Geologic Processes

Geological processes have helped to create many iconic features on Earth. Processes, such as plate tectonics, are what shapes the face of the Earth. Here you can discover the power of geological processes.

More Science Topics to Explore

Green or Blue? The Best Turquoise Is More Valuable Than Diamonds

Cobalt: Essential for Batteries and Bright Blues

6 Tough Facts About Titanium

Velociraptor Alert: The Feathered Dinosaur Quiz

River-bottom Bones: The Strange World of Underwater Fossil Hunting

There's a Rhino-shaped Cave in Washington State

Learn More

7 Hot Facts About the Pacific Ring of Fire

The Pacific's Ring of Fire is a 25,000 mile long "ring" that's home to 75 percent of all the world's volcanic activity and 90 percent of the planet's earthquakes. So what makes this area so active?

By Mark Mancini Mar 9, 2020 Geology / Geologic Processes

What Will Earth Look Like in 500 Years?

"The 26th century" doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as "the 21st century" does. But that hasn't stopped us from imagining what our hometown planet will be like in a few hundred years. Any guesses?

By Robert Lamb Geology / Geologic Processes

Why Does the 'Dirty Dancing' Lake Keep Draining?

Mountain Lake in Virginia is best known for its starring role in 'Dirty Dancing.' But today, it's nothing more than a muddy pit that's all but dried up ... and geologists think they may know why.

By Stephanie Parker Dec 10, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

How the Ancient Land Blob Gondwana Became Today's Continents

Gondwana was a humongous landmass that persisted for 300 million years before it began to break up, forming all the continents in the modern Southern Hemisphere.

By Jesslyn Shields Nov 15, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Plate Tectonics Puts Together the Puzzle of Earth's Shifting Crust

The Earth is unique in the solar system because its surface is made of moving plates, which may enable the very existence of life.

By Patrick J. Kiger Oct 24, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

The Anthropocene Epoch: Humans vs. the Earth

Many scientists believe that humans influence Earth at a rate so massive that a change to the geologic time scale is in order.

By Mark Mancini Sep 16, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Is Permafrost Really, Well, Permanent?

Permafrost across the globe is rapidly melting. What could this mean for the future of the planet?

By Mark Mancini Jul 24, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

The Geology Behind 5 American Landmarks

The U.S. is full of exceptional geological formations. But these five set the bar high as far as landmarks go.

By Mark Mancini Jul 8, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Toadstools Are Mother Nature's Geological Mushrooms

You can see these rocky formations in the Badlands of Nebraska, and they're as awe-inspiring as they are eerie.

By Mark Mancini Jun 28, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Fettuccine Rock Could Signal Life on Mars

If fettuccine rock exists on Mars, it would suggest the existence of microbial life there.

By Patrick J. Kiger Jun 13, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

What Is Cave Popcorn?

Caves are full of incredible geological formations, including stalagmites and stalactites. But you've probably never seen anything like cave popcorn before.

By Mark Mancini Apr 17, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Antarctic Prone To 'Ice Quakes' Every Night, Study Finds

Scientists set up two stations to capture this strange seismic activity.

By Mark Mancini Mar 19, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Nevada's Fly Geyser Is a Manmade Wonder

The decades-old geyser was created by accident when a geothermal company tried to drill a well. Now the strange geyser is open to tourists for the first time ever.

By Oisin Curran Geology / Geologic Processes

Mexico's Giant Crystal Cave Is Beautiful But Deadly

Massive gypsum crystals were discovered beneath Mexico's Sierra de Naica Mountain in very inhospitable environs — to humans anyway.

By Mark Mancini Mar 7, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Ancient Rock Arches Sing Songs

These ancient wonders aren't static sculptures; they vibrate and shift throughout the day, creating a variety of sounds as they stretch their aging, eroding 'bones.'

By Nathan Chandler Jan 29, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Earth's Missing Crust Was Removed by Glaciers, New Study Says

Researchers hypothesize that missing rocks from the geologic record, known as the Great Unconformity, were sheared away by glaciers at a time when most — or all — of the world's surface was coated with ice.

By Mark Mancini Jan 15, 2019 Geology / Geologic Processes

Gigantic Undiscovered Cave Found in British Columbia

How, in today's world, could a cave this massive go undetected for so long?

By Patrick J. Kiger Dec 20, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

Earthquakes on the Mississippi: The New Madrid Seismic Zone

Will a town in southern Missouri be the epicenter of the next 'big one'?

By Mark Mancini May 14, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

Rising Rock: Earth's Crust Has Its Own Tides, Too

The oceans on planet Earth cycle through daily tidal changes. But the ground beneath our feet experiences tides of its own, too.

By Mark Mancini May 2, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

The Sahara Desert Is Getting Bigger

The Sahara has expanded by about 10 percent in the past century, mostly due to natural causes, but not all. We can blame the rest on man-made climate change.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Apr 5, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

How Does Petrified Wood Form?

Petrified wood can be found all over the world, but how is it created?

By Mark Mancini Mar 5, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

Earth and Mars Experience Mysterious Mega-avalanches

Scientist have figured out why two historic avalanches happened on the same unlikely slopes within weeks of one another.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D. Jan 26, 2018 Geology / Geologic Processes

Mountain Heights Are Always Changing

If geology has taught us anything about Earth's history, it's that nothing is permanent. And that goes for mountain ranges, all of which are constantly rising and falling.

By Mark Mancini Dec 12, 2017 Geology / Geologic Processes