earth network

The earth network was convieved a little while ago as an exploration of how soil types could be used to glaze little thumb pots, which I used to make nodes for a network. The connections (edges) I have puzzled over and wondered about using the connections to me, as creator/curator, with the people who donated soil or the time when the samples/donations of soil came to me. But I have settled on using the geological definitions/types of rocks at the location where the samples were taken.

This is fairly easy for the UK as the British Geological Survey have a fabulous database that gives information on both superficial and bedrock deposits. The samples are most likely from the superficial band but I could only find limited information for my international nodes, plus the connections were simpler for the bedrock geology, so I have gone for that. Above I have made coloured nodes from the geological maps too, and once I print it out I can put the porcelain nodes on top. The picture below show which nodes are where - for those with nodes your number is on the bottom! The network was drawn using cytoscape and the nodes were made in photoshop.