PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Hiking Great Smoky Mountain National Park May 05, 2022

Show notes

Download the CampGeo app now at this link.
On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series.
You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

The air is clearing!

In this episode, we discuss the geology of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We've been neglectful of this region of the U.S. and it's time to do these amazing mountains justice.
We begin by discussing why the Smokies are Smoky. It's an interesting and natural phenomenon that involves the immense pine forests.
After we get the biology out of the way, we dive into the geology. We broke it down to 3 major geologic events: 1- the bedrock geology and the accumulation of a massive amount of sediment from the breakup of Rodinia (a super-continent that preceded Pangaea). 2- Deformation and mountain building from the Pangaea collision. 3- Erosion as Pangaea broke apart.
We hope you enjoy!
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Industrial Ecology and Critical Minerals: Dr. Nedal Nassar Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

Today we have the great pleasure of talking about a very important topic, while interviewing one of the best and most interesting people we've had the pleasure of speaking with!
Dr. Nedal Nassar is the Chief of the US Geological Survey’s Materials Flow Analysis Section, he has a PhD in Industrial Ecology from Yale and is a Leading member of the US National Science and Technology Council. In addition, he was awarded the 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which is a very VERY big deal!
Please enjoy this amazing conversation with Dr. Nassar, and send us any questions you have!!

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What is a Critical Mineral? Dr. Nedal Nassar Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Today we have the great pleasure of talking about a very important topic, while interviewing one of the best!
Dr. Nedal Nassar is the Chief of the US Geological Survey’s Materials Flow Analysis Section, he has a PhD in Industrial Ecology from Yale and is a Leading member of the US National Science and Technology Council. In addition, he was awarded the 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which is a very VERY big deal!
Join us next week to hear more from Dr. Nassar!
** Just a quick note - Dr. Nassar slightly misspoke in this episode when talking about Tantalum and corrected himself later. Tantalum is actually combined with niobium, vanadium, and zirconium. Tellurium is combined with elemental boron.

Radon: The Unwelcome Houseguest Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

Are you worried about Radon in your home?
Here are a few valuable links to learn more about it and some resources to get a test -
United States Environmental Protection Agency page
United States Geological Survey FAQ
United States Map of Radon Risk (get your home checked!)
Today we talk about Radon!

Radon is something you have probably heard of, but may not know much about. It is a really important aspect of geoscience that touches our lives everyday.
Radon is an element that is radioactive. It is formed from the decay of Uranium as Uranium breaks down into Lead. Radon is special because it is a Noble Gas, which means it is an element that doesn't bond with other elements, so it can move around easily. When Uranium decays, it goes through several steps of decay and eventually gets to Radon.
Once Radon is formed, it can move. Radon is a gas and can flow through soils, in water, or even seep through concrete. So, it can make it into your house! Once there, Radon can hang around for a few days until it decays again and eventually produces Pb.
Radon can move easier if

The soil is permeable - stuff can flow through it
The soil is porous - there is a lot of space in the soil
Soil is dry - water slows down Radon movement

There are several ways for Radon to get into your house if it can move quickly through the soil. First it can seep through concrete foundations slowly. Second, it can flow from the high pressure soil to the low pressure air in your house through cracks in the foundation. And third, it can be dissolved in groundwater and get released when that water is agitated (showers, faucet running, etc).
It's easy to test for Radon in your home, and relatively inexpensive to get it fixed - so if you are unsure, get your home tested!!

Also, we have a new website!! Check it out or send us an email at our email address planetgeocast@gmail.com
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Your Questions! Road Collapse in the United Kingdom (GeoShort) Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

Thanks to our UK listener Valeria for this excellent question!
Valeria wondered what was going on with road collapses in the UK recently! Luckily, some experts have looked into this and wrote this recent blog post that proposes some ideas, and suggests further research is necessary.
In this Geoshort, we discuss these options, as well as explain what Solifluction is, and how it moves soil in a very powerful and slow process.
Thanks Valeria for an excellent question! We look forward to many more from you and other listeners of PlanetGeo.
As usual, please follow us on all the social media accounts or shoot us an email!

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National Geographic and Geoscience Writing - Dr. Maya Wei-Haas Mar 24, 2022

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Join us as we interview Dr. Maya Wei-Haas who works as a science journalist for National Geographic. Dr. Wei-Haas has a PhD in geoscience, has done top-tier research. In our discussion, she explains why she decided to pivot and use her extensive background to write interesting articles about our amazing planet. This was not an easy decision for Dr. Wei-Haas to make as writing did not come naturally - just another obstacle for her to overcome. Sit back and listen to this intriguing discussion about Earth science, writing, and life.
Dr. Maya Wei-Haas has an impressive CV: She has a PhD in Geoscience, but now works as a science journalist for National Geographic. Here are some of the awards Dr. Wei-Haas has won!

