What's your perception of Geology

[LostTimeLady]

Some background: So, I'm thinking of maybe setting up a blog/vlog/something about geology, more specifically trying to teach/explain geological principles in a fun way. I've learnt over the years that blogging and youtube has become a great way to share skills and get people to engage in learning even without realising it (I know I've learnt loads of things from youtube, even if most of it has been about minecraft!).

So the purpose of this thread is basically this: what's your perception of geology?

I've met a lot of people who, when asking my degree and I reply 'geology', have responded acting as if it's the same thing as Archaeology. No that wasn't an isolated incident. (And no, they are not really related all that much at all, apart from a little bit of over lap with general principles).

I know that geology isn't well represented in the media, the best example of 'real' geologists on the job is probably in the docu-drama 'Supervolcano' (setting aside for a moment that Ross from 'Friends' is a paleontologist, which is a branch of geology). so my questions dear escapists are these:

1. Do you know much about the subject of geology?
2. Do you think that the study of geology is important in schools?
3. Do you know someone who's studied geology or works within the Earth Sciences (geology, geochemistry, geophysics, the oil, coal, gas and minerals industry etc etc)?

And any other thoughts you have on the matter, I'm just really interested to see what you guys think about this.

(P.S. wow, freaky captcha: 'studies. rriveloo'.)

 

[stabnex]

Most of my family refused to study it because they claimed the Earth couldn't possibly be that old, and that Jesus put the extra layers of earth there to "test our faith."

OT: My best learning experiences with Geology involved visual aids and lots of explosions playing in the background. Look up anything by NatGeo on the subject and your class teaches itself.

 

[Amphoteric]

1) I did take Geography for GCSE. That's about it though.
2) Its only important if you want a job in that field. To me, geology is just incredibly boring. Of course it is incredibly important for advancing our knowledge of the natural world though.
3) Nope.

 

[Halceon]

In reverse order, I know some folks who currently study geology. I don't think that extensive study of geology should be part of common education, but I think it's a good field to specialize in.
I think I know some basics about it, at least enough to not be confused when someone brings up the subject. Although most of that comes from playing dwarf fortress.

I think it's interesting, though I'd probably be watching/reading as entertainment with bonus learning and not as learning with bonus entertainment. Still, I'm curious what you make of it.

 

[LostTimeLady]

Most of my family refused to study it because they claimed the Earth couldn't possibly be that old, and that Jesus put the extra layers of earth there to "test our faith."

OT: My best learning experiences with Geology involved visual aids and lots of explosions playing in the background. Look up anything by NatGeo on the subject and your class teaches itself.

Kool. I might have a look at some of that stuff.

I too am familiar with that kind of response to geology. I'm a christian and people ask if there's a conflict between my faith and my subject but I always say I'm not a creationist and it's not how God made the earth that's important or how long, it's that he made it.

It's interesting that geology is quite a controvertial subject to those of faith in that regard. More so than anything else it seems.

 

[khoax123]

"Oh no.... Not the dirt people" - Sheldon Cooper
LOL joking

1. I only know basic geoscience and so i don't know much other than identifying a small number of minerals and rocks.

2. I would've like it if i had a chance to study it in highschool it was interesting in university now my subjects are more towards the petroleum side than the geology side.

3. Im actually studying Petroleum Combined with Civil and Structural Engineering which both needs a good understanding of geology and the ability to talk to geologist. Since apparently the geologist talks a whole different language than the engineers. So it would be nice to talk to a geologist and get better at my future job.

 

[Esotera]

1. Very little, but I'm doing a quick course all about the weather, if that's at all related.
2. Not particularly, but it's definitely more important than some subjects. If you have a basic understanding of physics/chemistry, then a fair bit is covered in that. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
3. I know a few, don't really know what they do though..

 

[Doitpow]

Geology rocks

 

[Saltyk]

Geology is the study of the Earth, tectonic plates, and volcanic forces I believe. I maybe missing something, but I'm certain that is the basics.

I'm not certain that it would need to be taught with math or English, but it should probably be covered as part of some basic science. At least, as far as high school is concerned.

Really, I'm not sure what else I can say on the matter.

 

[Korolev]

1) Not very much. Once upon a time, I made an effort to learn all about the different types of rocks and strata and crystals and all that stuff - but biology took a hold of my life and I gradually just forgot almost everything I knew about geology.

2) It is very important. Geology isn't one of the "hot" sciences, but it's a worthy subject. Geologists help us find minerals, oil deposits (necessary for gas, plastics, etc) and they help evaluate the potential worth of mines. Geologists are also necessary to help figure out exactly how certain geological formations formed and they advise evolutionary biologists about the ages of the strata. Geologists are also incredibly important for things like under-water mapping, building underground structures, town planning and so much more. Think about it: Almost every structure has to be on the Earth, almost all our minerals and oil comes from deposits found in the Earth, and the structure and composition of the Earth informs us of our biological and social history.

Geology IS very important, because it helps with all of the above. And believe me, they can get paid a LOT of money.

3) I have briefly met some geologists - they were visiting my university to talk to the evolutionary biologists in regards to properly sorting the fossils and giving them the correct ages. Apart from that no, I haven't. Biologists and Geologists, apart from when they are discussing the earth surrounding the fossils, don't really mix.

 

[octafish]

I know three people who have degrees in geology and one palaeontologist. One is fellow photographer, one is a web content manager for a parenting group, one teaches piano and the final one, the palaeontologist is a fashion designer/textile artist.

 

[Redingold]

It's interesting, as most scientific disciplines are, but it's not something I've really studied in any depth. Most of my knowledge comes from books like A Brief History of Nearly Everything or The Science of Discworld, which cover a broad range of topics.

