History of Geology
@historyofgeology.bsky.social
A channel dedicated to the #History of #Earth #Sciences 🌍 run by an Alpine #Rock G(e)o(logist)at ⛰️🔨🐐
On November 13, 1985, a series of lahars triggered by medium-sized eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano kills an estimated 25.000 people in the town of Armero, Colombia.
www.earthmagazine.org/article/benc...
www.earthmagazine.org/article/benc...
November 13, 2025 at 7:20 PM
On November 13, 1985, a series of lahars triggered by medium-sized eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano kills an estimated 25.000 people in the town of Armero, Colombia.
www.earthmagazine.org/article/benc...
www.earthmagazine.org/article/benc...
Special issue for the 40th anniversary of the the November 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano that killed an estimated 25,000 people in the town of Armero
www.nature.com/collections/...
www.nature.com/collections/...
November 12, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Special issue for the 40th anniversary of the the November 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano that killed an estimated 25,000 people in the town of Armero
www.nature.com/collections/...
www.nature.com/collections/...
The Glossopteris leaves will later prove that Antarctica once was ice-free and part with other continents - where similar fossils were found - of the Gondwana supercontinent.
November 12, 2025 at 11:08 AM
The Glossopteris leaves will later prove that Antarctica once was ice-free and part with other continents - where similar fossils were found - of the Gondwana supercontinent.
Their samples were discovered later safely stored on the sledges - along with the frozen bodies of the entire expedition.
In 1914, British paleontologist Albert Charles Seward described the fossil plants collected by Scott’s party as Glossopteris and Vertebraria.
In 1914, British paleontologist Albert Charles Seward described the fossil plants collected by Scott’s party as Glossopteris and Vertebraria.
November 12, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Their samples were discovered later safely stored on the sledges - along with the frozen bodies of the entire expedition.
In 1914, British paleontologist Albert Charles Seward described the fossil plants collected by Scott’s party as Glossopteris and Vertebraria.
In 1914, British paleontologist Albert Charles Seward described the fossil plants collected by Scott’s party as Glossopteris and Vertebraria.
November 12, 1912, British explorer Robert Scott's diary & body found in Antarctica. The fossils collected by his expedition will later prove continental drift ⸙
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November 12, 2025 at 11:07 AM
November 12, 1912, British explorer Robert Scott's diary & body found in Antarctica. The fossils collected by his expedition will later prove continental drift ⸙
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In 1845 Austrian geologist Wilhelm von Haidinger decided to re-name it Wulfenite honoring von Wulfen's work.
www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/inde...
www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/inde...
November 5, 2025 at 7:47 PM
In 1845 Austrian geologist Wilhelm von Haidinger decided to re-name it Wulfenite honoring von Wulfen's work.
www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/inde...
www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/inde...
November 5, 1728, birthday of Austrian priest, botanist, zoologist, mineralogist and alpinist Franz Xaver Freiherr von Wulfen.
In 1782 he published a comprehensive mineralogical work of the minerals of Carinthia, including a detailed description of a lead molybdate Pb[MoO4]
In 1782 he published a comprehensive mineralogical work of the minerals of Carinthia, including a detailed description of a lead molybdate Pb[MoO4]
November 5, 2025 at 7:46 PM
November 5, 1728, birthday of Austrian priest, botanist, zoologist, mineralogist and alpinist Franz Xaver Freiherr von Wulfen.
In 1782 he published a comprehensive mineralogical work of the minerals of Carinthia, including a detailed description of a lead molybdate Pb[MoO4]
In 1782 he published a comprehensive mineralogical work of the minerals of Carinthia, including a detailed description of a lead molybdate Pb[MoO4]
He noted that earthquakes are not randomly distributed, but follow "seismic belts" - actually the boundaries of tectonic plates.
seismic-explorer.concord.org?fbclid=IwY2x...
seismic-explorer.concord.org?fbclid=IwY2x...
November 5, 2025 at 7:46 PM
He noted that earthquakes are not randomly distributed, but follow "seismic belts" - actually the boundaries of tectonic plates.
seismic-explorer.concord.org?fbclid=IwY2x...
seismic-explorer.concord.org?fbclid=IwY2x...
