The science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves.
Questions tagged [geology]
68 questions
116
votes
1 answer
Can every grain of sand be addressed in IPv6?
I was once watching a slideshow about the new IPv6, and it mentioned that it is large enough for every grain of sand on earth to be IP addressable.
Is there any grain of truth behind this? (no pun intended)
Sal Rahman
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70
votes
3 answers
Is Earth as smooth as a billiard ball?
I've heard it said (on the YouTube channel vsauce) that the earth is smoother than a billiards ball if it's scaled down.
Is this true?
Of course the earth is relatively smooth:
Mt. Everest: ~10km+
Mariana Trench: ~13km-
Earth's Diameter:…
Coomie
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42
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3 answers
Can mountains on Earth grow higher than 49,000 feet (15,000 m)?
I just saw this picture in Learn Something Every Day and thought of you. Some of the sites I've found reason it with gravity but doesn't explain very well.
Renan
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40
votes
4 answers
Is this video of a fast-moving river of lava authentic?
In July 2020, Facebook page "Meteorologist Greg Pollak" posted a video (Facebook link):
WHOA! Check out how fast this river of lava was moving in Hawaii back in 2018 Note: This is not a time-lapse video
: Ken Boyer
The video is a river of lava…
Oddthinking
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40
votes
5 answers
Does China control 85% of the supply of rare metals used in lithium batteries?
A selected letter in The Guardian talking about electric vehicles claims:
The rare metals in lithium batteries are produced only in inconvenient places. More than 85% of the world’s supply comes from China. How dependent will that make us upon…
Fizz
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37
votes
2 answers
Are there three pyramids in Antarctica?
A story from an Illuminati conspiracy site has become a semi popular meme on Facebook:
Three ancient pyramids have been discovered in the Antarctic by a team
of American and European scientists. Two of the pyramids were
discovered about 16…
Chad
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32
votes
1 answer
Can HAARP affect weather or earthquakes?
Project HAARP is a favorite target of conspiracy theorists. It has been blamed for causing the Haiti earthquake, the recent Japanese earthquake and many, many other events.
The High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program (HAARP) is an
…
FYG
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32
votes
1 answer
Is the discovery of tuff amongst dinosaur fossils in Utah incompatible with scientific consensus about dating of the fossils?
A Creation Ministries International article makes the following claim about the multiple-local-flood explanation for the deposits at the Morrison Formation:
The idea of many local floods might at first seem a possibility.
However, a notable…
Shannon T
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30
votes
3 answers
Was the Earth one big ocean once?
Many people believe that Earth was one big ocean at some point in its past.
During Noah’s time the earth was completely covered with water.
There are many other examples, not all related to Noah. See here, here, here, here and so on.
Is that…
user32154
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30
votes
2 answers
Is there a deep, hot biosphere?
Thomas Gold claims that oil is not aging vegetal or animal matter, but rather made continously from bacteria deep in the Earth's mantle (a 'deep hot biosphere') so that we would effectively never have to worry about running out.
Gold's theory is…
Joseph Weissman
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25
votes
2 answers
Was the Earth originally smaller and ocean-free?
This article on Viewzone proposes that the Earth used to be smaller, and the existing continents fitted neatly together, covering the entire globe with land. As the Earth expanded, the oceans formed, pushing the continents apart.
Shortly after…
HackToHell
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24
votes
3 answers
Does the radioactivity on Hiroshima's soil affect radiometric dating?
I heard several times from creationists that now, if scientists would examine the land in Hiroshima, it will tell them it is millions of years old all because of the atom bomb.
And because of that now we can't trust Scientific datings of the…
Kristal
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23
votes
6 answers
Is K-Ar a reliable method for dating rock ages?
Firstly: please try not to bring creation/evolution into this. I will award the correct answer to a response which provides links to evidence and sound explanations.
Motivation for the question to follow:
Some of the common mistakes we make in…
mulllhausen
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22
votes
1 answer
Did a magnitude 8.2 earthquake hit Jerusalem in 33AD?
A Telegraph article makes an interesting claim, in a discussion about the Shroud of Turin:
However a new study claims than an earthquake in Jerusalem in 33AD may have not only created the image but may also have skewed the dating results. The…
Affable Geek
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21
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2 answers
Are gem-quality diamonds common?
One often hears that diamonds aren't rare at all.
Upon closer inspection, such claims appear to actually state that diamonds cost more than their abundance alone would account for. Sources that outright claim that diamonds are common don't seem to…
RomanSt
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