GEOL 1010-170R

Exploring Earth

Geology is everywhere you look, especially if you know how to see! The Earth that we live with is a fascinating and dynamic planet with a rich history of tales to tell. Geology has inspired creatives of all kinds for millennia, and this section of GEOL 1010 will include works of art (sculpture, photography, painting, functional objects …) to bring an artist’s perspective to a conventional introductory Geology course. We’ll learn how to recognize different basic mineral and rock types (e.g., alabaster vs. marble in sculpture) and rock types of large features (can you tell the difference between the sedimentary rocks of the Flatirons and the igneous rocks of Yosemite’s Half Dome just by looking at images?), how to read topographic and geologic maps, and how to use plate tectonic theory to understand everything from why marine rocks are found at the top of Mount Everest to why some volcanoes are more dangerous (and more aesthetically pleasing) than others. We’ll do a lot of armchair travel around the world seeing both beautiful outdoor geology and beautiful human expressions of this amazing planet we live with

Arts & Sciences Gen Ed: Natural Sciences
3 credit hours