Birthplace of Geology⛰️ Unearthing the Origins of a Science

Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat, perched on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill, offer sweeping views of the city 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. Yet in the early 19th century, these cliffs ignited a fiery debate about rock formation—one that shattered the dominance of Neptunism (water-based theory) 🌊 in explaining Earth’s geology. Robert Jameson, a staunch Neptunist, studied outcrops here and observed thick, hard basalt layers overlying soft sedimentary rocks. He insisted these formed through sedimentation, dismissing alternative theories. Even his student Charles Darwin—founder of evolutionary theory—disagreed, though he never pursued further research. The breakthrough came when James Hutton, the "Father of Modern Geology," examined this site. He discovered evidence of basalt intrusion (see Fig. 6): magma had forced its way through sedimentary layers, bending them at high temperatures. This revelation allowed him to correctly identify the origins of the three main rock types: Sedimentary rocks 🌊 (formed by water) Igneous rocks 🌋 (formed by volcanic fire) Metamorphic rocks 🌡️ (transformed by heat/pressure) Hutton’s work here became the cornerstone of Plutonism 🌋—proving Earth’s geology was shaped by inner fire, not just water. #NatureAndHistory #GeologyOrigins #EarthsBirth #EdinburghTravel #ArthurSeat #EdinburghViews #ScottishGeology