Explore every episode of the podcast PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
The Science of Elevation - Hypsometry
03 Oct 2024
00:39:31
In this episode, we delve into the fascinating concept of hypsometry and its applications in understanding Earth's topography. We start with a light-hearted email from a listener, but quickly transition into discussing the principles of hypsometric curves. We break down how these curves provide insights into the distribution and stability of Earth's crust, oceanic and continental. Through our conversation, we explore the role of plate tectonics and erosion in shaping the Earth's surface, making this complex scientific topic accessible and engaging, even touching on classroom applications and educational tools.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Gymnast to Geoscientist - GeoGirl Dr. Rachel Phillips
26 Sep 2024
01:12:55
In this episode we engage in a lively conversation with Dr. Rachel Phillips, popularly known as GeoGirl on YouTube. Rachel shares her journey from resisting geology despite her geologist parents, to embracing it due to a chemistry class in college. She discusses her PhD research on ancient ocean chemistry and reveals her recent focus on geoscience education and communication through an NSF fellowship. With insights into her popular YouTube channel, survey findings on geoscience misconceptions, and upcoming projects, Rachel's passion for leveraging digital media to foster interest in geology shines through. Don't miss this engaging discussion that delves into the realms of geoscience, education, and innovative outreach!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Kickstarting Continents - The Acasta Gneiss Complex Part II
25 Jul 2024
00:31:42
In this podcast episode, Dr. Jesse Reimink and Chris Bolhuis delve into part two of their discussion on Earth's oldest rocks, specifically the Acasta Gneiss. They explore the origin, complex history, and significance of these ancient rocks, including insights from Dr. Reimink's PhD research which suggests an Icelandic rather than subduction zone setting for their formation. The conversation covers the challenges of studying such remote and deformed rocks, the iterative process of geological fieldwork, and the ongoing debates about their exact ages. They also discuss the logistical difficulties of accessing the Acasta Gneiss and the commercialization of samples.
Access this episode with images, and more, in the CampGeo app - download now at the link below!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
One day, I (Chris) walked into class and announced that we were beginning plate tectonics. I was so excited to begin teaching this content. The response from my students was not at all what I expected. They let me know that they had all the plate tectonics they could handle in middle school and there wasn't anything left to learn. They knew the 3 basic types of plate boundaries (kind of) - divergent, convergent, and the T-one. I then started asking deeper level questions that tested their ability to apply this huge theory to make sense of the world around them.
During lunch that day, I began writing a series of questions about the unifying theory of plate tectonics. Needless to say, their understanding was skin deep and that's totally Okay. I wanted to show that we can take a basic understanding and use it to make so much more sense of our world.
That "event" gave me the idea to do a series on PlanetGeo covering a deep dive into plate tectonics. Jesse was not easy to convince. He felt like it was too massive. Anyway, I won and here comes the series. In this episode, we answer the following questions: 1. How does plate tectonics explain the formation of basalt? 2. How does plate tectonics explain the formation of andesite? 3. How does plate tectonics explain the formation of granite?
We hope you enjoy!
Remember you can Support Us Here, and share PlanetGeo with your friends and family!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Today, we get to interview author Kevin Krajick. Below is a small sample of his credentials and accolades.
Senior Editor Science News Communications, Columbia Climate School
Author at State of the Planet
Work has been featured in National Geographic, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Science, Smithsonian Mag, etc
Two time Winner of the American Geophysical Union's Walter Sullivan Award - excellence in science journalism
Finalist for the National Magazine Award for Public Service
We were interested in interviewing Kevin because of his book on Searching for diamonds in the Northwest Territories in Canada. This is a place near and dear to Jesse's heart because he does a lot of research up there. The book is exceptional and reads more like a novel mainly because of two featured individuals: Chuck Fipke and Stewart (Stu) Blusson. They are both Canadian geologists, prospectors, businessmen, helicopter pilot, etc. Check the link below for the book.
In addition to writing this book, Kevin is a writer for the Columbia Climate School (https://news.climate.columbia.edu/). He has written on an impressive array of topic from climate, Earth science, and society.
We hope you enjoy this interesting interview. Cheers.
Remember you can Support Us Here, and share PlanetGeo with your friends and family!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Today, we get to interview author Kevin Krajick. Below is a small sample of his credentials and accolades.
Senior Editor Science News Communications, Columbia Climate School
Author at State of the Planet
Work has been featured in National Geographic, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Science, Smithsonian Mag, etc
Two time Winner of the American Geophysical Union's Walter Sullivan Award - excellence in science journalism
Finalist for the National Magazine Award for Public Service
We were interested in interviewing Kevin because of his book on Searching for diamonds in the Northwest Territories in Canada. This is a place near and dear to Jesse's heart because he does a lot of research up there. The book is exceptional and reads more like a novel mainly because of two featured individuals: Chuck Fipke and Stewart (Stu) Blusson. They are both Canadian geologists, prospectors, businessmen, helicopter pilot, etc. Check the link below for the book.
