Antonio Snider-Pellegrini's Illustration of the closed and opened Atlantic Ocean
Earth Science

What Is Continental Drift and Who Discovered It?

March 24, 2023

Plate tectonics is now recognized as the Earth’s dominant geological process. The continents of Earth are moving, albeit, at an unbelievably slow pace. Why did we take so long to accept this theory? […]

Emergency workers removing rubble together
Geology

Why Are Earthquakes So Destructive?

February 15, 2023

A single earthquake can kill hundreds of thousands of people. It can destroy even more buildings than the number of lives it takes. How can one earthquake be so costly—and fatal? […]

An image of Ammonite fossil embedded in a rock.
Geology

Rocks: Telling the Earth’s History

December 28, 2021

Although geology does not offer a complete foolproof picture of the Earth’s history, it does, however, successfully fills in a lot of blanks. It gives us unique information about our planet. […]

An image of a black colored shiny rock.
Geology

Rocks and Their Classification

December 28, 2021

Based on the processes by which they’re formed, rocks are classified into three great classes. The three types are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. […]

An image of different colored rocks.
Geology

Rocks: Composition and the Rock Cycle

December 27, 2021

Rocks are made of interlocking grains of several different minerals, varying in their composition and structure. The three rock types can be transformed through the processes of the rock cycle. […]

closeup in the hands of a coal miner (Image: Siberia Video and Photo/Shutterstock)
Chemistry

Coal: A Lesson in Economic Geology

February 1, 2017

Economic geology is the use of materials for the benefit of society. Two such materials, coal and petroleum, comprise 90% of all the energy budgeted in the United States. […]