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Ranging across the 4.6 billion year history of the planet, geology is the subject that encompasses almost all that we see around us, in one way or another, and also much that we cannot see, beneath our feet, and on other planets. The fruits of geology provide most of the materials that give us shelter, and most of the energy that drives our modern lives. Within the study of geology lie some of the clues to the extraordinary impact our species is going to play out on the planet, in centuries and millennia to come.
In this Very Short Introduction Jan Zalasiewicz gives a brief introduction to the fascinating field of geology. Describing how the science developed from its early beginnings, he looks at some of the key discoveries that have transformed it, before delving into its various subfields, such as sedimentology, tectonics, and stratigraphy. Analysing the geological foundations of the Earth, Zalasiewicz explains the interlocking studies of tectonics, geophysics, and igneous and metamorphic petrology and geochemistry; and describes how rocks are dated by radiometric dating. Considering the role and importance of geology in the finding and exploitation of resources (including fracking), he also discusses its place in environmental issues, such as foundations for urban structures and sites for landfill, and in tackling issues associated with climate change. Zalasiewicz concludes by discussing the exciting future and frontiers of the field, such as the exploration of the geology of Mars.
1: Early history
2: Key breakthroughs and revolutions that build the modern science
3: Deep Earth geology
4: Earth surface geology
5: Geological fieldwork
6: Geology for resources
7: Geology for resources
8: Episodes from the past
Further Reading
Index
Jan Zalasiewicz is a Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Leicester, and before that worked at the British Geological Survey. A field geologist, palaeontologist, and stratigrapher, he teaches various aspects of geology and Earth history to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and is a researcher into fossil ecosystems and environments across over half a billion years of geological time. He has published over a hundred papers in scientific journals, and several books with Oxford University Press, including Rocks: A Very Short Introduction (2016), and The Planet in a Pebble (2010).
"If you do not want to have to wade through heavy tomes and are equipped with only school-level knowledge of science, to gain a basic appreciation of this subject, then this 150 page short book could well be just what you need."
– Jonathan Cowie, Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation
"I have never read a better introduction to this vast, fascinating, and vital subject. It really is like seeing the world in a grain of sand."
– Dr Ted Nield, Editor, Geoscientist magazine
"How much do we know about our home? Jan Zalasiewicz's brief history of Earth is fun to read, yet strong on science too. It's a clear and accurate guide to our planet, and also addresses the challenge of caring for the environment. Just right for that flight or a long train trip!"
– Euan Nisbet, Foundation Prof. of Earth Science, Royal Holloway, Univ. of London
