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.
Episode summary introduction: “How old is the Earth?” Generations of scholars have asked this fundamental question, and estimates ranged from a few thousand years to indefinite time spans. Geologic and biologic observations from the 18th and 19th centuries (like Darwin's theory of evolution and Hutton's concept of deep time) suggested that Earth was old – but […]
Episode summary introduction: This episode of GEOY explores the incredible and inspiring life of notable geologist Tanya Atwater, the Mother of Plate Tectonics. Geologists Mikaela Moore and Gillian Ivey discuss Atwater's life from a young age, through her major discoveries regarding the theories of plate tectonics, obstacles and discrimination faced as a woman in science […]
Episode summary: This episode of GEOY explores the life of Dr. John Tuzo Wilson, the famous geologist responsible for the Wilson cycle and the discovery of transform faults. Geologists Noelle Lin and Mikaela Moore discuss the important contributions Wilson made, including his time at the Geological Survey of Canada, his research on hotspots, and contributions […]
Episode summary: This episode of GEOY takes you back to the 18th century when James Hutton set out for his famous expedition to Siccar Point, and introduced the concept of geological time. Back in Hutton's day when it was widely believed that Earth came into creation only about 6000 years ago, the narration of […]
Episode title: The Love of Fish Bones with Meeman Chang Episode summary introduction: This episode of GEOY explores the life of Dr. Meeman Chang, a leading Chinese vertebrate paleontologist. She spent her life studying fish faunas and clarified the link between Paleozoic fish and land-based vertebrates’ evolution. Geologists Noelle Lin and Xi Wang discuss […]
The first Canadian female geologist.
The true discoverer of sea-floor spreading.
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.
As geologists, we are all standing on the shoulders of giants.
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