Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
1
What’s so remarkable about Hutton’s Ideas?
Contrary to prevailing views of the time Based on observation – what he saw Hutton drew inferences from his observations Inferences are hypotheses Hypotheses are testable This is an application of the scientific method to study of the Earth
2
Founders of Historical Geology
William Smith English surveyor and mining engineer Created the first geologic map Understood sequences of rock, applied soils, lithology, and fossils First to recognize that rocks could be identified by their fossil assemblages First to “correlate” rocks of the same age but different lithology
4
Founders of Historical Geology
William Smith Correlation led to Principle of Faunal Succession If we know the position of each rock layer in a sequence, we know their relative age. Then, if we look a the fossils in the layers, we can determine the relative ages of them. This sequence will occur again and again in the geologic record on a widespread geographic scale. Can then be used to provide relative age of the rocks.
5
Smith determined that the life forms of each age in Earth history were unique for given intervals
Fossils could then be used to determine the chronology of the rocks Smith saw it, knew it was right, but didn’t know WHY
6
Founders of Historical Geology
Georges Cuvier Alexandre Brongniart Cuvier was a vertebrate paleontologist (left) Brongniart was a naturalist
7
Founders of Historical Geology
Georges Cuvier Alexandre Brongniart Also recognized the utility of fossils for correlation Validated Smith’s findings Found that groups of fossils were separated by erosional surfaces (unconformities) Believed that these changes in life forms on Earth were caused by catastrophic events (catastrophe, extinction, creation of new life)
8
Founders of Historical Geology
Georges Cuvier Alexandre Brongniart This was contrary to Hutton’s uniform, gradual change on Earth over long periods of time. Led to a new school of thought: Catastrophism Scientists argued Catastrophism vs Uniformitarianism Which is right?
9
Founders of Historical Geology
Georges Cuvier Alexandre Brongniart What caused the abrupt changes observed at unconformities? Ancestors are observed in underlying strata. Uniformitarianism held sway. Catastrophic events do happen volcanism, earthquakes, climate change, meteorite impacts
10
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Lyell Published Principles of Geology (5 volumes ) First textbook on Geology
11
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Lyell Principles of Geology First to explain and synthesize geologic observations Added two more rules for interpreting geology.
12
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Lyell Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships
13
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Lyell Principle of Inclusions
14
A Aqueous B Volcanic C Metamorphic D Plutonic
15
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Lyell Andrew Ramsey stated: “We collect the data and Lyell teaches us the meaning of them”.
16
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Darwin Added to the understanding of Fossil Succession
17
Founders of Historical Geology
Charles Darwin Clarified why the general progression of fossils worked Evolution - organisms changed through time Provided the mechanism for Fossil Succession
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.