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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://www.scientificamerican.com/my-account/register/">Register</a></li></ul><ul class="primary-nav__drawer-utils__social"></ul></div></div></div> </nav></div></div><main id="sa_body" class="panel main-area"><div class="mura-region"><div class="mura-region-inherited"></div><div class="mura-region-local"></div></div><header class="blog-listing-header"><div class="blog-listing-header__icon"><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/38D63B7F-961D-4D93-9F53595E2CC1F007_small.jpg?w=70&h=70" alt="History of Geology"></div><h1 class="blog-listing-header__title">History of Geology</h1><p class="blog-listing-header__subtitle">What rocks tell and how we came to understand it</p><div class="blog-listing-header__divider"><ul class="blog-listing-header__meta"><li class="blog-listing-header__meta__item"><a href="/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/about/">About</a></li><li class="blog-listing-header__meta__item"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/http://feeds.feedburner.com/history-of-geology/feed">RSS</a></li></ul></div></header><div class="landing-main"><div class="container"><div class="grid"><div class="grid__col large-up-8-12 paginated-article-list"><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="All Good Things must End..."><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/all-good-things-must-end/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/C3FE6022-3C36-4302-8D622F8D47587ACC_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/C3FE6022-3C36-4302-8D622F8D47587ACC_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/C3FE6022-3C36-4302-8D622F8D47587ACC_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="All Good Things must End..."/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/all-good-things-must-end/">All Good Things must End...</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">Eventually everybody has to face change and his personal Chicxulub and so will the History of Geology blog end as part of the Scientific American Network.</p><div class="t_meta"> December 15, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="How it all ends…"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/how-it-all-ends-8230/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/6655772C-B8CA-4811-93F5C17A1AFC3C19_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/6655772C-B8CA-4811-93F5C17A1AFC3C19_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/6655772C-B8CA-4811-93F5C17A1AFC3C19_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="How it all ends&#8230;"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/how-it-all-ends-8230/">How it all ends…</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">“Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.” Robert Frost (1874-1963) The [...]</p><div class="t_meta"> December 7, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="Geological Treasures in Ancient Egypt"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/geological-treasures-in-ancient-egypt/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/175204CA-28CE-47DC-A67A2ADBA3205152_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/175204CA-28CE-47DC-A67A2ADBA3205152_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/175204CA-28CE-47DC-A67A2ADBA3205152_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="Geological Treasures in Ancient Egypt"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/geological-treasures-in-ancient-egypt/">Geological Treasures in Ancient Egypt</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">November 26, 1922 archaeologist Howard Carter (1874-1939) entered the tomb of Tutankhamun, pharaoh in ancient Egypt from 1332 to 1323 BC. The grave was filled with precious jewelry, including a breastplate decorated with a scarab, made from a greenish-yellow gemstone.</p><div class="t_meta"> November 26, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="Radioactivity and Earth´s Age"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/radioactivity-and-earth-180-s-age/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/33C969EA-F02E-430B-810931FA8402A60D_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/33C969EA-F02E-430B-810931FA8402A60D_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/33C969EA-F02E-430B-810931FA8402A60D_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="Radioactivity and Earth&#180;s Age"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/radioactivity-and-earth-180-s-age/">Radioactivity and Earth´s Age</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">For a long time the apparent discrepancy between the age of earth and the age of the cosmos posed a great problem to geologists and astronomers alike.</p><div class="t_meta"> November 21, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="Earth’s Age and the Cosmic Calendar"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/earth-8217-s-age-and-the-cosmic-calendar/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/49FE5148-0CFA-437F-9134A45DE3DA8F05_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/49FE5148-0CFA-437F-9134A45DE3DA8F05_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/49FE5148-0CFA-437F-9134A45DE3DA8F05_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="Earth&#8217;s Age and the Cosmic Calendar"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/earth-8217-s-age-and-the-cosmic-calendar/">Earth’s Age and the Cosmic Calendar</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">During  the 19th century geologists realized that earth was quite older than previously believed, however this discovery posed an even greater question: what about the universe?  Did earth (like some fundamental creationists believed and still believe) predate the cosmos, were  earth and the cosmos created at the same time or came earth later?</p><div class="t_meta"> November 13, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="Medieval Witch Hunts Influenced by Climate Change"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/medieval-witch-hunts-influenced-by-climate-change/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/59FF5C9E-BF56-4FA6-B97307536E73CE6C_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/59FF5C9E-BF56-4FA6-B97307536E73CE6C_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/59FF5C9E-BF56-4FA6-B97307536E73CE6C_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="Medieval Witch Hunts Influenced by Climate Change"/></picture><div class="t_tag listing-wide__thumb__category">Sustainability</div></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/medieval-witch-hunts-influenced-by-climate-change/">Medieval Witch Hunts Influenced by Climate Change</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">August 3, 1562 a devastating thunderstorm hit central Europe, damaging buildings, killing animals and destroying crops and vineyards. The havoc caused by this natural disaster was so great, so unprecedented, that soon an unnatural origin for the storm was proposed.