Global View
Kilt Rock, in the Isle of Skye in Scotland, is an often-photographed landmark by tourists. The same rocks in Scotland inspired early geologists to question earth processes---here a waterfall flows over volcanic rocks in the foreground, but the red line in the background shows a contact between columnar volcanic rocks on top, and horizontal sedimentary rocks like limestone underneath. Click for a larger image of the image (C. Thomas IUPUI Earth Sciences)
Geology was founded by pioneers simply applying the Scientific Method. While many cultures had studies their landscape and used religion or philosophy to make sense of their surrounding, early Scottish geologists did not use fancy lab equipment or math, but simple reasoning and logic of that rationalized the landscape surrounding them.
Today, introductory and intermediate geology laboratories start out with the same principles, have students view rocks outside and use geologic principles, logic, and reasoning to determine their history. However, now modern geologists supplement these basic observations with complex chemical or physical analysis in the laboratory and mathematical and virtual models and representations of the Earth.
Geology is still a dominant factor in finding and locating oil, but most geologists aren't searching the Earth for gold and diamonds; most are employed to help humans manage their use of environmental resources. Geology is a staple of many large science programs in universities; and alas, that is why you are stuck—I mean overjoyed to be taking this Environmental Geology course! However, most research now focuses on human-Earth interactions, such as climate change, coastal systems, and water and soil quality, instead of mapping the Earth's historical geology and resources. State and federal government geological surveys supplement the study of the resources and geography of the U.S. Many of these surveys (including Indiana’s) remain today to provide scientific support to industry and government officials.
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