet these requirements, we have been working with other teams within BGS to help characterise our materials. So far, we have analysed them using our scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction, which tell us about what elements  make up these materials to check for impurities.  

We are currently analysing our three new standards at the Stable Isotope Facility over an extended period of time, to ensure that they produce consistent isotope values. So far, we have values with an error of less than 0.2 per mil, which is great news for the possibility of the Stable Isotope Facility laboratories and others in the organisation using these materials as an internal standard in future carbonate research. We hope to make these new standard materials available to other stable isotope facilities soon!

Contact

Please get in touch with either of the authors if you are interested in participating in an interlaboratory comparison, to enable us to certify the values of these new standard materials. 

About the authors

This project is investigating how the phosphorus content and phosphate oxygen isotope (δ¹⁸O-PO₄) signatures in sediment cores change over time, to establish the value of this proxy for environmental reconstruction research. The research builds on a fellowship project between BGS and Loughborough University with Dr Savannah Worne, and is part of an ENVISION DTP PhD project at Lancaster University. 

The importance of phosphate oxygen isotopes

Normally, the bonds between phosphorus and oxygen in phosphate (PO₄^3-) are very stable and don’t break down easily under typical conditions on Earth. This means that oxygen isotopes within PO₄^3- remain unchanged, unless biological processes are involved. However, certain enzyme-driven reactions, both inside and outside cells, can break these bonds and allow oxygen isotopes to exchange with the surrounding water. This has led to the discovery of a temperature-dependent balance between water and PO₄^3- cycling, which can help scientists better understand how PO₄^3- is processed by living organisms.

Recent advances in analysing δ¹⁸O-PO₄ have made it easier to use them as indicators of biological cycling of inorganic PO₄^3-. Using modern water oxygen isotope (δ¹⁸O-H₂O) data, we can calculate the temperature-dependent equilibrium value for δ¹⁸O-PO₄, which reflects the complete biological turnover of phosphate.   

Applying this method to lake sediments is a new and innovative technique that builds on current soil methodologies and allows for past studies of phosphorus cycling. We expect that the δ¹⁸O-PO₄ value in the sediments will reflect the level of biological processing at the time of deposition, with values moving closer to equilibrium when PO₄^3- is utilised more. To date, there have only been rare applications of δ¹⁸O-PO₄ to lake sediments, with no prior applications to a lake sediment core. In part, this reflects the unknown preservation of the δ¹⁸O-PO₄ signature within the core over time.

Rutland Water

Rutland Water is one of the largest artificial reservoirs in Europe, located in the East Midlands. Spanning approximately 4200 acres, it was constructed in the 1970s to ensure a reliable water supply for the surrounding region. Over the years, the reservoir has evolved into a vital site for drinking water supply, wildlife conservation and recreational activities, drawing nature enthusiasts and visitors alike.  

A key part of the site is the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, which is composed of woods, grassland and meadows as well as eight shallow water lagoons, covering around 1000 hectares. Managed by Anglian Water and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, this area of Rutland is internationally renowned for its rich biodiversity, with wetlands, woodlands and open waters providing habitats for a variety of wildlife species, including the famous ospreys. Our research aligns directly with the water quality management goals of the site, to ensure the ongoing sustainability of this unique environment.

Sampling and research activities

In collaboration with the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, we collected three sediment cores from a nutrient-rich lagoon in the Rutland Water Nature Reserve to study how phosphorus levels and the PO₄^3- oxygen values in lake sediments change over time.

The first core was cut into thin layers and analysed immediately to give us a baseline of current conditions. The other two cores were stored under different conditions for six months to see how much the phosphorus concentrations and isotope values might change over time. One core was sliced into layers before storage (exposing it to air), while the other was kept intact in its tube, mimicking in-lake preservation conditions. These two cores were treated with isotopically enriched water before storage, with the intention that the isotope label would appear in future data sets if biological activity persisted, even at depth. 

Preliminary discoveries

So far, the analysis of the first core has provided useful baseline results, by identifying four different pools that phosphorus is bound to: bioavailable, microbial, metal-bound and non-labile. The results hint at the varying stability of these phosphorus forms within the sediments.  This analysis also gives us an opportunity to improve our analytical methods.

Findings from the stored cores will be key to our understanding of how phosphorus in sediments behaves and changes over time, offering insights into nutrient cycling at Rutland Water. All of this data will be part of my ongoing PhD thesis.

About the author

Christopher Bengt is a PhD student enrolled at Lancaster University. His PhD is funded through the Envision Doctoral Training Partnership and the BGS University Funding Initiative.

My name is Paulina Baranowska and I’m a second year PhD student. My project is hosted at BGS, in collaboration with the University of Nottingham and funded by AWE.

Project aims

The aim of my PhD project is to advance nuclear forensic science by investigating the use of oxygen isotopes as a nuclear forensic signature, and to develop a novel technique to measure the oxygen composition of nuclear materials. I am using surface-science techniques to understand the impact of corrosion and exposure to varying environmental conditions on nuclear materials, and the influence this has on the oxygen isotope signature.

Surface-science techniques are valuable tools for assessing the effect of corrosion on materials and include:

• scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
• X-ray diffraction (XRD)
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
• thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

Together, these techniques can provide a complete picture of how environmental changes affect both the surface and bulk of a studied material, and enhance our understanding of the forensic signatures incorporated by these materials. This understanding enables us to determine their origin and history more precisely.

