geologyathull

🌊🪨 GEOLOGY AT HULL IN THE NEWS | Living on a disappearing coastline

What happens when coastal erosion brings the cliff edge ever closer to your home?

A new BBC News report looks at the experience of a family in Skipsea, East Yorkshire, who may be spending their last summer in their cliff-edge holiday chalet as the Holderness Coast continues to retreat.

🎙️ University of Hull Professor of Geology Anna Bird was one of the experts consulted by the BBC for the piece, providing geological expertise to help explain the processes affecting this rapidly changing coastline.

📍 So why is the Holderness Coast eroding so quickly?

Much of this coastline is made up of relatively soft glacial sediments, deposited during the last Ice Age.

Unlike resistant rocky cliffs, these sediments are particularly susceptible to erosion and slope failure.

🌊 Waves erode and undercut the cliffs
🌧️ Rainfall saturates and weakens the sediments
⬇️ Sections of cliff collapse and slump
🔄 Waves remove the fallen material, allowing erosion to continue

The result is one of Britain's most rapidly changing coastlines.

For communities along the Holderness Coast, these aren't simply processes we draw in diagrams or discuss in lectures. This is geology happening on our doorstep — affecting homes, infrastructure and people's lives.

Understanding how geology, weather, waves and human activity interact is also an important part of studying Geology and Earth & Environmental Science at Hull.

🔗 Read the full BBC News story via the link in our bio.

📚 Further reading / sources:
BBC News (2026), Erosion leaves family facing last summer in cliff-edge chalet.
British Geological Survey, Landslides and coastal erosion at Aldbrough, East Riding of Yorkshire.
University of Hull 2026 Erosion of trust, Hull researchers back MPs call for better support for coastal communities.

Pictures 1,2,4 and 5 from BBC. Video from University of Hull researchers (2024).

EnvironmentalScience CoastalErosion HoldernessCoast Skipsea YorkshireCoast CoastalGeology Geomorphology GlacialGeology StudyGeology Hull

Real-world impact starts here. 🌍🪨

Our Geology, Environmental Science and Geography graduates have the best graduate outcomes in the region.

📈 Based on the latest 2026 Graduate Labour Market Outcomes (LEO) data, which links graduates to HMRC tax records, Hull ranks 1st among universities in the North East and Yorkshire for graduates in employment or further study five years after graduation.

Why does that matter? Because it reflects what happens after you leave university: strong careers, further study, and graduates making an impact across the geosciences.

Whether you're interested in environmental consultancy, engineering geology, energy, geohazards, exploration or research, a Geology, Environmental Science or Geography degree from Hull can help you build a successful career.

🏆 1st in the region for graduate outcomes
📊 94.9% of graduates in employment or further study after five years
📍 Based on official Graduate Labour Market Outcomes (LEO) data

🎉 New publication alert! 🪨📚

Congratulations to our own Eddie Dempsey on the publication of Mineral Cup: From Tearoom Banter to Global Competition in Mineralogical Magazine! 🎊

What started as a light-hearted conversation over tea has grown into an international phenomenon, bringing together thousands of mineral enthusiasts from over 100 countries to vote for their favourite minerals. 🌍💎 The paper explores how Mineral Cup has become an innovative way to engage people with mineralogy and geoscience through friendly competition and social media.

We're proud to see Eddie co-authoring research that showcases how creativity, outreach and a passion for Earth sciences can inspire the next generation of geologists.

Congratulations, Eddie! 👏

Last day in the field for our first years, and today they were mapping Ynys Llanddwyn, where they got to examine pristine pillow lavas as well as a suit of other marine sediments.

More action shots from the first years in Anglesey today. Check out that pH reading too! Acidic!

Parys Mountain this morning to look at ore minerals and the effect of mining on a landscape then off to the coast to log the Quaternary glacial sediments and then log sheared and deformed Devonian sandstones. A big day for our 1st years but they got the weather for it!

Mapping at Rhoscolyn today for our first years! Beautiful spot with some lovely rocks, flora and fauna. Looks like even Dave was having a nice time on the deformed rocks!