In addition to writing this book, Kevin is a writer for the Columbia Climate School (https://news.climate.columbia.edu/). He has written on an impressive array of topic from climate, Earth science, and society.
We hope you enjoy this interesting interview. Cheers.
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Remember you can Support Us Here, and share PlanetGeo with your friends and family!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Don't Take it For Granite - Geology of Countertops
13 Oct 2022
00:37:21
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
In this episode, we tackle the confusing industry of "granite" countertops. It's confusing because it seems as though all rock countertops are called "granite". However, to a geologist, granite is a very specific type of rock and only a small percentage of countertops are actually granite.
There are maybe 5 or so major rock types that are all found in the "granite" countertop category. We spend some time talking about each major type:
Marble - this might be named accurately actually in most places. Is it very white with no distinct grains showing? Then it is probably marble. Especially if it has long dark wavys streaks
Granite - there is some real granite in there! Does it have pink, white, grey, and a few black flecks in it? Most of the grains are smaller than your fingernail? Then it may actually be granite. Can be white - no pink, too. Has to have some black flecks and some gray too.
Pegmatite - Does it have really really large grains? The size of your finger? Grey, white, black, with crazy textures in between them? It might be a pegmatite
Schist/gneiss - does it have a definite texture and pattern in one direction? Are their little waves of light and dark wavy patterns? Are there big deep purple garnets in it or blue flakes? What about dark and light bands with an overall darker color? It could be gneiss or schist.
Conglomerate - does it have a bunch of round or oblong grains in it of a variety of colors? Could be a conglomerate - these are spectacular.
There are others to be sure. These are just the most common.
We also talk about another type that is growing in popularity - Quartz counters. They aren't actually quartz though. We like this option a lot because it's a green product. No rock was mined for the specific purpose of making countertops. Quartz countertops are a form of engineered stone, made from ground-up particles of stone bound together with plastic resins. About 90% of the material is Crushed up waste granite, marble, and natural stone or recycled industrial wastes such as ceramic, silica, glass, mirrors, etc.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Capturing Carbon - The Basics of Carbon Capture and Storage
06 Oct 2022
00:36:45
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
In this episode, we dive into a very important topic that will play an increasing role in the climate change crisis. Carbon (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) is a big geoscience problem, and a possible solution to climate change. But, we need to understand these two terms well - it’s all about making rocks!
The oceans capture carbon for us, but we want to help this process along. In order to do that, we need to find ways to concentrate the Carbon because it's in such a low overall concentration in the atmosphere. We discuss some of the ways companies are trying to speed up the concentration process.
Once the Carbon is captured, we need to find ways to store it. Rocks such as limestone in the ocean is a natural way for Carbon storage. Again, we discuss some of the creative ways companies are researching to effectively store the captured carbon. We hope you enjoy our discussion on the very important topic.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Today, we are very excited to launch campGEO - our conversational textbook to help you learn geology.
This is a structured and image-based approach to learning. Geology is a visual field, so you need images to fully understand what we are talking about! Now you have them. Login to campGEO using the common social media logins, and access all our content for free!
You can also visit our website CampCourses where you can find the link and a QR code to share.
Remember, if you like what we do here, share with your friends, leave us a rating and a review, and follow us on social media!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
The Doomsday Glacier - Professor Richard Alley Part 2
29 Sep 2022
01:02:20
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
This is a link to the video of the Quick Clay Slide at Dissa video Dr. Alley references. This shows what can also happen to a glacier when it loses it's toe-hold as described in this episode.
Dr. Richard Alley is a renowned glaciologist and paleoclimate scientist. He is also widely regarded as one of the best professors at Penn State University. Below is a list of his impressive credentials:
National Academy of Sciences
Foreign Member of the Royal Society
Evan Pugh University Professorship
Penn State’s top teaching award
Presidential Young Investigator Award
Earth - the Operator’s Manual -
Briefed senators, international legislators, and a sitting US Vice President
Published an unbelievable >310 papers/books/etc
Join us as we discuss climate change, glaciers, and sea level. Much of his current research is on a Western Antarctic glacier called Thwaites Glacier. It's been dubbed the doomsday glacier because of its likely impact on sea level. Alley is a gifted speaker and uses incredible analogies to paint a vivid picture.
Another big part of the discussion is how Carbon is the thermostat control knob for our atmosphere. We hope you enjoy the discussion. We did!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Earth: The Operator's Manual - Professor Richard Alley Part 1
22 Sep 2022
00:12:28
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Dr. Richard Alley is a renowned glaciologist and paleoclimate scientist. He is also widely regarded as one of the best professors at Penn State University. Below is a list of his impressive credentials:
National Academy of Sciences
Foreign Member of the Royal Society
Evan Pugh University Professorship
Penn State’s top teaching award
Presidential Young Investigator Award
Earth - the Operator’s Manual -
Briefed senators, international legislators, and a sitting US Vice President
Published an unbelievable >310 papers/books/etc
Join us as we discuss climate change, glaciers, and sea level. Much of his current research is on a Western Antarctic glacier called Thwaites Glacier. It's been dubbed the doomsday glacier because of its likely impact on sea level. Alley is a gifted speaker and uses incredible analogies to paint a vivid picture.
