Author Archives: Mark Wilson

About Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson is an emeritus Professor of Geology at The College of Wooster. He specializes in invertebrate paleontology, carbonate sedimentology, and stratigraphy. He also is an expert on pseudoscience, especially creationism.

Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Tiny athyridide brachiopods from the Lower Carboniferous of the West Midlands of England

Mark Wilson September 9, 2016

These little brachiopods were also in the recent gift package from Clive Champion, our English brachiopod expert and friend. They tested my photographic skills, being too large for our photomicroscope and at the limit of resolution for my camera with … Continue reading →
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Wooster Geologists begin the 2016-2017 academic year

Mark Wilson September 1, 2016

The Wooster  Geologists have started the school year with our traditional Geology Club group photo on a fine late summer morning. We’re looking forward to an exciting time with healthy course enrollments and enthusiastic Senior Independent Study students. Dr. Meagen … Continue reading →
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Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Mystery fossil solution — an oyster from the Middle Jurassic of southern England

Mark Wilson August 30, 2016

Last week I gave my students in Wooster’s Invertebrate Paleontology course a fossil to identify (shown above), using any techniques they want. This was their first task in the course, so it was difficult for most of them. I hope … Continue reading →
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Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: A puzzle for my paleo students!

Mark Wilson August 26, 2016

Every year I start my Invertebrate Paleontology course by giving every student an “unknown” fossil to identify. (Here is last year’s version.) This is not always easy since each student gets the same species from the same horizon and with … Continue reading →
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Wooster Geology’s 2016 Annual Report

Mark Wilson August 23, 2016

Thanks to the hard work, skills and dedication of Administrative Coordinator Patrice Reeder, our 2016 annual report is now available. Continue reading →

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Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Another molluscan assemblage from the Miocene of Maryland (side two)

Mark Wilson August 19, 2016

Last month we featured a fossil slab kindly donated by Dale Chadwick of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Dale is an enthusiastic fossil collector with a very useful website for his favorite sites and specimens. I promised to show the other side of … Continue reading →
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Wooster’s Fossils of the Week: Trepostome bryozoans, burrow systems, and bedding features in an Upper Ordovician limestone from southeastern Minnesota

Mark Wilson August 12, 2016

One of the little mysteries on the recent Minnesota research trip by Wooster students, faculty and staff is the origin of thin limestone beds in the middle of the thick shales of the Decorah Formation (Upper Ordovician). How did such … Continue reading →
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Wooster’s Fossil of the Week: A mytilid bivalve from the Middle Jurassic of southern Israel

Mark Wilson August 5, 2016

This week’s specimen comes from one of my favorite fossiliferous units: the Matmor Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian) of Makhtesh Gadol in southern Israel. I’ve been delighted by the fossils and lithologies of the Matmor since 2003. This particular fossil is … Continue reading →
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Wooster Geologists in Minnesota

Mark Wilson August 4, 2016

Four students, Geological Technician Nick Wiesenberg and Professor Mark Wilson (me!) have just completed eight days of geological fieldwork in the Upper Ordovician of southeastern Minnesota as part of Wooster’s Senior Independent Study program. The students are, from the left, … Continue reading →
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A visit to the Dalles of St. Croix in Wisconsin

Mark Wilson August 4, 2016

Rochester, Minnesota — On its last day in the field, Team Minnesota had a geological trip to the Dalles of St. Croix in Interstate State Park, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It was beautiful, and we practically had the place to ourselves, … Continue reading →
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