November 5, 1881, died on this day Irish engineer Robert Mallet.
A self-educated geologist, he created the first seismicity map plotting the epicenters of earthquakes as they happened over time
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A self-educated geologist, he created the first seismicity map plotting the epicenters of earthquakes as they happened over time
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November 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
November 5, 1881, died on this day Irish engineer Robert Mallet.
A self-educated geologist, he created the first seismicity map plotting the epicenters of earthquakes as they happened over time
...
A self-educated geologist, he created the first seismicity map plotting the epicenters of earthquakes as they happened over time
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November 4, 1922, a mysterious gemstone found over 100 years ago in Tutankhamen’s tomb likely formed when a meteorite hit Earth 💎☄️
www.forbes.com/sites/davidb...
www.forbes.com/sites/davidb...
November 4, 2025 at 7:32 PM
November 4, 1922, a mysterious gemstone found over 100 years ago in Tutankhamen’s tomb likely formed when a meteorite hit Earth 💎☄️
www.forbes.com/sites/davidb...
www.forbes.com/sites/davidb...
November 1, 1930 after reaching the isolated meteorological station "Eismitte" on the ice-sheet of Greenland, Wegener & his team celebrate his 50th birthday with some dried fruit and chocolate - a rare luxury in Arctic conditions.
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November 1, 2025 at 5:43 PM
November 1, 1930 after reaching the isolated meteorological station "Eismitte" on the ice-sheet of Greenland, Wegener & his team celebrate his 50th birthday with some dried fruit and chocolate - a rare luxury in Arctic conditions.
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He was even interested in impact geology, calculating for the first time the site of a meteorite impact after studying reports of a meteor shower & explaining the origin of the Kaali Laki, Estonia as impact crater ☄️
November 1, 2025 at 5:42 PM
He was even interested in impact geology, calculating for the first time the site of a meteorite impact after studying reports of a meteor shower & explaining the origin of the Kaali Laki, Estonia as impact crater ☄️
Famous for his hypothesis of continental drift - a predecessor of plate tectonics 🌍 - he also made important contributions to climatology - he published a popular textbook on atmospheric physics 🌡️
November 1, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Famous for his hypothesis of continental drift - a predecessor of plate tectonics 🌍 - he also made important contributions to climatology - he published a popular textbook on atmospheric physics 🌡️
November 1, 1880, birthday of German geophysicist & meteorologist Alfred Wegener.
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November 1, 2025 at 5:41 PM
November 1, 1880, birthday of German geophysicist & meteorologist Alfred Wegener.
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Saussure’s analysis revealed that the rock contained a magnesium-rich mineral, a discovery that ultimately led to the formal description and naming of the mineral dolomite 💎
October 31, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Saussure’s analysis revealed that the rock contained a magnesium-rich mineral, a discovery that ultimately led to the formal description and naming of the mineral dolomite 💎
Traveling along the Eisack river in Tyrol, he collected some pebbles that at a first seemed to be limestone, jet appeared to be slightly harder and more important, showed no effervescence if sprinkled with acid.
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October 31, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Traveling along the Eisack river in Tyrol, he collected some pebbles that at a first seemed to be limestone, jet appeared to be slightly harder and more important, showed no effervescence if sprinkled with acid.
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October 31, 1791, French adventurer Diedonné de Dolomieu writes a letter to Swiss mineralogist Nicolas-Théodore de Saussure requesting help in identifying a strange "grayish limestone"
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October 31, 2025 at 5:46 PM
October 31, 1791, French adventurer Diedonné de Dolomieu writes a letter to Swiss mineralogist Nicolas-Théodore de Saussure requesting help in identifying a strange "grayish limestone"
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Surface rupture of the October 30, 2016, Norcia earthquake in central Italy.
The Mw 6.5 earthquake destroyed the towns of Norcia and Castelluccio, nine people were injured. Just a week earlier the earthquake of Amatrice killed 300 people.
The Mw 6.5 earthquake destroyed the towns of Norcia and Castelluccio, nine people were injured. Just a week earlier the earthquake of Amatrice killed 300 people.
