Solving Scotland’s stalagmite mysteries

Hidden within caves on the Inner Hebrides islands of Jura and Islay are beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. Everything we know about these islands suggests that these geological formations should not exist there. So why are they present, and how did they form?

Solving this mystery is important. Stalagmites and stalactites act as natural archive; recordings of how landscapes and climate have changed over thousands of years. Understanding how they formed can reveal stories about Scotland’s environmental past.

In this workshop, we will investigate this geological puzzle. Split into two parts, the workshop will begin by exploring the caves and their surrounding landscapes, gathering geological evidence and piecing together the clues needed to explain the origins of these remarkable formations. Along the way, we will find out how the islands’ geology has shaped the landscape we see today.

In the second part, we will examine samples of these formations to learn how they grow and how scientists use them to reconstruct past environments. These natural archives preserve remarkable records of changes in climate, vegetation, and landscape through time, offering a unique window into Scotland’s environmental history.

Important points to note

This event is suitable for age 16+

Event format: This event is a workshop and may involve some audience interaction. This could involve group activities, individual activities, quizzes or hands-on activities.

Content warning: This workshop may show images of confined spaces, such as caves, which may be uncomfortable for anyone with claustrophobia.

Filming: Photography may take place at this event. Please let a member of the RSE Public Engagement team know if you do not want to be photographed.

SPEAKER

Professor Martin R. Lee

Professor of Planetary Science, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow

Martin Lee is a professor of Planetary Science at the University of Glasgow. He obtained a degree and PhD in geology from the Universities of Leicester and Newcastle upon Tyne, respectively, then undertook research at the Universities of Essex and Edinburgh prior to joining Glasgow in 2000. He currently divides his time between studying rocks from the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, and rocks from Mars and asteroids that have fallen to Earth as meteorites. He studies these rocks by imaging their constituent minerals using high magnification microscopes. The common theme of his research is using water to understand the evolution of worlds - from water flowing through asteroids shortly after the during the birth of the Solar System 4500 million years ago, to water flowing through the crust of Mars 700 million years ago, and water dripping into caves of the Inner Hebrides over the last 2500 years.

SPEAKER

Professor Cristina Persano

Professor of Geosciences, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow

Cristina is professor of Geosciences at the University of Glasgow. She graduated in Earth Sciences at the University of Genova (Italy) and she was awarded a PhD at the University of Glasgow, where she has been working since. Cristina is a quantitative geomorphology; she uses state of the art techniques to quantify rates and time of changes in the landscape at a series of temporal scales, from millennia to hundreds of millions of years. The common theme of her research is the using the landscape as a record of geological events, from the puzzling caves of the Scottish Inner Hebrides, to the elevations of the Tibetan Plateau.

About the Curious festival

The RSE’s free Curious festival of knowledge is back, from Saturday 5 − Sunday 13 September 2026!

Curious is Scotland’s annual festival of knowledge. Across its seven-year history, Curious has welcomed over 10,000 attendees into its yearly programme of talks, workshops, discussions and exhibitions – all covering different topics and subject areas. There’s no need for you to have any prior specialist knowledge before coming along, just bring your curious self! With plenty of events both in person and online, you can take part from anywhere.

You can check out the full programme of events here.

Accessibility

We aim to make events as accessible as possible. If you have any accessibility requirements or have any questions related to how we can support this event, please contact curious@theRSE.org.uk. Accessibility information for the RSE building can be found on our website.

Step-free access: Ramped access for visitors is available via 26 George Street through Lakeland. Upon arrival, please call 0131 240 5000 and a member of staff will meet you and guide you to the event. Please note that the entrance ramp has a steep gradient (1:12).

Main lift: The lift’s door has a width of 79cm and a depth of 143cm. Please note, that access to the lift is limited by a narrow 77cm width corridor. You can find further details and images of the lift on our website.

Wheelchair spa

Description supplied by the event organiser.