sand swirl

In memory of Michael Welland

Michael Welland
Michael Welland

 

 

 

 

 

We were deeply saddened to hear that Michael Welland, one of our Whizz Pop Boffins, passed away last month.

Michael was a geologist and sand expert who advised Whizz Pop Bang on all things sandy and rocky, and taught us everything we know about building amazing sandcastles. He was enormously supportive and enthusiastic about the magazine from the start. Always full of fantastic suggestions and inspiring ideas, Michael was a real asset to have on board. He will be greatly missed.

Whizz Pop Bang Issue 12 at the beach article by Michael Welland

Our February issue, which will be all about gems and crystals, owes a lot to Michael’s ideas and will be dedicated to his memory.


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Competition time for Mum and Dad! And maybe Grandpa too…

Sand by Michael Welland

We have a copy of this fascinating book to give-away as a prize for one our awesome Whizz Pop Bang grown-ups; whether that’s Mum, Dad or maybe a grandparent who likes playing in the sand!  SAND: A journey through science and the imagination is written by Michael Welland.

How to enter: simply send a photo of yourself buried in the sand! Yes it has to be you (a grown-up), and it could be just your feet or your whole body, we’re not too fussy on that detail. The winner will be the funniest photo so get creative! You can also send in an old photo, we love a relic 😉

Post, send or tweet your photos by 5th September. We will contact you if you photo is a winner for your address.

Synopsis for SAND on Amazon:

‘This book is all about sand – sand in individual grains, each one a little different; sand in piles; sand in shoals and dunes; the science of sand but also, shot through the book, sand and imagination – the art and the music of sand. Did you know that the Sand Mountain in Nevada emits a low C, while dunes in Chile sound an F, and those in Morocco a G#?  
For all its ubiquity, sand is an extraordinary substance. For scientists, it is important in many ways: it represents the crushed remains of past rock, and builds up into layers in lake and ocean beds, layers of sandstone from which we can extract the history of deep time; its erosion creates complex landscapes of mounds and dunes which move in characteristic ways; its grains are remarkable individually and in their behaviour together as a granular material. And to travellers, poets and artists, the deserts it forms are full of grandeur and pathos. Michael Welland is a geologist who has a passion for sand. He shows that truly, one can see a world, both in space and time, in a grain of sand.’


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