Another big part of the discussion is how Carbon is the thermostat control knob for our atmosphere. We hope you enjoy the discussion. We did!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
536 AD was not a good year to be to be a human - especially in Eastern Europe. Below are some written descriptions of what it was like:
Michael the Syrian, wrote: "[T]he sun became dark and its darkness lasted for one and a half years [...] Each day it shone for about four hours and still this light was only a feeble shadow [...] the fruits did not ripen and the wine tasted like sour grapes."
A prefect of Italy at the time, wrote: "so we have had a winter without storms, spring without mildness, summer without heat."
A roman politician wrote: “the sun had a buish color, the moon lost its luster and the seasons seem to be jumbled up together.
Global temperatures fell by 2.5 degrees C (5 degrees F) on average. The culprit was an Icelandic volcano that began eruption in early 536 AD. This was punctuated by another eruption in 540, the bubonic plague in 541, and another eruption in 547 to round out one of the worst decades to be alive on Earth. All of these events caused a combined effect that took the planet over a hundred years to recover.
In this episode, we discuss a little about the geology of Icelandic volcanoes and why they are so diverse. However, the main focus is on the process of scientific discovery. We dive into ice core analysis and tree ring data that helped researchers piece together the puzzle.
Join Jesse and Chris as we discuss what might have been the worst year, decade, or century to be a human in modern times.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Dive into the fascinating world of Mammoth Cave with Dr. Jesse Reimink and Chris Bolhuis in this episode of Planet Geo. From understanding the types of passageways formed by ancient underground rivers to exploring the intricate and beautiful cave decorations like stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone, this episode provides a comprehensive and engaging look at one of the natural wonders of the world. Whether you’re preparing for a visit or just curious about subterranean geology, this in-depth discussion is sure to satisfy your curiosity.
Don't forget to check out the additional images and resources available on the Camp Geo app for a more visual experience.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Arches are an amazing geologic feature and they occur in very high density in Arches National Park - located in Utah!
In this episode we discuss the regional geology of the area, the Paradox Basin, and then get into some of the detailed processes that form arches throughout the park!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Great Rocks, Summer Excursions, and Confusing Minerals
25 Aug 2022
00:37:48
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
After a long break from recording, Chris and Jesse return to our studios to discuss our extremely busy summer. Jesse recaps his trip to Hawaii where he saw some amazing geology. He also talks about teaching field camp in Idaho to some of the Penn State undergrads. His favorite though, was continuing his field research in the Northwest Territories of Canada. He and his PhD student collected over 1,000 pounds of rocks. When asked about his favorite rocks seen this summer, Jesse didn't hesitate - the ancient rocks in Northern Canada. The toothpaste rocks won out over the much younger pahoehoe rocks of Hawaii.
Chris talked about taking 26 high school seniors out West for 3 weeks on the field course that he teaches. They went to the South Dakota Badlands, Black Hills, Devils Tower, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park. The floods that ravaged Yellowstone in early June didn't prevent the students from learning about the incredible geology of Yellowstone. Following this, Chris returned to the West with his family to hike and climb. They went to the flatirons of Red Rocks and then on to Long's Peak. The Long's Peak granite was easily his favorite rock of the summer. The rock is interesting because it is a porphyritic granite. The huge phenocrysts are peculiar because they are not randomly oriented. Instead, they are aligned in a preferred direction which is a topic of current research. After leaving Colorado, Chris and family spent the next two weeks banging around in the Tetons.
We wrap up the episode by discussing a couple of mineral pairs that can be confusing to identify in the field. Join us as we have a casual conversation about some incredible geology!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Sand comes from chemical and/or physical weathering of rocks, and is critically important to our society!
Most sand formation begins in the soil - soil has water to further break down the pieces. And the location where sand is formed plays a really important role in how useful sand is for concrete and ceramics. Most beach sand and desert sand is too rounded to be used!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Today we talk about the basic Principles of Geology - the basic observations that allow us to put geologic events in a relative order of when they occurred.
The five principles are 1) Superposition, 2) Original Horizontality, 3) Cross-cutting Relationships, 4) Inclusions, and 5) Correlation/Continuity.
Armed with these five rules, you can understand a lot more about the history of the world around you!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Magma Oceans and Triple Junctions - Listener Questions Part 2!
21 Jul 2022
00:32:48
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Thank you Valeria, Chelsea and Natalia for the excellent questions! Keep them coming!
Today we answer some of your very interesting geoscience questions ranging from how the moon formed to what's going on in Vinicunca Peru!
