Sponsored by the American Geosciences Institute, Earth Science Week is a week-long celebration of everything related to the earth sciences. In honor of Earth Science Week, I will be posting something relevant to earth science every single day.
You might be wondering, what is earth science?
Earth science is simply the study of the earth. It is generally broken down into four disciplines: geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy.
Geology is the study of the earth itself, the substances that make up the earth, the processes that shape it, and how those processes and materials have changes (or stayed the same) over time. Of the four earth science disciplines, this one is my favorite (but don't tell the other- they get jealous).
 |
| Badlands NP, South Dakota |
Meteorology is the study of the earth's atmosphere and how processes and patterns in the atmosphere affect the earth's weather and climate.
 |
| Isabella County, Michigan |
Oceanography is the study of the earth's oceans (and seas) including their patterns, composition, currents, and the organisms that reside in them.
 |
| Acadia NP, Maine |
Lastly, astronomy is the study of the universe and earth's place in it. Objects and forces outside the earth's atmosphere can and do have a profound impact on this planet. This includes everyday actions such as the tides (caused by the moon's gravity) and solar storms to less common events such as asteroid strikes.
 |
| Photographed from Alma, Michigan |
Although earth science is divided into these four disciplines, they are completely intertwined and cannot not readily be separated. Other subjects are also inseparable from the study of the earth sciences. I have a degree in history. History is in many ways a function of physical geography. Geography is dependent on geology (and oceanography and meteorology). Without understanding these larger connections, it is almost impossible to truly understand our place in the world.
Over the next week I'll be sharing an earth science post every single day. I hope to cover some new ground that I haven't discussed before.
No comments:
Post a Comment