Science Journalist for National Geographic - particular affection for Rocks and Reactions,
Assistant Editor - Smithsonian Magazine
American Academy for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 2015
PhD in Earth Science from Ohio State University
ASCE Excellence in Journalism Award 2021
AGU’s Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism (2020)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2010-2015)

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Daylight Saving Time: Interview with Dr. Maya Wei-Haas Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Maya Wei-Haas has an impressive CV: See below. She has a PhD in Geoscience, but now works as a science journalist for National Geographic. Dr. Wei-Haas has had to overcome some major obstacles to become a professional journalist. Join us in this interesting discussion about a recent article on Daylight Saving Time.
Science Journalist for National Geographic - particular affection for Rocks and Reactions,

Assistant Editor - Smithsonian Magazine

American Academy for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 2015

PhD in Earth Science from Ohio State University

ASCE Excellence in Journalism Award 2021

AGU’s Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism (2020)

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2010-2015)

A Geology Bullseye: The Black Hills of South Dakota Mar 10, 2022

Show notes

The Black Hills happens to be one of our favorite places. We thought it was the right time to talk about them as people are getting the itch for summer to arrive so we can play in the mountains. The Black Hills is the perfect area to orient a young family to a life of adventure and respect for the outdoors. You can't get into too much trouble here and these mountains and the surrounding area offers so much to do. The Black Hills of South Dakota are a destination - not a speed bump on your way out West. Sit back and enjoy!
Geology of the Hills

The geology is complex but there are 3 basic suites of rock formations. The igneous and metamorphic core in the southern part of the Hills (Black Elk Peak, Mount Rushmore), some intrusive and extrusive igneous activity in the northern part of the hills (Bear butte and Devils Tower), and the sedimentary rocks that rim and surround the entire area (Racetrack and Wind Cave). From a 30,000 foot perspective, everythings looks like a huge oval shaped bullseye.
The granite core, that has tons of awesome pegmatite was formed between 2 by and 1.8 by ago in the Trans-Hudson Orogeny. This is ancient mountain building event that formed the Canadian shield and the North American Craton (Jesse, you probably know a lot about this). The pegmatite makes for a climbing meca.
Surrounding the Granite, is a diverse group of metamorphic rocks. These are the oldest in the area, because they were formerly sedimentary rocks that were metamorphosed into schists and gneisses by the THO. These rocks were intensely heated and squeezed enormously. In some areas of the hills, the metamorphic rocks are tilted 90 degrees (upended) and have been heavily eroded since. (Jesse, we love this stuff because we LOVE schist - garnet, staurolite, etc)
The PreC core was eventually brought to the surface. How did this happen and How do we know?
- It was relatively flat, and then covered by a shallow sea and eventually the Western Interior Seaway.
- The sedimentary rocks that circle the BH are oldest near the core and get progressively younger further out. You can always tell where you are in the BH by the types of rocks around you - core vs. unaltered sed. rx.
Over 7500 feet of vertically accumulated rocks here

Then the Laramide Orogeny began to influence this area. This is the famous event that formed the Rocky Mountains far to the West. But a stray blob of magma rose way to the East under the Black Hills - pushing up the PreC core and the sedimentary strata covering them.

The highest parts of the BH are 7200 feet above sea level. The sed rx were 7500 feet thick so the total uplift is near 15,000 feet, but they were not likely ever that tall. As uplift was going on, so was erosion.
The blob of magma was like a piston, shoving up the rocks from below. As the PreC core poked through, the sedimentary rocks were folded and upended. This also exposed them all as concentric rings around the core. Called a structural Dome.
A series of igneous intrusions on the Northern end of the Hills (lacoliths, sills, and dikes) extend from Bear Butte 70 miles to the West and include the famous Devils tower and the Missouri buttes.
Shale is a wimpy rock and therefore gets eroded into valleys. This is why the Racetrack goes all the way around the BH. So do all of the ridges. Looks like an oval bullseye.
One other note about the the PreC igneous core is that they are exposed - the overburden is gone, which has caused unique jointing - formation of the Needles.

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Eruption, The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens: Author Steve Olson Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Join us as we interview science writer Steve Olson about his book Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens. For his outstanding work on this book, he won the Washington State Book Award and was named one of the best nonfiction books of 2016 by Amazon. Steve is also the author of the book The Apocalypse Factory: Plutonium and the Making of the Atomic Age, a new history of the nuclear era told from the perspective of the Hanford nuclear reservation. He also is the author of Mapping Human History: Genes, Race, and Our Common Origins, which was nominated for the National Book Award, and other books, and he has written for the Atlantic Monthly, Science, the Smithsonian, and many other magazines. Since 1979, he has been a consultant writer for the National Academy of Sciences, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and other national scientific organizations.

In the book, Steve writes about the forestry industry, the history of the National Forest, and he tells the human side of the story before, during, and after the eruption. In this interview, we ask Steve a series of questions that came to mind as we read his book. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this outstanding conversation with author Steve Olson. The stories are fantastic.

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