We talk about the Mendocino Triple Junction, one of the most rapidly rising places on Earth, the magma ocean's that formed the moon, and how sedimentary rocks can get such spectacularly beautiful coloring to them!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Lithium is only becoming more important to our society, and demand for lithium continues to skyrocket since it is used in everything from Tesla batteries to ceramics. Your phone has ~3g of lithium in it!
We cover the geology of lithium in this episode - where it occurs and why!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Earth's Leaky Core and Michigan Geology - Your Questions Part 1
07 Jul 2022
00:41:01
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Thank you Cathy and Matt for the excellent questions! Cathy sent us a question associated with This Article and Matt asked about Michigan geology (perhaps not knowing the long-winded answer he was in for!).
We received a TON of excellent questions from you all so we will have a Part 2 coming out soon - stay tuned to hear answers to your questions!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Devils Tower National Monument is a must see on any road trip in South Dakota! In fact, you can think of Chris Bolhuis while you are listening, as he is currently teaching 26 lucky high school students at Devils Tower at the moment!
The geology of this amazing spectacle has it all - beautiful sedimentary rocks, unique volcanic rocks, and great columnar joints that make the Tower look utterly striking.
Devils Tower is a unique rock called a phonolite, and it represents some part of an ancient volcano's plumbing system - a 40 million year old volcano!
As usual Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating, but don't forget to share PlanetGeo with someone you know!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Badlands National Park is a spectacular place to visit! If you are traveling to the Rocky Mountains, it is a great stop to get started.
Fossils are everywhere in the Badlands National Park, and the rocks have really amazing colorations to them.
However, badlands are a geologic feature! There are a few specific things required to form badlands and we discuss those key traits, as well as some of the basic principles of badlands generally.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
After Listening back on this episode (both the short and the full interview), my wife and I had a conversation. I asked her what she thought. Her reply was that she was full of hope after listening. Join us as we have an incredible conversation with Ashley Grosh. She is Vice President of the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program which is designed to find and fund innovators working to bring climate technology solutions to the market. She worked at Wells Fargo for 15 years where she managed a $100 million impact program and was largely involved as a thought leader in the company's overall ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainable finance strategies and commitments.
Ashely is a former athlete and avid sports fan. She played Division 1 soccer for University of Colorado. She now coaches soccer for Colorado Elevation FC - academy soccer program. Team sports, and the lessons one can learn, have always been a huge part of her life. In the Short episode, Ashley talks about the parallels between team sports and professional teams. She also wanted to sneak in some geology to the conversation by talking about a new way to mine from the seafloor. Here is the link that was alluded to in the episode: https://impossiblemining.com/
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Soccer, Mining, and Investing: Ashley Grosh of Breakthrough Energy Fellows
09 Jun 2022
00:09:40
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
After Listening back on this episode (both the short and the full interview), my wife and I had a conversation. I asked her what she thought. Her reply was that she was full of hope after listening. Join us as we have an incredible conversation with Ashley Grosh. She is Vice President of the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program which is designed to find and fund innovators working to bring climate technology solutions to the market. She worked at Wells Fargo for 15 years where she managed a $100 million impact program and was largely involved as a thought leader in the company's overall ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainable finance strategies and commitments.
Ashely is a former athlete and avid sports fan. She played Division 1 soccer for University of Colorado. She now coaches soccer for Colorado Elevation FC - academy soccer program. Team sports, and the lessons one can learn, have always been a huge part of her life. In the Short episode, Ashley talks about the parallels between team sports and professional teams. She also wanted to sneak in some geology to the conversation by talking about a new way to mine from the seafloor. Here is the link that was alluded to in the episode: https://impossiblemining.com/
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
People often wonder, why can't we date diamonds? Today, we answer that!
Here, we talk through the basics of Carbon Dating, also called RadioCarbon Dating! Radiocarbon is an awesome technique that also has some really common misconceptions about it. We go through the basics of this amazing method, with great analogies as usual, and we cover all those misconceptions!
Carbon dating is a great tool for dating things that were once alive. However, the half-life of Carbon-14 is 5,730 years. This means that after something has been dead for over 50,000 years, there is virtually no Carbon-14 left to date. This is why Carbon dating can't be used on dinosaurs (or diamonds) - no Carbon-14 remains.
Also, Carbon dating is not an appropriate tool for dating most rocks for two reasons. First, most rocks don't have abundant Carbon-14 when they formed. Second, most rocks are very, very old. Fortunately, there are many other appropriate tools that scientists can use to date rocks. Jesse is definitely the expert in the room in this discussion. His research involves different dating methods that he's been using for years. We hope you enjoy the discussion.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
In todays episode, Jesse and Chris re-visit an idea on GeoScience in the news. This was fun for us. We didn't talk before we picked our topics. We realized that there are so many geoscience topics in the news and that we need to do more of this type of thing. Here are the links to our articles we chose. Sit back and enjoy!!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Join us this week for our interview of Dr. Robin George Andrews. Robin George Andrews is a freelance science journalist based in London. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Scientific American, Gizmodo, Atlas Obscura and elsewhere. He trained as a volcanologist, earning a doctorate in the subject, but then realized that telling people stories of spectacular eruptions and off-world scientific shenanigans brought him more joy than academia ever could. His upcoming book — Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond is out now - go buy a copy!