I have a friend who studied geology at GCSE, but I don't think he's continued it on to A level.

 

[Weaver]

I think it rocks.

 

[LostTimeLady]

Geology rocks

*grins* ah, geology jokes... always gniess to hear them.

snippy-de-snip

I'm of a similar mind to you in that I consider geology a very imporant thing in this day and age as it does become increasingly more difficult to find things like oil and gas etc.

As you say, they are well paid because they are in demand. And just as I think people need a good understanding of basic science to get through life, gravity et al, having an apreciation of the world they see around them is also really important too.

I have a friend who studied geology at GCSE, but I don't think he's continued it on to A level.

It's a rare thing to find people who took it at GCSE as it's not a common topic in High School so that's cool that your friend had the choice to study it at GCSE. (I was lucky to study it at A level).

 

[gbemery]

I've met a lot of people who, when asking my degree and I reply 'geology', have responded acting as if it's the same thing as Archaeology. No that wasn't an isolated incident. (And no, they are not really related all that much at all, apart from a little bit of over lap with general principles).

holy crap I get that all the time too. Usually after I tell them I'm majoring in geology they say something like, "Geology? What can you do with that? Don't we already know everything about the Earth? What else is there to learn?" or "Geology, what's that?" Then I either have to just go back to what I was doing or try to explain to them that geology has so many sub fields and if it wasn't for geology modern day life as it is wouldn't be possible.

OP:

1. Do you know much about the subject of geology? Yes I'm in my junior year of my degree. Well I say yes but in fact I have just scratched a small part of the surface.

2. Do you think that the study of geology is important in schools? Probably a little more than it is today, but in reality not all that much because the basic understandings of the Earth is all people need to know. That is unless they are interested in the area. I would like them to explain it more on how everything we have today comes from the Earth and how geology is a means of finding the materials we use to make our lives better.

3. Do you know someone who's studied geology or works within the Earth Sciences (geology, geochemistry, geophysics, the oil, coal, gas and minerals industry etc etc)? LOT's of people, but of course my answer is colored because I just have to turn to the person next to me and say hi. But our geology department is rather small only about 40 or so majors a year :/. Talk about doing what you can on a small budget.

 

[aba1]

I do not know a whole lot about it but I do understand how important it is as it allows us to find important reasources and has tons of other important applications which I am not going to list.

It may not be for me but its deffinatly important to have geologists around.

 

[LostTimeLady]

I've met a lot of people who, when asking my degree and I reply 'geology', have responded acting as if it's the same thing as Archaeology. No that wasn't an isolated incident. (And no, they are not really related all that much at all, apart from a little bit of over lap with general principles).

holy crap I get that all the time too. Usually after I tell them I'm majoring in geology they say something like, "Geology? What can you do with that? Don't we already know everything about the Earth? What else is there to learn?" or "Geology, what's that?" Then I either have to just go back to what I was doing or try to explain to them that geology has so many sub fields and if it wasn't for geology modern day life as it is wouldn't be possible.

Yeah I know. It's so true though that there's this perception that just cos we live on this rock we know all there is to know about it but geology is such a rapidly evolving field geologists prove yearly that we're only really beginning to understand things.
It's blown my mind over the time I've studies geology just how rapidly ideas change and just how little we really know about what's driving all the processes.

 

[gbemery]

Yeah I know. It's so true though that there's this perception that just cos we live on this rock we know all there is to know about it but geology is such a rapidly evolving field geologists prove yearly that we're only really beginning to understand things.
It's blown my mind over the time I've studies geology just how rapidly ideas change and just how little we really know about what's driving all the processes.

Lol yeah people always ask kind of condescendingly "what can you learn from looking at a rock?" I always reply "Well depending on the rock...upward to eons of history. I can tell you where it came from, what it was like on Earth when it formed. If the rock was made on land or under water. A rough idea of what the oxygen level were like at the time of deposition. If it was formed by a volcano and if so how long it took to cool etc."

Yes, it seems a lot of people don't realize that up to just about the 1970's people didn't even believe asteroids hit the Earth, and they didn't think plate tectonics was a plausible theory.

 

[LostTimeLady]

Lol yeah people always ask kind of condescendingly "what can you learn from looking at a rock?" I always reply "Well depending on the rock...upward to eons of history. I can tell you where it came from, what it was like on Earth when it formed. If the rock was made on land or under water. A rough idea of what the oxygen level were like at the time of deposition. If it was formed by a volcano and if so how long it took to cool etc."

Yes, it seems a lot of people don't realize that up to just about the 1970's people didn't even believe asteroids hit the Earth, and they didn't think plate tectonics was a plausible theory.

Exactly. A friend of mine (who's reading geophysics ironically) does a bit of rockwatcher bashing but for me, rocks are both amazing, beautiful and contain a record of the history of the Earth. As you say we can tell all sorts for enviroment of deposition to how much CO[sub]2[/sub] was in the atmosphere at the time.

It's funny that people need convicing that there's merit to looking at a rock when looking at a test tube full of chemicals is considered perfectly fine. Yet both of doing the same thing, trying to understand the world.

There defiantely seems to be a bit of general ignorance about just how little we knew about the Earth before the likes of Arthur Holmes, James Hutton and Co. came along.

 

[Beat14]

Off to do do it at University in Sept, Geology and Petroleum Geology, I really like some sides of my course and am fascinated by it, others bits bore me to near death.

I know quite a lot, but I have just taken a year out (gap year) so I could to with a reminder!

Edit: Some one asked me what I would be doing my degree on and I said "geology", they replied with
"What theology?"

"No Geology"

"What's that?"

Fair enough really I think, as it's not exactly a common subject at school.