Geological Sciences | Science Communication
https://youtu.be/C7OS_gpFl2Y Not too long ago at a theme park not too far away, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disneyland—and soon at Walt Disney World—transporting people to Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu. While the tall rock spires of Batuu enhance the other-wordly experience, they take their inspiration from some very real rocks… Continue reading The Geology of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge | Black Spire Outpost, Batuu
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?
You don’t need to go on a Jules Verne journey down to the center of the Earth, sometimes the center of the Earth is brought up to us! These rocks are examples of peridotite xenoliths. A xenolith is a fragment of rock that becomes enveloped by magma without being melted or incorporated into it. In these… Continue reading A journey to the center of the Earth | Peridotite xenoliths
An unconformity is an erosional or non-depositional gap in the geologic record. They typically form when an older layer is subject to a period of erosion before the deposition of new sediments. This road cut near Payson, Arizona shows a pretty cool unconformity. Can you find where it is? Check the jump below to see… Continue reading Can you find the unconformity?
Ever wondered why the rocks of Sedona are so vibrantly red? I made this video for Arizona State University’s Science Showcase competition, I’d greatly appreciate anyone who can view/share! Plus learning about geology is fun! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
https://youtu.be/nw2xA41RmcA I've done some videos about the real-life geology behind popular attractions at the Disney Parks, but Walt Disney World has some very interesting geology underfoot that may just give you a sinking feeling—sinkholes. The state of Florida is a bit like a slice of Swiss cheese, given the number of sinkholes it has. All… Continue reading Could a Sinkhole Swallow Walt Disney World?
Despite its Midwestern location in the heart of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Dells is today known as the “Waterpark Capital of the World.” However, its rocks—the actual Dells—first made it a popular Midwest tourist destination back in the 1800s. The Wisconsin Dells—which come from the French word dalles, or narrows—is a 5 mile stretch of gorges… Continue reading The Wisconsin Dells | An Ice Age and modern water park
https://youtu.be/ARJJGufScTw Before I even finished my first geology class, I jokingly said I was going to be a Spanish-speaking geologist at Walt Disney World. While the rocks at Disney may not exactly be real, Walt Disney World can actually be a great place to learn about geology. In particular Disney's Animal Kingdom celebrates the intrinsic… Continue reading The Geology of Disney’s Animal Kingdom
https://youtu.be/wiLGOQyyZwM A few months ago, I made a blog post about The Geology of Disneyland. I’ve now turned that content into a video, so please do watch and enjoy!
Imagine that there’s a faucet that’s slowly dripping. If the faucet is left to drip long enough, you’ll notice that it will leave behind deposits from the dissolved minerals in the water. Now, imagine if you left your faucet dripping long enough to create a mineral deposit that was a meter-plus tall. This process is the… Continue reading Speleothems
Emily Zawacki, Ph.D. 