This class is a survey of geology designed for the non-science major. This lecture course examines the accretion of the earth four and a half billion years ago, and follows the evolution of the planet and its inhabitants since that time. On the way, we will discuss the composition of the earth (rocks and minerals), its dynamic surface (plate tectonics), and the internal and external processes such as volcanoes, earthquakes, erosion and landslides which have a profound effect on human populations. We will also cover exploration for geological resources such as fossil fuels and mineral deposits, and the importance of the geologic record in understanding global environment change.
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