Wednesday, April 23, 2014

This Thursday April 24th : : Geology Talk with George Springston :: 7:00 p.m.


Woodbury Falls

Geologist George Springston will talk about the surficial geology of Woodbury Vermont at the Woodbury Community Library on Thursday, April 24th. Springston's talk will begin at 7:00 p.m. and feature a slide show focusing  specifically on the geology of Woodbury. The
event is free and open to the public.





"Geologists study the Earth in many ways. New developments come from using the tools and techniques of chemistry and physics. Microscopes and sophisticated electronic instruments are constantly extending our understanding of Earth materials, processes, and history. Satellites provide us with previously undreamed-of data and images. However, for many of us, the hours spent making observations and interpretations outdoors (we usually say “in the field”) are among the most exciting. Perhaps it’s because at those times we are, at least in a small way, subject to some of the forces of nature that shape the planet.


When I turn over a rock submerged in a stream I can feel how much “lighter” it is when buoyed up by the surrounding water. That means it’s easier for the stream to transport during a flood. When I stand on a sandstone exposure next to fossilized dinosaur tracks and try to match my stride to that of a creature from the Mesozoic, I ‘m better prepared to start asking probing questions. How fast was the animal moving? Where was it going? Was it part of a group? You can read or watch videos about all of these, but the deepest connection comes from experiencing them.
At times, this connection with the natural world can get a bit too visceral. We all end up getting into some close scrapes sooner or later; the stream that turned out to be too deep to wade across, the thunderstorm that crashed around the party while we were still too high on the exposed mountainside, the black bear that did not turn and run away as soon as we would have liked, etc. Despite these, we keep going back" (source).

No comments:

Post a Comment