The project also aims to obtain a better understanding of how to design appropriate methods for oxygen isotope analysis using various analytical techniques. This research represents a novel and interdisciplinary approach to nuclear forensics that combines surface-science chemistry, material behaviour and stable-isotope geochemistry.

What is nuclear forensic science?

Nuclear forensic science focuses on the examination and identification of evidence to support governments in managing incidents involving nuclear and other radioactive materials ‘out of regulatory control’. This means incidents where nuclear or radioactive materials are not under prescribed regulatory oversight, supervision, or legal constraints, posing potential risks due to unauthorised possession, use or transfer.  

A wide range of forensic signatures is used to assess the origin of materials and inform law enforcement for further investigation​​. The production route of a trafficked or lost material, including where, when and how the material was produced, can be found using various analytical techniques.

The role of oxygen isotopes

Using the oxygen isotope composition of materials for nuclear forensic purposes is a new and novel approach. Oxygen isotopes have been used as an environmental tracer for the past 70 years, as the balance of oxygen isotopes in natural materials is influenced by the prevailing climate and surrounding environment, including factors such as temperature, humidity and the source of water. This can provide insight into the geographical origin of materials or the conditions they have been exposed to, which is highly valuable to forensic investigations.

As natural materials form, they capture the oxygen isotope composition of the surrounding environment at the time of their formation, which is the basis of palaeoclimate research and environmental change reconstructions. However, this is also true for conditions and processes in modern environmental settings, including corrosion processes.

Corrosion involves a gradual deterioration of metal surfaces via a chemical reaction to reach a more chemically stable form (for example, oxidation of a metal to an oxide or hydroxide). The incorporation of a specific oxygen isotope composition in a corrosion product will reflect the ambient and geographic conditions that it formed under, providing a distinctive oxygen isotope signature that can be analysed to trace the material exposure history. Oxygen isotopes can therefore potentially be used as a forensic tracer to differentiate between different geographical origins of nuclear materials. Ultimately, this can help narrow down the source of an unknown material in a forensic investigation. 

Current analytical constraints limit the use of oxygen isotopes in nuclear forensic research, particularly in the context of uranium compound analysis. Classical and laser fluorination methods, commonly used for oxygen isotope analysis, suffer from limitations such as low sample throughput, low efficiency, large sample mass and the high risk associated with using the chemical reagents required to liberate the oxygen.

Given these challenges, elemental analyser-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS) is considered an alternative option. My work aims to develop an automated method of analysing heavy metal oxides using EA-IRMS. The method combines surface-science techniques with isotope geochemistry to understand controls on the oxygen isotope composition in heavy metal oxides to assess the forensic signatures and the use of oxygen isotopes as a nuclear forensic tracer.

About the author

Paulina started her PhD after completing an MChem degree at Nottingham Trent University. Her master project focused on the analysis of radioactive elements in cosmetics from the 20th century, sparking her interest in radiochemistry. Prior to beginning her PhD, Paulina had the opportunity to work as a technician in a university laboratory, which reinforced her desire to work within analytical and nuclear chemistry and encouraged her to seek out a PhD project that combined these areas of science.

My week began with a welcome tour of the research facilities at BGS and, more specifically, the geochemistry laboratories. The team provided an introduction to the field of mass spectrometry and the use of isotopes in archaeological research. The sample preparation, which happens under very precise, controlled conditions to exclude contamination, involves a huge amount work prior to analysis. It wasn’t long before I was gaining hands-on experience working with carbon isotopes from organic and inorganic materials, preparing samples and then analysing them on mass spectrometers. For me, one of the highlights was learning how to handle samples down to 40 micrograms in weight — which I can confirm is difficult to see with the naked eye!  

Geoarchaeology 

Dr Angela Lamb is well known for being one of the leading geochemists on the research into and analysis of King Richard III remains. She took the time to talk to me about the relevance and application of geochemistry in archaeological contexts. In relation to King Richard III, her detailed analysis has revealed various fascinating details about his life, for example that he lived in different locations through his childhood and into his adult years. Bones in our bodies reflect our diet and location (due to the underlying geology that creates different soil chemistries in different areas) and this type of analysis has been used in countless archaeological investigations — as featured in the TV programme ! Ìý

The BGS collections 

I was also taken on a tour of the BGS collections by Louise Neep. It was so exciting to see them in person, especially the vast fossil collections. Louise explained how conservation methods have evolved since the 18th century. I was able to see fossils that are up to 500 million years old and inspected ancient plants, trilobites and an ichthyosaur. It was thrilling to hold such ancient relics in my hands. Louise gave me a real appreciation for all the curation efforts that are taken by BGS staff members like Louise to preserve the relics for future scientific research.  

The week ended with an excellent conversation with Dan Condon, who works on dating meteorites. He explained how uranium–lead dating is used and the physics and chemistry involved, which was particularly relevant to my aspirations to be an astrophysicist.  

Overall, this was a very informative and exciting week that introduced me to various facets of laboratory life, which is very different to what we see at school. It has enhanced my understanding of which skills are essential for laboratory work, for example the high-precision, detail-oriented work on the samples, and the importance of handling scientific data. The week made me appreciate science methods and gain confidence that research in astrophysics is the ideal career for me.  

Thanks 

Thanks to all the staff at BGS who were very helpful, especially Charlotte Hipkiss, Jack Lacey, Kotryna Savickaite, Diksha Bista, Dan Condon, David King, Doris Wagner and Carol Arrowsmith. 

About the author 

Riveen Pehesara Kumanayaka is an aspiring astrophysicist who is currently studying for his A levels in physics, maths, computer science and English literature.