Earth History and Geoscience

Professor Katryn Wiese will discuss what science tells us about earth history and earth processes. This brief review will cover such things as how scientists identify what coastlines are prone to tsunami and landslides, and which aren't -- how we measure risk of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions -- and how we piece together important parts of Earth's history, including rates of natural process and the immense scale of Geologic Time.  An understanding of Earth's history is necessary for evaluating evidence for such things as evolution, global climate change, mass extinction events, and the lasting impact of pollution.

Katryn is Professor of Geology & Oceanography, Earth Sciences Department, City College of San Francisco (www.ccsf.edu/earth)