I must admit, it took Jesse and I a while to realize that the book is called Super Volcanoes - two words. In other words, all volcanoes are super. Most volcanologists strongly dislike the term Supervolcanoes - one word, that is typically used to describe Yellowstone National Park.
Robin has a huge personality which made for a very fun interview. We talked about Hawaii, Yellowstone, deep ocean volcanoes, Tonga, and Marie Tharp to name just a few. Tune in to get all the details. You won't be disappointed.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Learn all the basics of geology in our new conversational textbook - campGEO! Available here: geo.campcourses.com
Join us this week for our interview of Dr. Robin George Andrews. Robin George Andrews is a freelance science journalist based in London. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Scientific American, Gizmodo, Atlas Obscura and elsewhere. He trained as a volcanologist, earning a doctorate in the subject, but then realized that telling people stories of spectacular eruptions and off-world scientific shenanigans brought him more joy than academia ever could. His upcoming book — Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond is out now - go buy a copy!
I must admit, it took Jesse and I a while to realize that the book is called Super Volcanoes - two words. In other words, all volcanoes are super. Most volcanologists strongly dislike the term Supervolcanoes - one word, that is typically used to describe Yellowstone National Park.
Robin has a huge personality which made for a very fun interview. We talked about Hawaii, Yellowstone, deep ocean volcanoes, Tonga, and Marie Tharp to name just a few. Tune in to get all the details. You won't be disappointed.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
In this episode, we discuss the geology of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We've been neglectful of this region of the U.S. and it's time to do these amazing mountains justice.
We begin by discussing why the Smokies are Smoky. It's an interesting and natural phenomenon that involves the immense pine forests.
After we get the biology out of the way, we dive into the geology. We broke it down to 3 major geologic events: 1- the bedrock geology and the accumulation of a massive amount of sediment from the breakup of Rodinia (a super-continent that preceded Pangaea). 2- Deformation and mountain building from the Pangaea collision. 3- Erosion as Pangaea broke apart.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Industrial Ecology and Critical Minerals: Dr. Nedal Nassar
21 Apr 2022
00:51:59
Today we have the great pleasure of talking about a very important topic, while interviewing one of the best and most interesting people we've had the pleasure of speaking with!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
In this episode of Planet Geo, Chris Bolhuis and Dr. Jesse Reimink dive deep into the geology of the Grand Teton National Park. They cover the park's ancient rock formations, from the Archean gneiss to the granites formed around 2.5 billion years ago. The discussion also explores significant geological events like the Severe and Laramide orogenies, the impact of the Yellowstone Hotspot Track, and the glacial activity that sculpted the dramatic landscapes of the Tetons.
Get access to The Geology of the Grand Tetons on the CampGeo app now - link below!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
** Just a quick note - Dr. Nassar slightly misspoke in this episode when talking about Tantalum and corrected himself later. Tantalum is actually combined with niobium, vanadium, and zirconium. Tellurium is combined with elemental boron.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Radon is something you have probably heard of, but may not know much about. It is a really important aspect of geoscience that touches our lives everyday.
Radon is an element that is radioactive. It is formed from the decay of Uranium as Uranium breaks down into Lead. Radon is special because it is a Noble Gas, which means it is an element that doesn't bond with other elements, so it can move around easily. When Uranium decays, it goes through several steps of decay and eventually gets to Radon.
Once Radon is formed, it can move. Radon is a gas and can flow through soils, in water, or even seep through concrete. So, it can make it into your house! Once there, Radon can hang around for a few days until it decays again and eventually produces Pb.
Radon can move easier if
The soil is permeable - stuff can flow through it
The soil is porous - there is a lot of space in the soil
Soil is dry - water slows down Radon movement
There are several ways for Radon to get into your house if it can move quickly through the soil. First it can seep through concrete foundations slowly. Second, it can flow from the high pressure soil to the low pressure air in your house through cracks in the foundation. And third, it can be dissolved in groundwater and get released when that water is agitated (showers, faucet running, etc).
It's easy to test for Radon in your home, and relatively inexpensive to get it fixed - so if you are unsure, get your home tested!!
Also, we have a new website!! Check it out or send us an email at our email address planetgeocast@gmail.com
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Your Questions! Road Collapse in the United Kingdom (GeoShort)
31 Mar 2022
00:12:20
Thanks to our UK listener Valeria for this excellent question!
Valeria wondered what was going on with road collapses in the UK recently! Luckily, some experts have looked into this and wrote this recent blog post that proposes some ideas, and suggests further research is necessary.
