A combination of all living things on Earth—plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, aquatic life, insects, viruses, single-cell organisms, and so on—as well as all formerly living things that have not yet decomposed. Typically, after decomposing, a formerly living organism becomes part of the geosphere.
The study of the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe.
The study of fuels, metals, and other materials from Earth that are of interest to industry or the economy in general.
Earth-centered.
A branch of the earth sciences, combining aspects of geology and chemistry, that is concerned with the chemical properties and processes of Earth.
The study of Earth's age and the dating of specific formations in terms of geologic time.
The study of the solid earth, in particular, its rocks, minerals, fossils, and land formations.
The study of landforms and of the forces and processes that have shaped them.
A branch of the earth sciences that combines aspects of geology and physics. Geophysics addresses the planet's physical processes as well as its magnetic and electric properties and the means by which energy is transmitted through its interior.
The upper part of Earth's continental crust or that portion of the solid earth on which human beings live and which provides them with most of their food and natural resources.
The study of Earth's physical history. Historical geology is one of two principal branches of geology, the other being physical geology.
The entirety of Earth's water, excluding water vapor in the atmosphere but including all oceans, lakes, streams, groundwater, snow, and ice.
An unproven statement regarding an observed phenomenon.
A scientific principle that is shown to always be the case and for which no exceptions are deemed possible.
The study of minerals (crystalline structures that make up rocks), which includes several smaller subdisciplines, such as crystallography.
The study of fossilized plants and animals, or flora and fauna.
The study of the material components of Earth and of the forces that have shaped the planet. Physical geology is one of two principal branches of geology, the other being historical geology.
Astronomy, physics, chemistry, and the earth sciences.
The branch of the earth sciences, sometimes called planetology or planetary studies, that focuses on the study of other planetary bodies. This discipline, or set of disciplines, is concerned with the geologic, geophysical, and geochemical properties of other planets but also draws on aspects of astronomy, such as cosmology.
A set of principles and procedures for systematic study that includes observation; the formation of hypotheses, theories, and laws; and continual testing and reexamination.
A period of accelerated scientific discovery that completely reshaped the world. Usuallydated from about 1550 to 1700, the Scientific Revolution saw the origination of the scientific method and the introduction of ideas such as the heliocentric (Sun-centered) universe and gravity.
The study and interpretation of sediments, including sedimentary processes and formations.
The study of rock layers, or strata, beneath Earth's surface.
The study of rock structures, shapes, and positions in Earth's interior.
A general statement derived from a hypothesis that has withstood sufficient testing.
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