Geological Sciences | Science Communication
https://youtu.be/mZhLp-Sa3Ug Ah Disneyland, the Happiest Place on Earth, home of Mickey Mouse, churros, and some shaky rocks. I've previously gone over how Walt Disney World is located in a very sinkhole prone area and that the Epcot World Showcase Lagoon is in part a massive sinkhole, but don't worry the Disneyland Resort has its own… Continue reading Could an Earthquake Destroy Disneyland?
My undergrad advisor has a really interesting article in the New Yorker about the recent earthquakes that have struck Mexico—turns out it’s not the type of faulting you would expect in a subduction zone. The Strange Tectonic Coincidence of Mexico’s September Earthquakes
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, these rock layers are nearly vertical! Although they were once horizontal, these Paleozoic sedimentary units have been tilted so that they now dip nearly 90 degrees. These rocks are located in northeast Tennessee and are part of the Appalachian foreland fold-thrust belt. Though built by multiple orogenies, the Alleghenian… Continue reading Which way is up?
Typically when we think of rocks, we don’t often picture them as having vibrant hues. Minerals themselves often come in a spectacular array of colors, but rocks overall tend to have more muted tones and earthy colors. These rocks (pictured above) from the Buckskin Mountains in western Arizona stand out in stark contrast to the… Continue reading How do you make a green rock?
If you’re a structural geologist or geology student in the midcontinent region, you’ve most likely made the pilgrimage to Van Hise Rock. Located near Rock Springs, Wis., in the Baraboo quartzite range, Van Hise Rock is among the best-known structural geology landmarks in the Midwest. Van Hise Rock provides spectacular exposure of the nearly vertical… Continue reading Van Hise Rock
Folded quartzite and phyllite, with axial planar cleavage in the phyllite South limb of the Baraboo (Wis.) syncline Image by author
I thought I’d share my final project from Introductory Geology! I made this back in fall of 2011 when I had no idea I’d be going on to study geology. I was just psyched to be able to use my graphic design skills, and this is still probably my favorite thing I’ve ever made.
Besides its aesthetic beauty and awesome vibrant colors, eclogite is a very rare and important rock. Eclogites are mafic metamorphic rocks that are formed in subduction zone settings. They experience metamorphism at extremely high pressures (1.2 GPa), greater than those typical of the Earth’s crust, as well as medium to high temperatures. They are responsible… Continue reading Eclogite
Emily Zawacki, Ph.D. 