</p><div class="t_meta"> November 3, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="The (Zombie-)Toad-in-the-Hole"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/the-zombie-toad-in-the-hole/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/D6EF6A98-0448-49C0-862BB35D68E214CA_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/D6EF6A98-0448-49C0-862BB35D68E214CA_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/D6EF6A98-0448-49C0-862BB35D68E214CA_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="The (Zombie-)Toad-in-the-Hole"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/the-zombie-toad-in-the-hole/">The (Zombie-)Toad-in-the-Hole</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">May 8, 1733 two workers, Anders Halfwarder and Olof Sigräfwer, reported excited to superintendent Johan Gråberg, who was inspecting the quarry of Nybro near the village of Wamlingebo (Gotland, Sweden), a very strange discovery.</p><div class="t_meta"> October 31, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="Of Dragons and Geology"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/of-dragons-and-geology/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/8097C785-33AB-4DB3-A8E3B7FCD76727D2_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/8097C785-33AB-4DB3-A8E3B7FCD76727D2_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/8097C785-33AB-4DB3-A8E3B7FCD76727D2_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="Of Dragons and Geology"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/of-dragons-and-geology/">Of Dragons and Geology</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672-1733) was a Swiss physician, but also quite interested in travels and natural sciences. He published his observations on the culture and natural world of the Alps as “Itinera per Helvetiae alpinas regiones facta annis 1702-1711“.</p><div class="t_meta"> October 27, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="Geologizing in the Realm of the Beast"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/geologizing-in-the-realm-of-the-beast/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/CDC1B6E4-8D1D-43FC-B39314F8A2304CF9_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/CDC1B6E4-8D1D-43FC-B39314F8A2304CF9_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/CDC1B6E4-8D1D-43FC-B39314F8A2304CF9_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="Geologizing in the Realm of the Beast"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/geologizing-in-the-realm-of-the-beast/">Geologizing in the Realm of the Beast</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">September 8, 1762 the young son of the Yolle‘s, herding the flock of sheep, disappeared near the village of Laval in the province of Dauphiné (France).</p><div class="t_meta"> October 21, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article><article class="listing-wide" data-listing-template="Blog" data-listing-title="The Strange Medical Case of the Radioactive Landslide"><div class="listing-wide__thumb"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/the-strange-medical-case-of-the-radioactive-landslide/"><picture><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/32FE91E4-4D4F-4BCC-A6AEB63B34F524F7_small.jpg"/><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/32FE91E4-4D4F-4BCC-A6AEB63B34F524F7_medium.jpg?w=210&h=140"/><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/32FE91E4-4D4F-4BCC-A6AEB63B34F524F7_agenda.jpg?h=183" alt="The Strange Medical Case of the Radioactive Landslide"/></picture></a></div><div class="listing-wide__inner"><h2 class="t_listing-title"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/the-strange-medical-case-of-the-radioactive-landslide/">The Strange Medical Case of the Radioactive Landslide</a></h2><p class="t_body listing-wide__inner__desc">The landslide of Köfels (named after a small village in Tyrol) is one of the largest recognized landslides in the Alps – large enough to dam up a 92 meters (300 feet) deep prehistoric lake and divide in two the valley of Ötz.</p><div class="t_meta"> October 16, 2014 — David Bressan </div></div></article></div><div class="grid__col large-up-4-12"><figure class="banner banner-square"><div id="dfp-right-home"><script>dfp.load_dfp_ad("right", "right1", "dfp-right-home", 700);</script></div><figcaption class="aside-banner__label">Advertisement | <div class="pubnation" data-target="dfp-right-home" style="visibility: hidden;">Report Ad</div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="blog-listing-footer"><footer class="pagination"><div class="pagination__left"></div><div class="pagination__main"><ol class="pagination__nums"><li class="pagination__nums__item pagination__nums__item__current"><a 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class="listing-blog-index__icon"><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/D5811B5E-128E-4816-888F5DB48381077D_small.jpg?w=65&h=65" alt="@ScientificAmerican"/></div><h3 class="listing-blog-index__title"><span class="ellipsis listing-blog-index__underline">@ScientificAmerican</span></h3><p class="listing-blog-index__summary"><span class="t_tag blogs-staffbadge">STAFF</span>Behind the scenes at Scientific American</p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/at-scientific-american/" class="listing-blog-index__link">Read</a></article></div><div class="grid__col large-up-1-2" data-blog-title="Anecdotes from the Archive"><article class="listing-blog-index"><div class="listing-blog-index__icon"><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/7BBC3D07-784E-4864-9A55144F00640646_small.jpg?w=65&h=65" alt="Anecdotes from the Archive"/></div><h3 class="listing-blog-index__title"><span class="ellipsis listing-blog-index__underline">Anecdotes from the Archive</span></h3><p class="listing-blog-index__summary"><span class="t_tag blogs-staffbadge">STAFF</span></p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170708052353/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anecdotes-from-the-archive/" class="listing-blog-index__link">Read</a></article></div><div class="grid__col large-up-1-2" data-blog-title="Anthropology in Practice"><article class="listing-blog-index"><div class="listing-blog-index__icon"><img src="/web/20170708052353im_/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/10687479-E16B-4241-BDF5CC04A77A5A73_small.jpg?w=65&h=65" alt="Anthropology in Practice"/></div><h3 class="listing-blog-index__title"><span class="ellipsis listing-blog-index__underline">Anthropology in Practice</span></h3><p class="listing-blog-index__summary">Exploring the human condition.</p><a 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