Eberly News

Tagged with Geology
Shaping future geologists: WVU alumni couple provides opportunities through field experience

Shaping future geologists: WVU alumni couple provides opportunities through field experience

WVU Foundation /

Ohio native Dan Billman has always been science-minded and had a fascination with rocks. Growing up on Lake Erie furthered his interest in rock formations, but it was a family friend and freshwater biologist who inspired Billman to pursue a career in geology.

Scientists have long debated the respiratory workings of sea scorpions, but a new discovery by a West Virginia University geologist concludes that these largely aquatic extinct arthropods breathed air on land. James Lamsdell dug into the curious case of a 340 million-year-old sea scorpion, or eurypterid, originally from France that had been preserved at a Glasgow, Scotland museum for the last 30 years. An assistant professor of geology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Lamsdell had read about the “strange specimen” 25 years ago while conducting his doctoral studies. Existing research suggested it would occasionally go on land.

Coming up for air

Eberly News /

Scientists have long debated the respiratory workings of sea scorpions, but a new discovery by a WVU geologist concludes that these largely aquatic extinct arthropods breathed air on land.