This issue marks the departure of the longest-serving of the current editors of Geological Magazine, Dr Chris Hughes, and his replacement by Dr Tim Palmer (University of Wales, Aberystwyth). The Geological Magazine has always had a strong content of palaeontology and biostratigraphy, and Chris Hughes has efficiently maintained the quality of these contributions since 1973. He is moving on from his lectureship in the Cambridge Earth Sciences Department to head the Associated Examining Board, based in Guildford. The other editors thank him warmly for his experienced guidance over the past 24 years and wish him success in his new post.

The editors welcome Tim Palmer, whose appointment from outside the Cambridge department represents a significant and deliberate departure from custom. Some 13 years ago, the Magazine broadened its editorial advice in a major way by appointing an Editorial Board, most of whose members have come not just from outside Cambridge, but from beyond the UK. Our new editorial appointment signals an extension of this same policy.

An important advantage of having all the Magazine's editors under one roof has been the efficiency and speed of communicating with each other. However, with the Cambridge editors now talking to each other as much by Email as face-to-face, geographical proximity has become a less crucial asset. The spread of Email is changing many other aspects of the editorial practice and the Geological Magazine office, run by Jane Holland, is now on-line at geolmag@esc.cam.ac.uk. The editors now encourage the use of Email for all business except for submission of manuscripts, and in particular for contributors' queries and for referees' reports.