So, first off, I apologize for the clickbait headline, but don’t worry, there actually is a payoff here. What I’m going to say is 100% true. Geology isn’t just a pile of rocks, no matter what you might think. Sure, there are rocks involved … but “geo” doesn’t mean rocks. It means Earth, so when we talk about geology, we’re talking about the our planet — and our planet is more than rocks.
Don’t get me wrong. I love rocks. They’re tiny (and really huge) packets of history. They are time capsules left by our home planet for us to figure out. They are a greatest hits and deep dive into the discography of the solar system. Incomplete, sure, but captivating, intriguing, born long before us and existing well after we will.
What do I mean that geology isn’t rocks? I think we need to change how we all think about geology. Certain famous scientists and TV shows liken geology to stamp collecting (or not even a “real science”). This is, of course, nonsense, but it is the perception. Geologists (and paleontologists) go out and find rocks, minerals, fossils, slap a label on them and cache them away in museums or dusty drawers. It is born out of a Victorian idea of the discipline.
