Fossils by Firelight - GSSA cover art

Fossils by Firelight - GSSA

Fossils by Firelight - GSSA

By: Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard
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About this listen

 Welcome to fossils by firelight - a series of conversations with South Africa's geological legends where they unearth their discoveries, their learnings, memories, interesting stories (and maybe a few tall tales) to chronicle our history and inspire the next generation of geological heroes.Solid Gold Podcasts and Audiobooks Earth Sciences Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Licking Rocks and Other Career Advice | John Bristow, Henny Greeff, and Malcolm Lee

    Licking Rocks and Other Career Advice | John Bristow, Henny Greeff, and Malcolm Lee
    Jan 27 2026
    This episode of Fossils by Firelight was recorded in Hermanus, a place seasoned geologists seem to migrate to once their field boots are well worn. It brings together John Bristow, Henny Greeff, and Malcolm Lee for a wide-ranging, story-rich conversation about a life spent with rocks.

    From first field assignments and unforgettable camps to mentors, missteps, underground lessons, global mining adventures, and the responsibility that comes with experience, the discussion blends humour, hard-won wisdom, and sharp insight into how geology shapes both landscapes and lives. It’s a candid reflection on collaboration, communication, curiosity, and why getting your hands (sometimes literally your tongue) on real rocks still matters.

    Before we wrap up, a small correction from the editorial desk: John mentioned Gideon Groenewald during the conversation, but the geologist in question was in fact Gideon Scheepers — proof that even solid memories can suffer a little geological slippage over time. GSSA Website · Facebook · LinkedIn · Instagram · YouTube
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    1 hr
  • Every Rock Has a Story | David Mourant, Mike Dormer, and John Blaine

    Every Rock Has a Story | David Mourant, Mike Dormer, and John Blaine
    Jan 22 2026
    In this episode of Fossils by Firelight, host Noleen Pauls goes solo at the helm from the geologists’ holiday haven of Hermanus, guiding a rich and often hilarious conversation with David Mourant, Mike Dormer, and John Blaine.

    From childhood fossil finds and career-defining mistakes to life in remote field camps, mentors who shaped generations, and the enduring magic of rocks in three dimensions, the discussion ranges across decades of geological experience.

    It’s a warm, story-driven reflection on geology as both a science and a way of life — where every rock has a story, and the people chasing them matter just as much as the discoveries themselves. GSSA Website · Facebook · LinkedIn · Instagram · YouTube
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    1 hr
  • Keeper of the Keys: Dr. Craig Smith on a Life in Geology

    Keeper of the Keys: Dr. Craig Smith on a Life in Geology
    Dec 15 2025
    In this episode of Fossils by Firelight, host Noleen Pauls sits down with Dr. Craig Smith — long-serving executive manager of the Geological Society of South Africa — at his home in Hout Bay as he reflects on a remarkable career that’s taken him from solitary months in the Wyoming field to laboratories, boardrooms, and what he jokingly calls being a professional “cross-dresser” between academia and industry. As Craig heads into retirement after nearly 16 years of guiding the GSSA, he shares stories, surprises, and insights into how the geosciences — and the Society — have transformed along the way. GSSA Website · Facebook · LinkedIn · Instagram · YouTube
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    27 mins
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