Rare Core Samples Provide A "Once In A Lifetime" Opportunity To Study How The Scottish Highlands Formed

Scientists with the British Geological Survey (BGS) have been given a unique opportunity to study rock core samples taken from deep inside the Great Glen Fault – the United Kingdom’s largest fault zone that slices through Scotland. At around 1,000 kilometers (62.1 miles) long and 40 kilometers (24.9 miles) deep, it runs from Ireland through Scotland and on to Norway. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Its incredible depth has historically made getting samples near impossible. Everything from lochs to glacial deposits and mountains tend to be in the way; but now first-of-their-kind core samples have been obtained from Scotland, giving scientists a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to study how Scottish Highlands formed.