October 30, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Surface rupture of the October 30, 2016, Norcia earthquake in central Italy.
The Mw 6.5 earthquake destroyed the towns of Norcia and Castelluccio, nine people were injured. Just a week earlier the earthquake of Amatrice killed 300 people.
The Mw 6.5 earthquake destroyed the towns of Norcia and Castelluccio, nine people were injured. Just a week earlier the earthquake of Amatrice killed 300 people.
October 29, 1899, died #OTD day Irish geologist, surveyor & cartographer Patrick Ganly. He described cross-bedding in geological strata, which allows geologists to determine the “way up” of rock layers (i.e., their original orientation) — a fundamental tool in stratigraphy
October 29, 2025 at 7:42 PM
October 29, 1899, died #OTD day Irish geologist, surveyor & cartographer Patrick Ganly. He described cross-bedding in geological strata, which allows geologists to determine the “way up” of rock layers (i.e., their original orientation) — a fundamental tool in stratigraphy
Shandite is a sulfide mineral with chemical formula Ni3Pb2S2. It was discovered in 1948 by the German mineralogist Paul Raumdohr who named after Shand.
mindat.org/min-3631.html
mindat.org/min-3631.html
October 29, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Shandite is a sulfide mineral with chemical formula Ni3Pb2S2. It was discovered in 1948 by the German mineralogist Paul Raumdohr who named after Shand.
mindat.org/min-3631.html
mindat.org/min-3631.html
His classification of eruptive rocks was based mainly on the extent to which the rocks were saturated with silica, their mineralogical composition and texture. The classification was later developed further in his book "Eruptive rocks " (London, 1927)
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October 29, 2025 at 7:40 PM
His classification of eruptive rocks was based mainly on the extent to which the rocks were saturated with silica, their mineralogical composition and texture. The classification was later developed further in his book "Eruptive rocks " (London, 1927)
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October 29, 1882, birthday of Scottish mineralogist and petrologist Samuel James Shand.
At college his first interest was chemistry, to this he soon added an avid curiosity about geology, combing both in his study of igneous rocks and mineral assemblages
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At college his first interest was chemistry, to this he soon added an avid curiosity about geology, combing both in his study of igneous rocks and mineral assemblages
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October 29, 2025 at 7:40 PM
October 29, 1882, birthday of Scottish mineralogist and petrologist Samuel James Shand.
At college his first interest was chemistry, to this he soon added an avid curiosity about geology, combing both in his study of igneous rocks and mineral assemblages
...
At college his first interest was chemistry, to this he soon added an avid curiosity about geology, combing both in his study of igneous rocks and mineral assemblages
...
October 29, 1831, birthday of American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. He gave us Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops... along with 83 other species of prehistoric beasts & not to forget the Bone Wars 🦴
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
October 29, 2025 at 7:40 PM
October 29, 1831, birthday of American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. He gave us Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops... along with 83 other species of prehistoric beasts & not to forget the Bone Wars 🦴
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
October 28, 1965, geophysicist Edward Bullard, using the first "tectonic" computer simulations, publishes a paper with the title "The Fit of the Continents around the Atlantic."
earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/eoc_teac...
earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/eoc_teac...
October 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
October 28, 1965, geophysicist Edward Bullard, using the first "tectonic" computer simulations, publishes a paper with the title "The Fit of the Continents around the Atlantic."
earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/eoc_teac...
earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/eoc_teac...
#MineralMonday 💎 VS #Alien 👾
Goethite ( α-Fe3+O(OH)) aggregate resembling Big Chap
www.bressan-geoconsult.eu/geological-r...
Goethite ( α-Fe3+O(OH)) aggregate resembling Big Chap
www.bressan-geoconsult.eu/geological-r...
October 27, 2025 at 7:51 PM
#MineralMonday 💎 VS #Alien 👾
Goethite ( α-Fe3+O(OH)) aggregate resembling Big Chap
www.bressan-geoconsult.eu/geological-r...
Goethite ( α-Fe3+O(OH)) aggregate resembling Big Chap
www.bressan-geoconsult.eu/geological-r...