/r/geology

Photograph via snooOG

The scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth.

The scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth.

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/r/geology

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2

Best stories from field camp?

What are some of your best stories/memories from a geology field camp?

8 Comments
2025/02/02
23:49 UTC

38

A nice granite feature, Viner Sound, Gilford Island, British Columbia (OC)

For scale those trees are 70-100 feet tall

1 Comment
2025/02/02
22:28 UTC

83

Fingal's Cave is a geological formation located on the uninhabited island of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

6 Comments
2025/02/02
21:51 UTC

35

Iron-rich "rainbow rock"

Found on a beach in Hawaii

4 Comments
2025/02/02
17:27 UTC

23

Geology at 49?

I’m 49, single mom screaming toward an empty nest. I live in the south but have spent a lot of time the past 10 years in the deserts of Utah, Nevada and California. I feel deeply drawn to those landscapes and in awe of the geology behind them.

As a later in life career shift (I’m in the nonprofit sector) I want to dive into geology. Financially, I’m fine and not needing to make a lot of money in the field. What I do want is the opportunity to work in the field, hands on.

Are there opportunities to work in the field without a degree? Or maybe while working on a degree? It’s fine if it doesn’t pay a lot, I just want to be out there getting my hands dirty and learning as much as possible. I’m even open to volunteer opportunities if that’s a thing?

Thanks in advance everyone!

22 Comments
2025/02/02
16:15 UTC

30

A shale in sandstone sandwich.

Looe Cornwall

1 Comment
2025/02/02
15:51 UTC

7

Why does conchoidal fracture occur?

when you break quartz, obsidian, or chert, they fracture conchoidaly. My understanding is that this is usually because there is a lack of cleavage plane or the force exerted is equal, which can be traced to the material being amorphous. but why? Why is it these weird shapes? if these structures are amorphous why don't they take on a more grainy/uneven texture. there's still something somewhat orderly about conchoidal fractures and I want to know why they form the way they do.

7 Comments
2025/02/02
06:11 UTC

1

How would Earth look like in a billion years ?

I got this 3 am illumination, I love imagining stories etc and I just had this idea of making a story about new intelligent species developping 1.2 billion years after we went extinct. I don't know a thing about geology and meteorology so I wanted to ask to make sure. I've searched up the "next supercontinent" apprently it's Pangea Proxima but it looks like it will exist in 250 million years so I was wondering if someone would know if it's possible that it's still there in 1.2 billion years... It would make my world building a lot easier than imagining a hypotetic and not logical world because I don't have enough knowledge to imagine how it could look like. Also btw I know the Earth would be desertic bcs of the sun expansion but I made sure to think about humans saving the earth before going extinct with some kind of gravital manipulation to drive earth away enough to have a liveable and good looking planet. Hope someone will be able to give me some hints or ways to develop my idea. Thank to anyone who read this long ass text.

9 Comments
2025/02/02
03:24 UTC

5

Wanting to learn. Suggestions for books and other websites?

I really enjoy this subreddit, and follow a few similar ones as well. I would like to venture outside of reddit to expand my knowledge of rocks, minerals, crystals, etc. I want to learn about all the words I see used that I don't fully understand.

I'm almost 50 years old and a small business owner. I don't have the time to take classes at a local college. Anyone have good suggestions for books or sites that I can use to expand my personal knowledge? And info is appreciated.

11 Comments
2025/02/02
03:04 UTC

28

Display at the Yampa Valley Regional Airport…

7 Comments
2025/02/02
02:37 UTC

6

Is it strange to find black pumice on a beach in New Hampshire?

18 Comments
2025/02/02
01:40 UTC

0

Can I turn this piece of obsidian into a sphere?

And if so how would I do that? I'm a complete idiot when it comes to geology. But I'm hoping someone could give me a few pointers or send me in the right direction.

24 Comments
2025/02/02
00:41 UTC

4

what stone are water neutral?

Hello, I am looking for some stones to pick for my aquarium, it should be water neutral because I dont want my water to get harder than it should. I found diabase is a neutral stone so is basalt, do you know any way to make 100% sure identfy said rocks?

Thanks for helping in advance

Update: Thanks to you all, great help probably going to today to hunt some rocks

11 Comments
2025/02/01
20:26 UTC

2

Tectonics question

At its furthest reaches from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, I would assume the Atlantic oceanic crust is older and denser than the Nazca plate in the pacific, which is actively subducting under the South American plate. Why does the Atlantic oceanic crust not subduct beneath North America’s continental crust, shouldn’t it be much more inclined to do so than the Nazca plate?

7 Comments
2025/02/01
18:26 UTC

95

I found this cool Iron infused stream that was created by a WW2 Bomb

12 Comments
2025/02/01
17:41 UTC

3

Need help from an experienced and knowledgeable person on polarizing microscope’s

Hi I am looking to speak with someone who uses polarizing/Petrgraphic microscopes and can help me with my photography of thin sections. Trying to figure out some issues I’m having.

I’m hoping to schedule a time to FaceTime someone who can help me figure out what I may be doing wrong since I haven’t used a polarizing/petrographic microscope since college, and I own one now and I’m a bit of an amateur at taking photographs and they look terrible.

1 Comment
2025/02/01
17:12 UTC

3

Godzilla! Howe Caverns, NY

1 Comment
2025/02/01
15:47 UTC

0

Giant impact crater east of Argentina?

Hello! Was on Google maps and noticed a circular feature with a central peak on the sea floor just north of the south sandwich islands. It looks like an impact crater, but can't seem to find any information on it. Anyone know what it is?

6 Comments
2025/02/01
15:07 UTC

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