Comments on: What’s the Good News of Geology? http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/ rock out to the apparatus Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:05:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Scores of Sagans » Ron Schott’s Geology Home Companion Blog http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-16401 Scores of Sagans » Ron Schott’s Geology Home Companion Blog Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:16:15 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-16401 [...] in January, Thermochronic and Yami both expressed a yearning for a “Carl Sagan of geology”. I certainly agree with the [...] […] in January, Thermochronic and Yami both expressed a yearning for a “Carl Sagan of geology”. I certainly agree with the […]

]]> By: nayagam http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9586 nayagam Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:46:22 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9586 <blockquote>..most of what scientists think is tremendously exciting and interesting and utterly essential isn’t, really..</blockquote> May be. But, it is also true that quite often what most scientists think as a trivial, uninteresting and an obvious consequence of a well-established theory isn't so trivial and uninteresting either. Scientists are humans and are not exceptions to the maxim "familiarity breeds contempt". The greatest challenge in outreach, as I see it, is to have familiarity and still not have contempt. Is it possible to admire the beauty of something you learnt in your school even after you've got a doctorate in that subject ? It is definitely possible, but, it is not easy.... And BTW, you've a great blog !

..most of what scientists think is tremendously exciting and interesting and utterly essential isn’t, really..

May be. But, it is also true that quite often what most scientists think as a trivial, uninteresting and an obvious consequence of a well-established theory isn’t so trivial and uninteresting either.

Scientists are humans and are not exceptions to the maxim “familiarity breeds contempt”. The greatest challenge in outreach, as I see it, is to have familiarity and still not have contempt.

Is it possible to admire the beauty of something you learnt in your school even after you’ve got a doctorate in that subject ? It is definitely possible, but, it is not easy….

And BTW, you’ve a great blog !

]]> By: yami http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9554 yami Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:37:45 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9554 Yebbut, how long have India and Eurasia been colliding? Compared to the life of a toilet... Yebbut, how long have India and Eurasia been colliding? Compared to the life of a toilet…

]]> By: Lab Lemming http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9552 Lab Lemming Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:01:15 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9552 collisions /= drift. collisions /= drift.

]]> By: yami http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9542 yami Sat, 03 Feb 2007 01:31:50 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9542 If you clean on the timescale of continental collisions, that means you'll be having very small amounts of cleaning happening all the time, right? Aren't there things you can hang in the tank for that, or a toilet roomba? If you clean on the timescale of continental collisions, that means you’ll be having very small amounts of cleaning happening all the time, right? Aren’t there things you can hang in the tank for that, or a toilet roomba?

]]> By: Lab Lemming http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9540 Lab Lemming Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:59:43 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9540 I try to teach Mrs. Lemming about deep time by cleaning the toilet on the timescale of continental collisions, mass extinctions, and orogenic cycles. She doesn't seem to be very accepting of the consequences, though. Any suggestions? I try to teach Mrs. Lemming about deep time by cleaning the toilet on the timescale of continental collisions, mass extinctions, and orogenic cycles. She doesn’t seem to be very accepting of the consequences, though. Any suggestions?

]]> By: Thermochronic http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9526 Thermochronic Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:23:59 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9526 I think it means that we must start figuring out how to cause, or at least trigger, natural disasters. Maybe schedule them a few weeks before major budgetary meetings. I know there is a James Bond along this line. I think it means that we must start figuring out how to cause, or at least trigger, natural disasters. Maybe schedule them a few weeks before major budgetary meetings. I know there is a James Bond along this line.

]]> By: yami http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9524 yami Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:35:43 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9524 Hmm, so we've forgotten Loma Prieta, but the 100th anniversary hoopla was enough to remind us of 1906? I kind of want to do a followup survey of students who took the doom'n'gloom earthquakes survey course I TA'd for this fall. I think we had the shit scared out of 'em by the end of the semester, but I have no idea how long that'll stick. "That's a long time, it probably won't happen again" means we need to hammer on what time means to a geologist... Deep Time should probably be the first essential foundational concept on the list. Hmm, so we’ve forgotten Loma Prieta, but the 100th anniversary hoopla was enough to remind us of 1906?

I kind of want to do a followup survey of students who took the doom’n'gloom earthquakes survey course I TA’d for this fall. I think we had the shit scared out of ‘em by the end of the semester, but I have no idea how long that’ll stick.

“That’s a long time, it probably won’t happen again” means we need to hammer on what time means to a geologist… Deep Time should probably be the first essential foundational concept on the list.

]]> By: Brian http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9516 Brian Thu, 01 Feb 2007 08:15:00 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9516 Good discussion. One of the interesting things that always happens is that public awareness/interest for Earth science typically peaks in the days to weeks following a natural disaster (e.g., the Indian Ocean tsunami). Everybody wants to know how it works, and can even feel some fascination in addition to awe. But, then several weeks and months go by and that collective buzz fades away. We have a short memory. I live in San Francisco...and often ponder just how I might perish. But there are people here who just don't want to talk about it...because talking about it makes them remember and that's no good. Some 'guy on the street' type of interview showed this guy on the street saying that since it hasn't happened since 1906...well, that's a long time, it probably won't happen again. Ugh. As for the petroleum resources...that's a topic for another discussion. Good discussion.

One of the interesting things that always happens is that public awareness/interest for Earth science typically peaks in the days to weeks following a natural disaster (e.g., the Indian Ocean tsunami). Everybody wants to know how it works, and can even feel some fascination in addition to awe. But, then several weeks and months go by and that collective buzz fades away. We have a short memory. I live in San Francisco…and often ponder just how I might perish. But there are people here who just don’t want to talk about it…because talking about it makes them remember and that’s no good. Some ‘guy on the street’ type of interview showed this guy on the street saying that since it hasn’t happened since 1906…well, that’s a long time, it probably won’t happen again. Ugh.

As for the petroleum resources…that’s a topic for another discussion.

]]> By: gengar http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9510 gengar Wed, 31 Jan 2007 23:31:49 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2007/01/30/whats-the-good-news-of-geology/#comment-9510 More geology earlier would definitely be a good thing - it's the ultimate practical science. Maybe we should write the course for them :-) More geology earlier would definitely be a good thing - it’s the ultimate practical science. Maybe we should write the course for them :-)

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