Disciplines

Geology

Citation Formats

General Reference

Science Atlas. "Geology." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/geology.

APA Style

Science Atlas. (n.d.). Geology. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/geology

BibTeX

@misc{scienceatlas-geology,
  author = {Science Atlas},
  title = {Geology},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/geology},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

Geology is the scientific study of Earth's solid materials, structure, and history, including the processes that have shaped its surface and interior over time.

Facts

Founded Year

1795 1

James Hutton's Theory of the Earth (1795) is commonly cited as founding modern geology and uniformitarianism; Hutton had outlined the same theory earlier, in 1785 papers to the Royal Society of Edinburgh published in 1788.

Central Question

How can the rock record be read to reconstruct the physical history and internal structure of a planet across deep time? 2

Scope

Geology studies the Earth and other astronomical bodies, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. 2

Significance

Eighteenth century Scottish physician James Hutton established the principle of uniformitarianism, summarized as the present is the key to the past, giving geology its founding method for reading deep time from rock strata. The field's reach into hydrology, Earth system science and planetary science broadened greatly in the twentieth century once radiometric dating made absolute, rather than merely relative, ages of rock possible. 2

Cross-Tradition Connections

First identified in the mineral ilmenite (Gregor, 1791) and rediscovered in rutile ore (Klaproth, 1795).

Source Titanium (Wikipedia)

Uses

Seismograph

Source John Milne (Britannica)

Sources

1. James Hutton (Britannica)

Encyclopaedia BritannicaView the Source

2. Geology (Wikipedia)

WikipediaLead section

Quote, Lead section

Geology is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical bodies, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time.

View the Source

2. Geology (Wikipedia)

WikipediaFounded By: James HuttonView the Source

Continental Drift (Britannica)

Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Continental DriftView the Source

Alfred Wegener (Britannica)

Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Alfred WegenerView the Source

John Milne (Britannica)

Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: SeismographView the Source

Titanium (Wikipedia)

WikipediaStudies: TitaniumView the Source

Volcanology (Wikipedia)