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Seasons
24. Human Landscapes and Practical Geology
April 20, 2023
Consider how to put your knowledge of geology to use. Issues faced by your community may benefit from geologic insights about groundwater, watersheds, roadways, pollution, and historic questions such as abandoned mines and quarries. Practical geology will only grow in importance as the world deals with climate change, resource shortages, and the pressing need to live in harmony with the planet.
23. Oil Geology, Oil Plays, and Oil Drilling
April 20, 2023
Trace the history of oil exploration and recovery, focusing on the geology of petroleum and natural gas formations. To strike oil, you need to find a source rock, a reservoir rock, a caprock, and a structural feature called a trap where oil can pool. Survey some of the world
22. Hunting Gold and Other Valuable Minerals
April 20, 2023
Mining is one of the oldest applications of practical geology. Find out how metals are classified and how most are associated with igneous and metamorphic deposits. Some metals, like gold, can be mined in a pure
21. Is This Valuable? Gems and Meteorites
April 20, 2023
The most highly prized rocks among non-geologists are gemstones. This episode covers all 12 birthstones, plus other gems, probing the shifting categories of precious and semi-precious gems. You learn how gems form and where to find them. Even more difficult to find are meteorites. Hear tips for identifying these extraterrestrial rocks, which are unlike anything native to Earth.
20. Got Marble? Non-Foliated Metamorphic Beauty
April 20, 2023
Turn to non-foliated metamorphic rocks, those without a distinctive mineral orientation. Investigate the different geologic conditions that create such rocks. Then survey a wide selection, spotlighting their beauty (marble), utility (soapstone), durability (quartzite), and economic value (banded iron formations). Professor Cotter discusses a few of his favorite metamorphic sites.
19. Metamorphic Rocks and Tectonic Features
April 20, 2023
Metamorphic rocks form under conditions halfway between those of sedimentary and igneous rocks. A good analogy is the process of glacier formation that turns snow into dense, interlocking crystals of ice. Focus on foliated metamorphic rocks, such as slate and gneiss, which have lineation patterns. Geologists can read these patterns to reconstruct ancient mountain ranges and plate boundaries.
18. Granite: Igneous Rocks That Form at Depth
April 20, 2023
Having studied igneous rocks that cool quickly, now turn to igneous rocks that cool deep underground over the course of millions of years. Find out how to distinguish granite from diorite, gabbro, and other intrusive igneous rocks. Learn about notable batholiths, such as Yosemite
17. Collecting Minerals and Crystals
April 20, 2023
Rocks are made up of minerals, which give rocks their immense variety. For example, the mineral quartz has the crystalline clarity of ice, while graphite is opaque and slippery, and pyrite has a metallic sheen. Most rocks are a mix of different minerals. Survey the most common types, analyze their chemistry and molecular structure, and learn how to identify them through a series of simple tests.
16. Lava Flows and Volcanic Landscapes
April 20, 2023
Learn what it
15. Medical Geology: From Healthful to Harmful
April 20, 2023
Stressing that he is not a medical doctor, Professor Cotter delves into the healthful and harmful effects of geologically sourced substances. Some have proven benefits, such as antibacterial properties of salt and copper. Others can be deadly. For example, radon, a gaseous product of radioactive decay, causes lung cancer. Asbestos, a fibrous silicate mineral, is similarly dangerous to breathe.
14. Groundwater and Water Wells
April 20, 2023
Dig into the mystery of groundwater. Apart from sinkholes and caves, there are no underground lakes or rivers. Instead, water fills the voids in porous rocks below a certain depth, called the water table. Discover how wells are dug and why it
13. How Soils Form and Erode
April 20, 2023
Soil may be the most important geologic resource on the planet. Discover how geologists classify soils, focusing on the concept of soil horizons, which are distinct layers that often vary in composition, color, and texture. Analyze how this cross section, which signals soil fertility, differs depending on the type of biome. Learn how soils form and how easily they are destroyed by erosion.
12. Where and How to Look for Fossils
April 20, 2023
Having learned about sediments, sedimentary environments, and how fossils are preserved, you are ready to go fossil hunting! Professor Cotter prepares you with background on rules and regulations, strategies for finding the best sites, and how to photograph and collect specimens. He closes with a quiz, challenging you to predict the types of fossils associated with different geologic formations.
11. Reading Fossils: Life in the Geologic Past
April 20, 2023
Fossils are an exciting component of field geology. The term covers not only preserved ancient life-forms, but also evidence of their activity, such as footprints. Look at different ways nature has of preserving fossils
10. Reading Strata through Geologic Time
April 20, 2023
Starting with the concept of strata
9. Limestone and Karst: What Deep Time Can Do
April 20, 2023
Check out limestone, one of nature
8. Ice, Glacial Landforms, and Gravel Exposures
April 20, 2023
Investigate glaciers, which now cover about 10% of Earth
7. Desert Fans, Washes, Salt Lakes, and Dunes
April 20, 2023
Steppes and deserts make up almost a third of Earth
6. What Sedimentary Rocks Tell You
April 20, 2023
Sedimentary rocks make up a substantial majority of rocks at Earth
5. The Beach: Spectacular Geology in Action
April 20, 2023
Visit the beach with a geologist
4. Reading a River and the Nearby Land
April 20, 2023
Rivers are the key to understanding why many landscapes look the way they do. Study how rivers form, how they sculpt the land, how water and sediment move in a river, and how rivers change course over time. Rivers also create habitats for plants and animals, both of which influence the landscape. Finally, signs of vanished rivers tell the story of geologic events in the deep past.
3. Find an Outcrop! Field Geology Up Close
April 20, 2023
Go outside and find an outcrop
2. Observing a Landscape and Its Landforms
April 20, 2023
Geomorphology is the study of landscapes and their individual landforms. Learn the five major influences on landscape formation. Use this background to tour the United States, which is a remarkable laboratory of geomorphology with features such as the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon and Channeled Scablands, and more.
1. Reading the Rocks
April 20, 2023
Reading rock samples like the pages of a book, Professor Cotter recounts the stories they tell of change across vast stretches of time. He presents three key concepts that will open your mind to the fun and fascination of practical geology. Then he focuses on the idea of deep time, noting that humans have been around for only an infinitesimal fraction of Earth
Description
Taught by Professor James F. P. Cotter of the University of Minnesota, Morris, this course teaches you the fundamentals of field geology. You learn the basics of rocks, minerals, and landforms, and how to apply this knowledge to read an outcrop, find and prepare fossils, assess soil and groundwater, prospect for gems and ore, and much more.
Practical Geology is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between April 20, 2023 and on The Great Courses
Where to Watch Practical Geology
Practical Geology is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Practical Geology on demand at Apple TV Channels and Amazon Prime and Amazon.
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Premiere DateApril 20, 2023
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