| Date |
Scientist |
Contribution |
0007
|
Strabo
|
Recognized
basalt from Etna Volcano had solidified from melt. Related earthquakes to
volcanic eruptions.
|
1269
|
Peregrinus
de Maricourt
|
Discovered
magnetic polarity in lodestone (magnetite).
|
1560
|
Cooper
|
Age
of earth deduced from biblical events by various authors as 5041-8522 years.
|
1540
|
Biringuccio
|
Chemical
tests applied to stream waters for metal prospecting.
|
1546
|
Agricola
|
De
Natura Fossilium; first handbook on mineralogy. Role of "mineral-bearing
solutions" (succus lapidescens).
|
1556
|
Agricola
|
De
Re Metallica; treatise on mining and metallurgy.
|
1600
|
Gilbert
|
Described
earth as a great magnet. Observed lodestone lost magnetic properties on heating
but regained them on cooling.
|
1619
|
Morin
|
First
reference to high temperatures within the earth.
|
1644
|
Descartes
|
Regarded
the earth as a small cooled star with chilled crust. Vein minerals, deposited
in fissures, were exhalations from hot interior.
|
1650
|
Ussher
|
Creation
of the earth, derived from biblical events, given as the "entrance of night
preceding the 23rd October" 4004 BC. Adopted in subsequent authorized editions
of the bible.
|
1669
|
Steno
|
Law
of superposition of sediments. Vein fissures filled by condensation of vapors
from interior. (See Descartes, 1644).
|
1671
|
Boyle
|
Temperature
increases with depth in earth due to heat sources within the earth.
|
1678
|
Kircher
|
Postulates
interconnected subterranean cells from which volcanic mountains arise.
|
1680
|
Leibnitz
|
Earth
was initially molten. Scoria is a sort of glass.
|
1683
|
Lister
|
First
map to show geologic features.
|
1694
|
Hjärne
|
Coined
the term "rapakivi" to described an easily disintegrated granite that commonly
contained ovoids of perthitic microcline mantled with oligoclase. (See
Sederholm, 1891).
|
1715
|
Halley
|
Estimated
the age of the oceans from the increase in sodium content derived from the
rivers. (See Joly, 1899).
|
1727
|
Reaumur
|
Systematic
preparation of silicate mixtures.
|
1739
|
Reaumur
|
Experimental
devitrification of glass.
|
1746
|
Guettard
|
First
mineralogic map.
|
|
Pott
|
Silica
behaves as a flux in lowering the melting temperature of other minerals.
|
1749
|
Bouguer
|
First
attempt to measure the gravity of the earth with a plumb line.
|
1752
|
Guettard
|
Auvergne
Hills were extinct volcanoes: used modern example as clue to past.
|
1756
|
Lehmann
|
Considered
the "father of stratigraphy." Emphasized historical sequence of strata in
mountains. (see Steno, 1669).
|
1758
|
Cronstedt
|
Introduced
technique of blowpipe analysis.
|
1760
|
Mitchell
|
First
estimate of seismic wave velocity (0.5 km/sec). Attributed earthquakes to fire-
induced explosions (volcanic). Described as "father of seismology." (publ.
1761).
|
1763
|
Desmarest
|
Auvergne
Hills were volcanic: columnar structure due to cooling. (Publ. 1774).
|
|
Lomonosov
|
Physical
chemist considered founder of experimental mineralogy and petrography by
Ginsberg (1952). (Cf. Reaumur, 1727, 1739).
|
1766
|
d'Arcet
|
Mixtures
of minerals melt at lower temperature than pure minerals.
|
1770
|
Delius
|
Lateral
secretion theory of ore deposition.
|
1771
|
Desmarest
|
Volcanic
origin of basalt. Produced by the fusion of granite.
|
|
Bergmann
|
Rocks
are chemical precipitates from solutions. (Cf. Werner, 1787).
|
1775
|
Maskelyne
|
First
determination of density of earth with a plumb line; density = 4.7.
|
1778
|
Faujas
de Saint-Fond
|
Columnar
lavas associated with volcanic cones.
|
1779
|
Arduino
|
Marble
derived from limestone.
|
|
de
Saussure
|
Partially
melted granite and only quartz preserved. Basalts could not be derived by
fusion of granite.
|
1782
|
Wedgwood
|
Estimated
relative high temperatures in kiln by observing shrinkage of shaped clay body.
First high-temperature pyrometer. (Cf. Seger, 1888).
|
1785
|
Hutton
|
Internal
heat of earth caused extrusion of molten rock. Intrusive nature of granite into
schist. Publ. 1788).
|
1786
|
de
Launay
|
Classification
of rocks.
|
|
de
Saussure
|
Granite-schist
relationships support transformist school.
|
1787
|
Werner
|
Classification
of rock formations; laid foundations for descriptive petrography. Aqueous
origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Granite crystallized from primeval
ocean. "No basalt is volcanic."
|
1788
|
Hutton
|
"Theory
of the Earth." Present is key to past.
|
1790
|
Hall
|
First
systematic experiments on the fusion of natural granitic rocks. (Publ. 1805).
(See Saussure, 1779).
|
1791
|
Dolomieu
|
Genetic
division of rocks: precipitated sediments, transported sediments; volcanics.
|
|
Beddoes
|
Describes
the gradual changing of basalt to granite "betraying a common origin."
|
1792
|
Spallanzani
|
Recrystallization of fused basalt. Lava wells out because of gas effervescence.
|
|
De
Rossel
|
First
survey of global magnetic intensity and variation with latitude. (Publ. 1808)
|
1794
|
Chladni
|
Meteorites
are of extraterrestrial origin.
|
1795
|
Hutton
|
Principle
of Uniformitarianism. Derived granite by complete fusion of sediments. Gneisses were semi- fused sediments.
|
1798
|
Cavendish
|
Density of earth determined with a torsion balance.
|