In this Geoshort, we discuss these options, as well as explain what Solifluction is, and how it moves soil in a very powerful and slow process.
Thanks Valeria for an excellent question! We look forward to many more from you and other listeners of PlanetGeo.
As usual, please follow us on all the social media accounts or shoot us an email!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
National Geographic and Geoscience Writing - Dr. Maya Wei-Haas
24 Mar 2022
00:59:25
Join us as we interview Dr. Maya Wei-Haas who works as a science journalist for National Geographic. Dr. Wei-Haas has a PhD in geoscience, has done top-tier research. In our discussion, she explains why she decided to pivot and use her extensive background to write interesting articles about our amazing planet. This was not an easy decision for Dr. Wei-Haas to make as writing did not come naturally - just another obstacle for her to overcome. Sit back and listen to this intriguing discussion about Earth science, writing, and life.
Dr. Maya Wei-Haas has an impressive CV: She has a PhD in Geoscience, but now works as a science journalist for National Geographic. Here are some of the awards Dr. Wei-Haas has won!
Science Journalist for National Geographic - particular affection for Rocks and Reactions,
Assistant Editor - Smithsonian Magazine
American Academy for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 2015
PhD in Earth Science from Ohio State University
ASCE Excellence in Journalism Award 2021
AGU’s Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism (2020)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2010-2015)
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Daylight Saving Time: Interview with Dr. Maya Wei-Haas
17 Mar 2022
00:10:36
Dr. Maya Wei-Haas has an impressive CV: See below. She has a PhD in Geoscience, but now works as a science journalist for National Geographic. Dr. Wei-Haas has had to overcome some major obstacles to become a professional journalist. Join us in this interesting discussion about a recent article on Daylight Saving Time.
Science Journalist for National Geographic - particular affection for Rocks and Reactions,
Assistant Editor - Smithsonian Magazine
American Academy for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 2015
PhD in Earth Science from Ohio State University
ASCE Excellence in Journalism Award 2021
AGU’s Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism (2020)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2010-2015)
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
A Geology Bullseye: The Black Hills of South Dakota
10 Mar 2022
00:50:30
The Black Hills happens to be one of our favorite places. We thought it was the right time to talk about them as people are getting the itch for summer to arrive so we can play in the mountains. The Black Hills is the perfect area to orient a young family to a life of adventure and respect for the outdoors. You can't get into too much trouble here and these mountains and the surrounding area offers so much to do. The Black Hills of South Dakota are a destination - not a speed bump on your way out West. Sit back and enjoy!
Geology of the Hills
The geology is complex but there are 3 basic suites of rock formations. The igneous and metamorphic core in the southern part of the Hills (Black Elk Peak, Mount Rushmore), some intrusive and extrusive igneous activity in the northern part of the hills (Bear butte and Devils Tower), and the sedimentary rocks that rim and surround the entire area (Racetrack and Wind Cave). From a 30,000 foot perspective, everythings looks like a huge oval shaped bullseye.
The granite core, that has tons of awesome pegmatite was formed between 2 by and 1.8 by ago in the Trans-Hudson Orogeny. This is ancient mountain building event that formed the Canadian shield and the North American Craton (Jesse, you probably know a lot about this). The pegmatite makes for a climbing meca.
Surrounding the Granite, is a diverse group of metamorphic rocks. These are the oldest in the area, because they were formerly sedimentary rocks that were metamorphosed into schists and gneisses by the THO. These rocks were intensely heated and squeezed enormously. In some areas of the hills, the metamorphic rocks are tilted 90 degrees (upended) and have been heavily eroded since. (Jesse, we love this stuff because we LOVE schist - garnet, staurolite, etc)
The PreC core was eventually brought to the surface. How did this happen and How do we know?
It was relatively flat, and then covered by a shallow sea and eventually the Western Interior Seaway.
The sedimentary rocks that circle the BH are oldest near the core and get progressively younger further out. You can always tell where you are in the BH by the types of rocks around you - core vs. unaltered sed. rx.
Over 7500 feet of vertically accumulated rocks here
Then the Laramide Orogeny began to influence this area. This is the famous event that formed the Rocky Mountains far to the West. But a stray blob of magma rose way to the East under the Black Hills - pushing up the PreC core and the sedimentary strata covering them.
The highest parts of the BH are 7200 feet above sea level. The sed rx were 7500 feet thick so the total uplift is near 15,000 feet, but they were not likely ever that tall. As uplift was going on, so was erosion.
The blob of magma was like a piston, shoving up the rocks from below. As the PreC core poked through, the sedimentary rocks were folded and upended. This
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Eruption, The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens: Author Steve Olson
03 Mar 2022
00:58:27
Join us as we interview science writer Steve Olson about his book Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens. For his outstanding work on this book, he won the Washington State Book Award and was named one of the best nonfiction books of 2016 by Amazon. Steve is also the author of the book The Apocalypse Factory: Plutonium and the Making of the Atomic Age, a new history of the nuclear era told from the perspective of the Hanford nuclear reservation. He also is the author of Mapping Human History: Genes, Race, and Our Common Origins, which was nominated for the National Book Award, and other books, and he has written for the Atlantic Monthly, Science, the Smithsonian, and many other magazines. Since 1979, he has been a consultant writer for the National Academy of Sciences, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and other national scientific organizations.
