|
"Geology is interesting as a pure science, and I believe that everyone
can gain pleasure from learning about it. But there's more to geology
than that, because rocks really are money. What I mean is that civilization
rests on rocks:
- From iron to groundwater, from cut stone to road metal, society
relies on a good supply of Earth products.
- The bigger the structure—bridge, landfill, power plant—the
more we need to know about the ground to build it on.
- Everything we eat and drink and much of what we wear comes from
soil, a thin biogeochemical layer of incredible complexity.
- Protection against geologic hazards, ranging from landslides to
earthquakes, acid rain, volcanism, tsunamis and climate change, depends
on our understanding of them."
Andrew
Alden, http://geology.about.com |