Geology
Geology means, literally, the study of the Earth. Explore this section to understand the structure of the Earth and its surface features, what causes earthquakes and tsunamis, and why volcanoes form and erupt. Learn about minerals, which form the building blocks of rocks, and how rocks are made and destroyed. Learn about Earth’s fascinating history, the variety of life forms which have roamed the surface over the millennia, and the dramatic changes that have happened over Earth’s long history.
Explore Geology

Earth, the largest and densest rocky planet, was formed about 4.5 billion years ago. The Earth's ...
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Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. They are non-living, solid, and, like all matter, ...
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Rocks are always on the move through the rock cycle! Click on parts of this rock cycle diagram ...
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The main force that shapes our planet’s surface over long amounts of time is the movement ...
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The expression “on solid ground” is often used to describe something as stable. Usually the ...
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There are several ways in which a volcano can form, just as there are several different kinds ...
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The Earth has been around for approximately four and a half billion years! The geologic time ...
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Geology is the study of rocks and geologists are the people who study them! There are many ...
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Available Now! Beautiful specimens that inspire curiosity and demonstrate the inherent beauty of our planet. ...
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This Earth system science literacy guide identifies the Big Ideas and fundamental concepts ...
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Did you know?
Do you know how to
identify minerals?
Do you know why earthquakes happen?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?
PlasmoidxPlasmoid : A structure of plasma and magnetic fields proposed to explain several natural phenomena including magnetic bubbles in magentospheres and ball lightning
Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
As greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere, more of the energy that gets to Earth from the Sun sticks around the planet. This means that the amount of energy coming to Earth is greater than the amount...
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