In the book, Steve writes about the forestry industry, the history of the National Forest, and he tells the human side of the story before, during, and after the eruption. In this interview, we ask Steve a series of questions that came to mind as we read his book. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this outstanding conversation with author Steve Olson. The stories are fantastic.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Modern Mount St. Helens: Author Steve Olson (GeoShort)
24 Feb 2022
00:08:35
Join us in a preview to our full interview with science writer Steve Olson!
In this GeoShort, we cover the modern science of Mount St. Helens, a bit about Steve's writing career, and discuss the importance of geoscience!
Tune in next week for the full interview.
In the book, Steve writes about the forestry industry, the history of the National Forest, and he tells the human side of the story before, during, and after the eruption. In this interview, we ask Steve a series of questions that came to mind as we read his book. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this outstanding conversation with author Steve Olson. The stories are fantastic.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Volcanoes Around the World: Tina Neal - Director of the United States Volcano Science Center
17 Feb 2022
01:08:06
Join Jesse and Chris as we interview Christina (Tina) Neal. Tina has 38 years of experience as a volcanologist for the USGS. She is the Volcano Science Center Director and is in charge of all 5 of the U.S. volcano observatories.
Yes, that's right - there are 5 volcano observatories in the U.S.: California Volcano Observatory, Cascade Volcano Observatory, Alaska Volcano Observatory, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, and Hawaii Volcano Observatory. Neal oversees 170 employees and is responsible for science and operational planning; workforce development; improving diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and preparing the USGS for U.S. volcanic eruptions.
In 2018, Neal was the Scientist in Charge at the Hawaii Observatory. She paints a vivid picture of what it was like to be there for this historic eruption and also the incredible responsibility to forecast and communicate during this time. She was a finalist for the Samuel Haymen Service to America Medal for her and her teams outstanding work during the eruption.
This interview was a lot of fun for us, because Tina Neal has seen and done a lot in her career. She talks about magma chambers, seismic activity, forecasting eruptions, careers in volcanology, and some scary moments. Enjoy.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
In this episode, Jesse and Chris follow up on the K-T Extinction episode from last week. Why is Iridium so important in this story? Our show notes summary is below.
Why is Iridium identified in these layers?
Well, it’s higher in meteorites - but not really high.
Why is it higher in meteorites though?
It’s not actually high in meteorites, it’s low in the Earth’s crust! Very very very low.
Yet, Earth is made of meteorites, so where did the Ir go?
Most of it is in the core and we talk about why.
Very rare on the surface of the Earth - only three metric tons mined and used yearly
The most corrosion resistant substance known - even at high temperatures
If it's so corrosion resistant, what is it used for?
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Join Jesse and Chris as we explore the hypothesis that an asteroid ended the Cretaceous AND the age of the reptiles. It's a very compelling scientific story of discovery.
This has been hotly debated back and forth for a long long time, with consensus being reached only recently (since I was in graduate school)
Other options include a massive volcanic outpouring - Deccan Traps in India erupted >1 million cubic km of lava in a million year period, with 50% of that coming before the mass extinction event.
The question is really about what killed so much stuff? How does the Earth respond to massive impacts? There have been other large meteorite impacts (and big volcanic eruptions) with no mass extinction - why this one?
Was the Earth already in a sorry state (lots of CO2 and mercury in the atmosphere) before the extinction?
Flood basalt volcanism is tied to other major mass extinction events (end-Permian and end-Triassic)
As we look at the evidence, we bounce around the globe. We begin in Italy. 1- Gubbio, Italy. Layers of ancient limestone that are now folded and uplifted. Working from bottom to top- site became a magnet. Why? It has a thin layer of dark clay. Walter Alverez became v. Interested in this. He studied the foraminifera below and above. He found that at the top of the white limestone, the vast diversity of the forams abruptly went missing.
2- Spain - 1500km away. On the Atlantic coast outside of Zumaia. 2 beaches here which are of interest to geologists because they are situated among the longest set of continuous rock strata in the world. Jan Smit was studying the forams here. In these layers, Smit found a strange clay layer - just like Alvarez. In these rocks, they were steady, consistent, for over a million years, then all of the sudden, the clay layer. There is no evidence of anything happening and then all of the sudden, the clay layer and bang, they’re gone.
How long did this take to change?
