Archives

As cliché as Newton’s axiom “standing on the shoulders’ of giants” has become, for geologists this is especially true. Most of our geological expeditions are targeted based on previous hints provided by the field geologists of yore. Whether it be the orogenic history responsible for James Hutton’s famous unconformity at Siccar Point or Heim Gansser’s Himalayan expeditions disguised as a Buddhist pilgrim, it is upon their shoulders that we stand to delve deeper into geologic mysteries around the planet. In this show we will explore the adventures of intrepid explorers and geologists who laid the groundwork for the fieldwork we do today.

Geological Expeditions of Yore ep. 1 – Alfred Wegner

This episode of GEOY is dedicated to brilliant interdisciplinary scientist, and pioneer polar explorer Alfred Wegener, whose theory of continental drift shook the foundations of geology, paleontology, and biology research. While today continental drift and plate tectonics are firmly established concepts, when first proposed Alfred Wegener’s theory was ridiculed and received immense push-back by the scientific community. In this episode geology researchers Janne Liebmann and Bryant Ware take you on a science odyssey from initial rejection of Wegener’s ideas as a “geo fairy tale” to the accumulation of evidence that finally prompted its acceptance and laid the groundwork for the theory of plate tectonics.