VISITORS can take a journey back through three billion years at the British Geological Survey's revamped centre in Keyworth.
The centre, which provides expert services and advice in all areas of geoscience, has had a £17.2million renovation.
It now features an eco-friendly office for scientists and support staff, a reception and conference facility, as well as a geological walkway, in which three billion years of the earth's history are squeezed into a 130-metre long stone concourse.
The British Geological Survey's executive director Professor John Ludden said: "BGS enters a new era with the opening of its renovated site.
"It will develop an innovation centre and build further partnerships with industry and research institutions, focusing on the energy and environmental challenges of the future.
"We welcome visitors to the geological walkway, who will be able to take a journey back through 3,000 million years of geological history."
The walkway consists of natural stone paving laid out to represent the different geological time periods, with 40 different types of rock used.
Every step of the way tells a different story, starting from a period before life began through to the age of the dinosaurs and the Ice Age.
Among the large boulders scattered along the walkway is one that is three billion years old and weighs 15 tonnes.
Barcodes along the walk can be scanned with smartphones to help visitors identify the rocks.
The new James Hutton Building, home to 100 BGS scientists and support staff, is at the centre of the walkway.
The building will recycle rainwater, feature a combined heat and power plant, solar panels on its roof and a passive cooling system.
Other parts of the existing site have been redeveloped to create a new reception and a state-of-the-art conference facility with the capacity to host meetings for up to 400 scientists.
The site will be officially renamed the British Geological Survey Environmental Science Centre by the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir John Beddington, at an open day today.
From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/pound-17m-revamp-geological-centre/story-16106517-detail/story.html
The centre, which provides expert services and advice in all areas of geoscience, has had a £17.2million renovation.
It now features an eco-friendly office for scientists and support staff, a reception and conference facility, as well as a geological walkway, in which three billion years of the earth's history are squeezed into a 130-metre long stone concourse.
The British Geological Survey's executive director Professor John Ludden said: "BGS enters a new era with the opening of its renovated site.
"It will develop an innovation centre and build further partnerships with industry and research institutions, focusing on the energy and environmental challenges of the future.
"We welcome visitors to the geological walkway, who will be able to take a journey back through 3,000 million years of geological history."
The walkway consists of natural stone paving laid out to represent the different geological time periods, with 40 different types of rock used.
Every step of the way tells a different story, starting from a period before life began through to the age of the dinosaurs and the Ice Age.
Among the large boulders scattered along the walkway is one that is three billion years old and weighs 15 tonnes.
Barcodes along the walk can be scanned with smartphones to help visitors identify the rocks.
The new James Hutton Building, home to 100 BGS scientists and support staff, is at the centre of the walkway.
The building will recycle rainwater, feature a combined heat and power plant, solar panels on its roof and a passive cooling system.
Other parts of the existing site have been redeveloped to create a new reception and a state-of-the-art conference facility with the capacity to host meetings for up to 400 scientists.
The site will be officially renamed the British Geological Survey Environmental Science Centre by the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir John Beddington, at an open day today.
From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/pound-17m-revamp-geological-centre/story-16106517-detail/story.html
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