Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Theories are formulated through the process known as the
scientifi c method
. This method is an orderly, logical approach
that involves gathering and analyzing facts or data about the
problem under consideration. Tentative explanations, or
hypotheses
, are then formulated to explain the observed phe-
nomena. Next, the hypotheses are tested to see whether what
was predicted actually occurs in a given situation. Finally, if
one of the hypotheses is found, after repeated tests, to explain
the phenomena, then the hypothesis is proposed as a theory.
Remember, however, that in science, even a theory is still subject
to further testing and refi nement as new data become available.
The fact that a scientifi c theory can be tested and is sub-
ject to such testing separates it from other forms of human
inquiry. Because scientifi c theories can be tested, they have
the potential for being supported or even proven wrong.
Accordingly, science must proceed without any appeal
to beliefs or supernatural explanations, not because such
beliefs or explanations are necessarily untrue, but because
we have no way to investigate them. For this reason, science
makes no claim about the existence or nonexistence of a
supernatural or spiritual realm.
Each scientific discipline has certain theories that are
of particular importance. In geology, the formulation of
plate tectonic theory has changed the way geologists view
Earth. Geologists now view Earth from a global perspective
in which all of its subsystems and cycles are interconnected,
and Earth history is seen to be a continuum of interrelated
events that are part of a global pattern of change.
Image not available due to copyright restrictions
THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE?
You would probably be surprised at the extent to which geol-
ogy pervades our everyday lives and the numerous references
to geology in the arts, music, and literature. Many sketches
and paintings depict rocks and landscapes realistically.
Leonardo da Vinci's
Virgin of the Rocks
and
Virgin and Child
with Saint Anne
, Giovanni Bellini's
Saint Francis in Ecstasy
and
Saint Jerome
, and Asher Brown Durand's
Kindred Spirits
(
Geology has also played an important role in the history
and culture of humankind. Empires throughout history have
risen and fallen on the distribution and exploitation of natural
resources. Wars have been fought for the control of such natu-
ral resources as oil and gas, and valuable minerals such as gold,
silver, and diamonds. The confi guration of Earth's surface, or its
topography, which is shaped by geologic agents, played a criti-
cal role in military tactics. For example, Napoleon included two
geologists in his expeditionary forces when he invaded Egypt in
1798, and the Russians used geologists as advisors in selecting
fortifi cation sites during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905.
Natural barriers such as mountain ranges and rivers have fre-
quently served as political boundaries, and the shifting of river
channels has sparked numerous border disputes. Deserts, which
most people think of as inhospitable areas, have been the home
to many people, such as the Bedouin, throughout history.
Figure 1.2) are just a few examples by famous painters.
In the fi eld of music, Ferde Grofé's
Grand Canyon Suite
was no doubt inspired by the grandeur and timelessness of
Arizona's Grand Canyon and its vast rock exposures. The rocks
on the Island of Staffa in the Inner Hebrides provided the in-
spiration for Felix Mendelssohn's famous
Hebrides Overture
.
References to geology abound in
The German Legends
of the Brothers Grimm.
Jules Verne's
Journey to the Center
of the Earth
describes an expedition into Earth's interior.
There is even a series of mystery topics by Sarah Andrews
that features the fictional geologist Em Hansen, who uses
her knowledge of geology to solve crimes. On one level, the
poem “Ozymandias” by Percy B. Shelley deals with the fact
that nothing lasts forever and even solid rock eventually dis-
integrates under the ravages of time and weathering. Even
comics contain references to geology. One of the best known
is
The Far Side
by Gary Larson, which, over the years, has had
many cartoons with a geological theme.
◗
OUR EVERYDAY LIVES?
The most obvious connection between geology and our
everyday lives is when natural disasters strike. Less apparent,
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