Geology is the science of our Earth's subsurface nature, structure and dynamics. Geology has a great importance for society.
Opportunities
Geology conditions the location, nature and quantities of a wide range of natural resources essential to mankind, to its social well-being and economy:
- Soils (they are the interface between the geosphere and the biosphere);
- Groundwater, a very important source of water;
- Energy resources (fossil energy resources such as coal, gas, oil, peat and the renewable geothermal energy;
- Mineral resources.
Risks
Geology also determines a wide range of natural hazards. Some can be very visible: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and rockfalls are the most spectacular of these phenomena. Some are less spectacular, but nevertheless cause billions of Euros of damage and/or are a cause of death and injuries: natural gaseous emanations of radon, a radioactive gas, can cause cancer. The excess or deficit of trace elements in soils and water such as arsenic, fluorine, iodine or selenium reflects the local geology. It affects the health of millions of people on Earth.
Geology defines where we can safely build, where we can pump good quality water form the ground, where we can bury waste, where and how we can develop underground infrastructure such as tunnels or parking lots.
Landscapes
Geology, together with climate, conditions diversity and beauty of landscapes.
Geology conditions historical look of our cities and villages, since most of the traditional construction materials are local natural materials such as clay (for bricks) and/or stone. In more recent times the widespread use of concrete, whose production is dependent on geological conditions, allowed the most amazing architectural prowesses.
Science
Geology, depicting the Earth’s subsurface, is a science with many facets. The observation of the Earth’s subsurface requires the combined use of many specialized scientific disciplines. A good knowledge and understanding of the Earth’s subsurface, of its resources and of the threats it can cause requires the combined use of many data sources. To name but a few: satellite imagery; airborne and on the ground (or seaborne) geophysical data; geological surveying in the field; use of a diversity of sensors placed in the ground, on structures such as dams or bridges, or in wells; detailed chemical analysis of rocks, soils and water; determination of isotopic ratios.
It is the combination of the data and observations from these diversified sources by a competent, experimented geologist, that provide the information and the knowledge geologists deliver to society day after day.
The below links will allow you to discover more about geology from some key websites, with an emphasis on the EuroGeoSurveys members. There is something for everyone, from the layman to the expert.
For a more detailed introduction to geology, with a lot to discover for the layperson, including animations, photographs and more please visit this e-learning site developed by the Geology Department of the University of Tromsø, the world northernmost University: http://www.ig.uit.no/webgeology/
Sustainable development requires full understanding of all four dimensions of our environment, something sometimes ignored in public policies and programmes aiming at land use planning, environmental protection, resources management or economic development. There are numerous interactions and interdependences between life on the surface of the Earth, including our own lives and nature of the Earth’s subsurface that is geology.
Gneiss sample, Norway. Photo: P.Christmann
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