Throughout history the rise and fall of civilizations has been propelled by the abundance and scarcity of valued resources. At no time has this been truer than in the 21st century. Whether it is the search for oil or silic... more »on to make microchips or uranium to run power plants, the search is directed by geologists. In Core Geology, the building blocks of this most contemporary science are laid out in a logical order, including the meaning of the fossil record. Chapters in the series:
1669 The Geological Laws
With brilliant reasoning, 17th century Danish naturalist Nicolas Steno deduced the three fundamental laws of geology that would become the basis for this science to the present day 1812 Properties of Minerals
The identifying properties of minerals are laid out including Mohs hardness scale. 1830 Geology Occurs by Natural Processes
By the middle of the 19th century, it was understood geologists that forces that shaped the earth are the same ones occurring today. 1833 The Three Types of Rocks
Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic - The three rock types are defined and illustrated. 1837 A Past Ice Age is Theorized
Many of Earth's features were a mystery until it was discovered that they were produced by massive ice sheets that periodically cover much of the planet. 1907 Radioactive Decay is Used to Date the Earth
This chapter tells the story of how modern physics is used to date the earth. 1912 Alfred Wegener Proposes Continental Drift Theory
Mountain building, the shapes of the continents, volcanoes and earthquakes are explained by the theory plate tectonics. 1972 Ancient Life and the Fossil Record
How fossils are formed, their age and how the fossil record sheds light on evolution is presented in this chapter. Features: