Diamond anvil cell

Click here to see the finished exhibit. Showing the principle of the diamond anvil cell for replicating deep-Earth pressures in rock samples. A strip of soft, transparent plastic is squeezed between flat and pointed "anvils" so resulting stress patterns can be seen through a polarising filter.

Seismic ripple tank

A circular ripple tank replicates the behaviour of seismic waves as they pass through the Earth's iron core.

Thin rock section

A thin, back-lit rock section can be rotated between polarising filters and the changing rainbow colours of the constituent mineral crystals watched through a magnifying lens.

Convection

Pressing a button activates an electrical heater, making shadows of convection currents quickly become visible on the hanging screen.

Peepholes

An engaging way to examine backlit, magnified transparencies, in this case showing the colourful organisms inhabiting seabed "black smoker" vents.

Multi-anvil cell

A realistic, three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle representing the components of a Walker multi-anvil cell.