The Experts below are selected from a list of 138 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Henrique Leitao - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • the portuguese and spanish voyages of discovery and the early History of Geology
    Geological Society of America Bulletin, 2011
    Co-Authors: Henrique Leitao, Walter Alvarez
    Abstract:

    Geologists usually trace the History of their science back to the Geological Revolution, ca. 1800, when it was recognized that the Earth is very much more ancient than indicated in the biblical account. Geologists are thus accustomed to think that Geology is a much younger science than modern astronomy and physics, which date back to the Copernican Revolution, ca. 1540–1690. We argue that this is only because geologists are neglecting a major advance in understanding the Earth that occurred a century before that. We argue that geologists should recognize the Portuguese Voyages of Discovery, later joined by the Spanish, as a major episode in the History of what would now be called Geology. This revolutionary advance was driven by technological changes, yielded a cornucopia of discoveries, was marked by great excitement, and led to major changes in worldview and society. The Voyages of Discovery have been intensely studied by historians of geography, but not by historians of Geology. Therefore we are at pains to show that they should be taken as part of the History of Geology, as well as that of geography, for they led to central geological discoveries. These discoveries included the shape of coastlines whose match later demonstrated continental drift, the fact that there is more ocean than land, the arrangement of planetary climate zones, and the patterns of winds and the geomagnetic field. This new historical viewpoint sees Geology as a science at least as old and worthy of respect as physics and astronomy, and this is an important consideration as a scientific understanding of the Earth becomes critical to the flourishing of the biosphere and of humanity.

  • the neglected early History of Geology the copernican revolution as a major advance in understanding the earth reply
    Geology, 2010
    Co-Authors: Walter Alvarez, Henrique Leitao
    Abstract:

    Many geologists think of Geology as a young science that originated about 1800, two centuries after the Copernican Revolution in astronomy and physics gave rise to modern science. We suggest that this view ignores the early History of what is now Geology, and we argue that the Copernican Revolution represented not only a revolution in astronomy and physics, but also a radical change in understanding the Earth. Prior to the Copernican Revolution the concepts of “Earth” and “planet” had nothing whatsoever to do with each other, but after that revolution scientists recognized that Earth itself is one of the planets, and they rejected the Aristotelian view that Earth is made of fundamentally different material than are the Sun, stars, and planets. This was an essential step in the development of a valid science of Geology, and the Copernican Revolution should therefore be considered not only an episode in the History of astronomy and physics, but as a central part of the History of Geology as well.

Walter Alvarez - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • the portuguese and spanish voyages of discovery and the early History of Geology
    Geological Society of America Bulletin, 2011
    Co-Authors: Henrique Leitao, Walter Alvarez
    Abstract:

    Geologists usually trace the History of their science back to the Geological Revolution, ca. 1800, when it was recognized that the Earth is very much more ancient than indicated in the biblical account. Geologists are thus accustomed to think that Geology is a much younger science than modern astronomy and physics, which date back to the Copernican Revolution, ca. 1540–1690. We argue that this is only because geologists are neglecting a major advance in understanding the Earth that occurred a century before that. We argue that geologists should recognize the Portuguese Voyages of Discovery, later joined by the Spanish, as a major episode in the History of what would now be called Geology. This revolutionary advance was driven by technological changes, yielded a cornucopia of discoveries, was marked by great excitement, and led to major changes in worldview and society. The Voyages of Discovery have been intensely studied by historians of geography, but not by historians of Geology. Therefore we are at pains to show that they should be taken as part of the History of Geology, as well as that of geography, for they led to central geological discoveries. These discoveries included the shape of coastlines whose match later demonstrated continental drift, the fact that there is more ocean than land, the arrangement of planetary climate zones, and the patterns of winds and the geomagnetic field. This new historical viewpoint sees Geology as a science at least as old and worthy of respect as physics and astronomy, and this is an important consideration as a scientific understanding of the Earth becomes critical to the flourishing of the biosphere and of humanity.

  • the neglected early History of Geology the copernican revolution as a major advance in understanding the earth reply
    Geology, 2010
    Co-Authors: Walter Alvarez, Henrique Leitao
    Abstract:

    Many geologists think of Geology as a young science that originated about 1800, two centuries after the Copernican Revolution in astronomy and physics gave rise to modern science. We suggest that this view ignores the early History of what is now Geology, and we argue that the Copernican Revolution represented not only a revolution in astronomy and physics, but also a radical change in understanding the Earth. Prior to the Copernican Revolution the concepts of “Earth” and “planet” had nothing whatsoever to do with each other, but after that revolution scientists recognized that Earth itself is one of the planets, and they rejected the Aristotelian view that Earth is made of fundamentally different material than are the Sun, stars, and planets. This was an essential step in the development of a valid science of Geology, and the Copernican Revolution should therefore be considered not only an episode in the History of astronomy and physics, but as a central part of the History of Geology as well.

