Ep #84 Turning to Stone: Earthlings on a Dynamic Granite Planet with Marcia Bjornerud

Ep 84 Paleo Nerds with Marcia Bjornerud

LINKS

Marcia Bjornerud is a structural geologist
Marcia Bjornerud is a geologist and professor whose research explores the forces that shape continents. Her work connects deep geologic time to today’s environmental issues and emphasizes how rocks record Earth’s restless past.

Turning to Stone by Marcia Bjornerud
This article highlights Bjornerud’s book “Turning to Stone,” where she blends personal narrative with geoscience to show how rocks embody both history and wisdom, shaping our understanding of the Earth.

Alan Alda’s Clear and Vivid Podcast
Alan Alda’s podcast “Clear and Vivid” dives into communication, science, and creativity. Bjornerud’s ideas about geology as a language of time fit perfectly into this broader conversation.

Excerpt from John McPhee’s Basin and Range
McPhee’s classic book “Basin and Range” makes geology accessible to everyone. This excerpt illustrates how narrative writing can bring Earth’s geologic story vividly to life.

The mountain of Obsidian in the Mono-Inyo Craters/Mammoth Lakes area
The Owens Valley is home to the dramatic Obsidian Dome, a volcanic feature created from silica rich lava. It’s a reminder that even in recent geologic times, Earth reshaped landscapes in fiery bursts.

Marcia’s Book Turning to Stone The New Yorker Article
This New Yorker review praises Bjornerud’s “Turning to Stone” for combining science with personal reflection. It highlights how geology can give us perspective on time, change, and resilience.

Geology of Mars
Mars has volcanoes, canyons, and impact craters that tell a geologic story similar to Earth’s. This page summarizes what planetary scientists know about the Red Planet’s deep history.

Mineralogist and Astrobiologist Robert Hazen
Robert Hazen is a scientist whose research on minerals links geology to the origins of life. His work shows how minerals coevolved with biology to shape our planet.

The Great Oxygenation Event
Over two billion years ago, Earth’s atmosphere dramatically changed as oxygen built up for the first time. This entry explains how that shift transformed life and planetary chemistry forever.

Limestone carbon capture
This paper explores how limestone can capture carbon dioxide, offering a geologic perspective on mitigating climate change using natural rock processes.

Neologism-What is it?
A neologism is a newly coined word or expression. This entry shows how science, culture, and society constantly invent new terms to describe evolving ideas.

Geologic map of the world website
Macrostrat is an online portal that compiles geologic maps and stratigraphic data. It’s an incredible tool for exploring Earth’s surface through time and space.

What is Terrane?
A terrane is a fragment of crust that has been geologically stitched onto a continent. This concept helps explain how continents are patchworks of different origins.

Ray’s drawing of the “Great Alaskan Terrane Wreck”
Ray Troll’s artwork captures the chaos of colliding terranes in Alaska. It’s both humorous and scientifically insightful, visualizing how geology knits together different pieces of crust.

Garnet in the Earth, not on your necklace
Garnet is more than just a gemstone. This page explains its role as a mineral formed under high pressure in Earth’s crust and mantle.

Olivine in igneous rocks
Olivine is a green mineral common in Earth’s mantle and volcanic rocks. Its presence in basalt and peridotite provides clues about magmatic processes.

Black smokers at a hydrothermal vent
Hydrothermal vents are undersea geysers that spew mineral rich water. Black smokers host unique ecosystems and provide insights into how life may have originated.

Book on water, "The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water"
Charles Fishman’s book explores humanity’s relationship with water, from hidden infrastructure to looming crises. It’s a reminder of geology’s role in shaping resources.

The Fourth phase of Water
Gerald Pollack’s theory suggests water has a structured “fourth phase” beyond solid, liquid, and vapor. It’s a provocative idea at the edge of science.

Ultra high metamorphosed Eclogite
Eclogite is a striking, dense metamorphic rock formed under extreme pressures. It often contains red garnet and green omphacite, a reminder of the forces deep within Earth.

Actual crime scene evidence of ancient earthquakes -Pseudotachylite
Pseudotachylite is glassy rock created by fault friction during earthquakes. It is like physical evidence of seismic “crime scenes” preserved in stone.

Serpentinite-hydrated rock formed deep beneath the ocean floor
Serpentinite forms when mantle rocks hydrate under the seafloor. Its green color and slippery texture reflect powerful geochemical transformations.

Among the largest known impact structures on Earth is The Sudbury Basin in Ontario
The Sudbury Basin is one of Earth’s largest known impact craters. Formed by a massive asteroid, it is also rich in nickel and copper deposits.

The Difference between limestone and dolomite
This article breaks down the differences between limestone and dolomite, two carbonate rocks that look alike but form and react differently.

Snowball Earth would’ve been a pale “White” dot from Saturn’s view
Snowball Earth refers to ancient times when the planet may have frozen over almost entirely. This page explains the evidence and debates around these global ice ages.

Polynyas, not Polly Annas!
Polynyas are areas of open water surrounded by sea ice. They play important roles in ocean circulation and polar ecosystems.

Marcia’s inspirational talk at the Long Now Foundation, a must watch!
In this Long Now Foundation talk, Marcia Bjornerud discusses deep time, geology, and why understanding Earth’s rhythms can change how we live today.

Earth’s history at Arm’s Length YouTube video
This video demonstrates Earth’s 4.5 billion year history scaled to the length of a human arm. It’s a vivid way to grasp the immensity of geologic time.

Dave wanted animations, well here is Kirk Johnson’s “Making North America”
This NOVA series hosted by Kirk Johnson animates the geologic story of North America, from ancient seas to mountain building and ice ages.

MUSIC
Trilobite/Ammonite by the Amish Robots
Mellow by Ray Troll
The Wait by Whiskey Class
Dayte by Whiskey Class
Flicker of Light by Whiskey Class
Seconds in a Lifetime by Russell Wodehouse