Our teacher in our Science class made us do a debate about which came first, hydrosphere or atmosphere? While researching, we found out that there is an overwhelming amount of sources that say atmosphere came first, making it easier to defend than the other. Our dilemma is what if we will have to defend hydrosphere, will we immediately lose? One technicality that we saw is that our teacher didn't say that the topic is limited to earth which means other heavenly bodies could be used as an argument. Is this a good way to approach the it? We would like to ask for some tips on how to defend the idea that hydrosphere came first. Thanks in advance for replying!

I have a drill hole sample of a mudstone/shale with big yellowish filled cavities. How are this random patches formed? They don't have continuity like veins, but aren't prismatic shaped either to think they where plagioclase, so I can't quite imagine why would you have a big space of nothing, or a cumulus of the same mineral in a very fine grained rock

Hi geologists, what’s a good geology related gift for you guys? I considered going to my local rock and mineral store and picking out something cool there, but he can be a bit picky about what he collects.

What else are helpful things for geologists? Anything particularly helpful out in the field looking for rocks and stuff?

Looking in the $20-40 dollar range :)

Thank you in advance!

What's the funniest geologic unit/formation/terrane/structure name you've come across?

I like the Go Home Domain in Ontario. My labmate just came back from visiting the Mooselookmeguntic Granite in Maine.

I'm working on building a bioactive paludarium enclosure for my ball python. I'd like to include some large crystal towers in the hardscape that can be underlit to make a sort of night-light effect in the viv (I'm very excited, and it's going to be a blast to create something she will enjoy for the rest of her cute little life).

My color goals are white/clear (quartz), purple (fluorite[?] or amethyst), yellow (citrine), and teal (fluorite?). They need to be semitransparent so that they carry the light correctly.

My biggest concern thus far: Humidity must be at least 50% at all times, so I'm worried that certain minerals' softness/water solubility (mostly the potential fluorite) might result in shedding things I don't want to expose my snake to in the vivarium. Is this possible, even if it isn't in the trail of the running water?

I don't know much about crystals (besides Herkimer diamonds, which I live my whole life around), and would love to instead get glass towers because they may be cheaper or safer, but I can't tell you how many hours I've wasted trying to find the right info and resources on Google, just to come up empty.

I don't think these crystals heal, or protect or whatever. I'm what heals and protects my snake. They're just going to be there to create a more beautiful and interesting space for her and me. Thanks!

Been frozen and foggy at our house for a week now and admiring the uplift of smaller and likely more wet particles around larger gravel.

Hi all, my 13 year old daughter has really gotten into geology. I'd like to encourage this by getting her a monthly subscription for Christmas but struggling to find a good one that will be fun and engaging. Thanks!

The deepest cave is in Georgia 🇬🇪 at about 7,200 feet

Earth's crust is minimum 9 miles deep

Why don't caves reach deeper in to the crust?

I was thinking about how when the meteor hit and killed the dinosaurs, people say it ejected a lot of material into space. Surely some of that material must have been biological right? And if it got ejected far enough and didn't rain down to earth, would it have eventually landed on the moon as the nearest gravitational pull? And because there would be nothing to break down the matter besides radiation, wouldn't it fossilize?

i’m considering which course to drop out of all three, i’m going to have a busy spring semester with jobs and such and i simply think i will be too busy to spread my focus on all three: petrolgy geochem sedimentolgy and strat.

i’m currently taking mineralogy if that helps to base this question. TIA

Check it out r/OklahomaRocks if you're a fan of Oklahoma geology. We are truly blessed to have a beautiful state full of a diverse range of geological features and regions. Come join us!

Looking for something also really good at explaining how to measure features using brunton compass too.

I just went through a series of interviews with a few smaller drilling companies that take soil samples and core sampling analysis.

I told them I was graduating with my geology degree, and the company owner told me...

"We outsource environmental consulting work. The actual drilling would not use your degree to the fullest potential. Most of the guys out in the field only have a high school diploma. I have one guy that decided to become a driller because he hated college, but this is tough work and not your typical college crowd. I don't know many drilling companies that do their own consulting anymore."

I'm really confused. I thought geotechnical drilling and working in mining/oil/gas requires bachelors if not a masters in geology/engineering.

I must be missing something.

So im an amateur paleontologist studying the Coleraine formation (Cenomanian), but im pretty lacking in book smarts, being almost completely learned through experience. So i want to start reading.

Any suggestions of books to start giving me a good start into geology/mineral EYE DEE (post maker flags it) and paleontology/fossils?

Much appreciated.

tldr; will slag become a legitimate subclass

For ex., what would happen if I put fossils from one continent or "age" into cooling lava on another continent?

I found a smiley made from ore mineral and amphibole in a plagioclase while doing a microscope today.

I want to know how France formed during geological eras. However, I don't know the language to read French sources. Resources in my own language are insufficient. For example, did the Massif Central in France form through the Hercynian Orogeny? Or did it undergo metamorphism during that time? I have many more questions like this. Can you help me find sources on the subject? Or can you briefly explain the geological processes of France?