Alessandro Iannace - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • A THREE-STEP VIEW FOR THE History of Geology
    Earth Sciences History, 2019
    Co-Authors: Alessandro Iannace
    Abstract:

    ABSTRACT The evolution of Geology as an independent science can be envisaged as a relatively continuous process yet marked by three fundamental steps. These represented singularities which establis...

  • the neglected early History of Geology the copernican revolution as a major advance in understanding the earth comment
    Geology, 2011
    Co-Authors: Alessandro Iannace
    Abstract:

    Alvarez and Leitao (2010) propose a completely new way to look at the early History of Geology, with the declared purpose of raising awareness among earth scientists of the historical development of their discipline, and giving a better place to earth sciences with respect to what is generally considered to constitute science within contemporary society. To that aim, they defend the thesis that the Copernican Revolution, generally assumed as the founding event of modern science, could actually be viewed as offering the very fi rst understanding of Earth as a planet, and hence as a major advancement not only in astronomy and physics but also in the fi eld of Geology. The aim of the present discussion is to analyze the epistemological idea of Geology on which the thesis defended by Alvarez and Leitao is grounded, because, despite the positive intentions of the authors, it risks lowering the appreciation of Geology as a discipline, heavily rooted in a different and specifi c epistemology, namely that of the historical sciences. Their reasoning, by contrast, is completely biased by the defi nition of science generally assumed for physical–mathematical sciences. The idea of seeing heliocentric Copernican theory as a truly Earthcentered theory in the Alvarez and Leitao paper is based more on socialpsychology arguments than on analytical or epistemological grounds. It is certainly appealing to call attention to the change introduced by the Copernican Revolution of the meaning of the word “earth” itself, and the derivative general perception of 17 th century society. However, the “word

Willemjan Barzilay - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The development of Rein van Bemmelens (1904-1983) undation theory: forty years of Dutch Geology
    Studium (Rotterdam Netherlands), 2020
    Co-Authors: Willemjan Barzilay
    Abstract:

    : The Dutch geologist Rein van Bemmelen was the greatest opponent of plate tectonics in The Netherlands. He lived and worked during an important period in the History of earth sciences. He had studied Geology when Wegeners theory was introduced and enthusiastically received in the Netherlands and he worked as a geologists during the period in which, after Wegeners theory was rejected in The Netherlands, several Dutch geologists came with their own theories to explain the origin of continents and oceans and in which plate tectonics was introduced in The Netherlands. He had proposed his own theory, the undation theory, at the beginning of the 1930s and kept on developing it during the following years. He continued to do so until his death in 1983. The History of the undation theory thus sheds light on the History of Geology in The Netherlands. I will trace the History of Geology in The Netherlands using Rein van Bemmelen and his undation theory as a lens.

  • De ontwikkelingsgeschiedenis van Rein van Bemmelens (1904-1983) undatietheorie: veertig jaar Nederlandse geologie
    Studium, 2009
    Co-Authors: Willemjan Barzilay
    Abstract:

    The development of Rein van Bemmelens ( 1904 - 1983 ) undation theory: Forty years of Dutch Geology The Dutch geologist Rein van Bemmelen was the greatest opponent of plate tectonics in the Netherlands. He lived and worked during an important period in the History of earth sciences. He had studied Geology when Wegeners theory was introduced and enthusiastically received in the Netherlands and he worked as a geologists during the period in which, after Wegeners theory was rejected in the Netherlands, several Dutch geologists came with their own theories to explain the origin of continents and oceans and in which plate tectonics was introduced in the Netherlands. He had proposed his own theory, the undation theory, at the beginning of the 1930s and kept on developing it during the following years. He continued to do so until his death in 1983. The History of the undation theory thus sheds light on the History of Geology in the Netherlands. I will trace the History of Geology in the Netherlands using Rein van Bemmelen and his undation theory as a lense.

J. D. Mather - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • 200 years of British hydroGeology — an introduction and overview
    Geological Society London Special Publications, 2008
    Co-Authors: J. D. Mather
    Abstract:

    The collection of papers in this volume records the development of hydroGeology in Britain over the last 200 years. Following the application, by William Smith, of stratigraphic principles to the sinking of wells, Victorian engineers and scientists established groundwater as a major contributor to public water supplies. In the twentieth century, the development of groundwater continued rapidly, controlled by an ever-changing regulatory regime. The 25 papers in this volume review the progress which has been made, and the lives and work of some of those who were intimately involved. Also available: Four Centuries of Geological Travel: The Search for Knowledge on Foot, Bicycle, Sledge and Camel - Special Publication no 287 - ISBN 186239234X Mine Water HydroGeology and Geochemistry - ISBN 1862391130 The Geological Society of LondonFounded in 1807, the Geological Society of London is the oldest geological society in the world, and one of the largest publishers in the Earth sciences.The Society publishes a wide range of high-quality peer-reviewed titles for academics and professionals working in the geosciences, and enjoys an enviable international reputation for the quality of its work.The many areas in which we publish in include:-Petroleum Geology-Tectonics, structural Geology and geodynamics-Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleontology-Volcanology, magmatic studies and geochemistry-Remote sensing-History of Geology-Regional Geology guides