Geology 

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Latest news on geology, covering earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, seismology, rocks, minerals, glaciers, erosion, tsunamis, geothermal energy and the work of geologists and geophysicists around the world.

Geology is the study of the Earth: what it is made of, how it is built and how it changes. It draws on mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, geobiology, geomorphology, hydrogeology and geochronology, reading igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and layers of sediment to reconstruct a history of about 4.5 billion years. Features such as batholiths and laccoliths record how molten rock once rose through the crust.

Seismology and volcanology keep geology in the headlines. Earthquakes, aftershocks, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are tracked with seismic networks, satellites and field surveys, and most of the world's earthquakes strike around the Pacific Ring of Fire. Scientists can map faults, monitor volcanism and study how plates of the lithosphere move over the asthenosphere, but they cannot predict an earthquake precisely.

Coverage also reaches glaciers and ice sheets, glaciology, coastal and river erosion, impact craters, geothermal energy and the critical minerals needed for modern technology. Geophysics looks at the lithosphere, the seafloor and Earth's magnetic field, including the Van Allen radiation belts and the South Atlantic Anomaly, while astrogeology applies the same methods to Mars, the Moon and other worlds.

Geology has a human side too. Geologists advise on water supply, building safety, mining and landslide risk, and fieldwork, museums and geoparks bring the subject to the public. Earth science also raises debates, from how far mining and drilling should go to whether human impact deserves its own geological epoch, the Anthropocene, which geology's governing bodies declined to adopt formally in 2024.

The science has a rich history. Alfred Wegener proposed continental drift in 1912, and it became accepted as plate tectonics only in the 1960s, helped by seafloor maps such as those of Marie Tharp. The Geological Society of London, founded in 1807, is among the oldest such societies in the world.

Our NewsNow geology news feed brings together headlines on earthquakes, volcanoes, tectonics, glaciers, minerals, rocks and geological research from reliable sources, updated constantly. Whether you are a student, a professional geologist or simply curious about the planet beneath your feet, it is a quick way to follow Earth science.