Synchrotron uses

Abstract

The geological and materials sciences have a number of common interests and interfaces, according to a report recently issued by the National Academy Press. Entitled Fostering Increased Cooperation Between the Geological and Material Sciences, the report provides a relatively low‐key comparison of areas of common ground between the two sciences; it identifies no major issues of disagreement and thus has no axes to grind. Instead, the report is a short, soft‐sell discussion of the burgeoning revolutions taking place in the more applied sectors of the geological and condensed matter or solid‐state sciences. The material sciences are receiving a wealth of experience with highly complex mineralogical and geological materials and advances in the applications of analytical techniques that had been originated by solid‐state scientists for the study of metals and single compounds. In turn, the earth sciences are receiving new techniques and theories from the material sciences.