3- Walter brought in his dad, Louie Alverez. He brought in his knowledge of Astrophysics. He found the layer to be rich in IR (also iron, nickel and cobalt). It contained over 30 X the amount in surrounding rock (measured from the clay at Gubbio). Could it come from an Asteroid. He hypothesized that the IR would be spread all over the world as a blanket. So he could calc. The amount that was laid down all over Earth. Knowing the amount that is in Asteroids and Comets, they can calc. The size of the Asteroid.
5- Texas on the Brazos River. 65 my this was the bottom of a sea. We found, Allen Hildebrand, strange sed deposits across the basin. 7 million years of boring mud there. This was under water. Then suddenly, we see the mud got eroded. Suddenly, there were huge boulders in the mud. Only a giant Tsunami could do this.
6- Haiti: Report of volcanic rocks. They were actually ejecta full of shocked qtr and spherules. They were also full of melted rocks called tektites.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Water Issues Part 4: The Geology of Hard Water (Re-Release)
27 Jan 2022
00:28:06
Chris and Jesse are recording this intro face to face in Michigan! We had a lot of fun actually recording together rather than from 600 miles apart. Join us in our final Re-release series on water.
Show notes are below: This week we tackle a big question: why is the ocean so salty? Spoiler alert: it's because of the hard water you may have running through your house!
In this episode we cover three major questions: 1) Why is the ocean salty? 2) Why do rivers keep flowing all the time? and 3) What is hard water? Guess what...they are all related!
Hard water is water that is "hard" to make a lather with. This is caused by dissolved ions in the groundwater. Those ions get there because groundwater interacts with rocks under... wait for it... the ground! This groundwater feeds rivers, which then flow into lakes and ultimately the oceans. The ocean water then evaporates, leaves behind the salty stuff from dissolved rocks, forms clouds and rain, and starts the whole process over again. Except, the salty ions are left behind in the ocean and accumulate over time.
Hard water is extremely important to pay attention to because it can severely damage industrial equipment as well as cost you thousands of dollars in home repairs if you don't get it taken care of it. Here is a link to a United States Geological Survey article that outlines hard water, where it is found, and what it can cause. Check out that picture of the clogged pipe!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Join us as we interrupt our water series re-release to talk about a major current event - the eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in Tonga.
It was a huge eruption in the South Pacific from a very active volcano. Its had some smaller eruptions in the last few months, but Saturday morning took the lid off.
In fact, some instrumented Cascade volcanoes - Mt Hood, Mt Saint Helens, and Mt Ranier, detected infrasound records (essentially specialized microphones). The second longer but lower-magnitude signal that shows up later in the plot - is the airwave passing by the station again -- having come from the other direction! That’s right, the airwave has wrapped around the planet! The first wave traveled a distance of ~8500 km (~5300 miles). The second traveled ~32,500 km (20,200 miles)! In fact, barometers at O'hare airport in Chicago picked up the compression sound waves.
You may be wondering: why was there a volcano here in the first place? The answer is: plate tectonics! Tonga is one of the volcanic islands located on top of the Tonga Kermadec subduction zone! This is the convergent plate boundary where the Pacific Plate sinks below the Australian Plate. The Pacific Plate is made of old, cold, and dense rock material that sinks beneath the Australian Plate, where the subducted rocks heat up and melt as crust is recycled. The water and other volatiles rise up as the rocks are melting -- contributing to the "Big Boom" of the eruption.
Why are the eruptions so violent? Potentially? It’s not always violent, but about every thousand years, it let’s loose with huge eruptions. Why doesn’t the cool ocean water cool the magma? If magma rises slowly, there will be a thin layer of steam between the water and the magma. This will allow the outer edge of the magma to cool. If the magma rises fast, the magma is in direct contact with the water. The result is much like a weapons grade chemical explosion that starts a chain reaction where fresh magma is exposed to new water. So this is a combination of magma/water interaction as well as gas charged sticky magma that has been building for the last 1000 yrs. By studying deposits from past eruptions, we know that we might be in for several weeks (or years) of intense volcanic activity.
The violence of the blast triggered tsunamis. About 1.2 meters (4 feet) on the country of Tonga. Hard to get a clear picture of devastation yet because of ongoing eruptions. I don’t think this story is done yet.
Ash reached 20km into the sky and it produced a ton of lightning ~ 100 bolts/sec!
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
Water Issues Part 3: Dams Revisited (A Geology Re-Release)
13 Jan 2022
00:42:33
Jesse and Chris are recording face to face in Michigan. Join us as we follow the water issues theme in our re-release series.
Show notes below: We liked talking about dams so much we did it again! Join our discussion on streams, how the normally operate, and how dams disrupt the way that streams function.
We highlight a few things in this episode, including a recent Eos article on sediment accumulation behind dams - expertly written by Tullos et al., the Paonia Reservoir where sediment accumulation has filled in the reservoir in record time, and another article on contaminated sediment releases from the Milltown Dam and the Hudson River that have caused big problems in the past, written by James Evans.
Chris also gets his long but warranted rant on the famous Aswan High Dam, and key example of the debates around the pros and cons of dams.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!