About: Matthew Mason

MG Mason has a BA in Archaeology and MA in Landscape Archaeology, both from the University of Exeter. A personal interest in environmental science grew alongside his formal studies and eventually formed part of his post-graduate degree where he studied both natural and human changes to the environment of southwest England; his particular interests are in aerial photography. He has experience in GIS (digital mapping) but currently works as a freelance writer as the economic downturn means he has struggled to get relevant work. He presently lives in southwest England.

Recent Posts by Matthew Mason

Introduction to Ornithology

Introduction to Ornithology
The study of birds, their biology and habits, habitats and evolution and a multitude of other aspects of birds, has a long tradition within the discipline of zoology. There are no degrees in ornithology and most come to the study of birds through a BS/BSc in zoology. Most research-based jobs require at least a Masters…
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Fracking: What Is It and How Will It Affect You?

Fracking: What Is It and How Will It Affect You?
Those most involved in the study and procedures of fracking are geologists as it concerns natural processes of the ground beneath our feet – the soil and rock formations and of course the fossil fuels that organisations and governments wish to exploit. Most people involved in technical aspects of the fossil fuel industry are geology…
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Principles and Applications of Aerial Photography

Principles and Applications of Aerial Photography
Desk based research is not just about reading papers for vital pieces of information, it is not just about tables, graphs, facts and figures. For many, primary data is all around us; aerial photography, for example, is an important source of information for researchers in landscape studies. This includes disciplines such as Landscape Archaeology (the…
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Dendrochronology: What Tree Rings Tell Us About Past and Present

Dendrochronology: What Tree Rings Tell Us About Past and Present
Studying Dendrochronology Dendrochronology is the study of data from tree ring growth. Due to the sweeping and diverse applications of this data, specialists can come from many academic disciplines. There are no degrees in dendrochronology because though it is useful across the board, the method itself is fairly limited. Most people who enter into studying…
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Principles and Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Principles and Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Use of GIS has seen unprecedented growth in the last ten years. With the powerful technology getting cheaper and system memories expanding, meaning that we can handle much bigger sets of data, some say that GIS is in a golden age. It was once the preserve of the cartographer – few outside would have used…
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El Niño and La Niña: Their Impact on the Environment

El Niño and La Niña: Their Impact on the Environment
We know that there are many anthropogenic forcings on the climate, particularly the volume of carbon and greenhouse gases pumped into the atmosphere as a part of our everyday lives. Yet there are a number of natural processes that affect local weather, regional climate and global conditions. Some effects on our climate are a result…
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How Does Radiocarbon-14 Dating Work?

How Does Radiocarbon-14 Dating Work?
What is Radiocarbon Dating? Radiocarbon dating is a method of what is known as “Absolute Dating”. Despite the name, it does not give an absolute date of organic material – but an approximate age, usually within a range of a few years either way. The other method is “Relative Dating” which gives an order of…
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History of the Study of Climate Change in Field of Environmental Science

History of the Study of Climate Change in Field of Environmental Science
What is Climate Change? Humanity has always had an interest in weather patterns. In the last century and a half, wider implications of global temperature and trends and how they might impact the planet, wildlife and humanity have become more studied. Environmental science is the study of the effects of natural and unnatural processes, and…
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