Tuesday, December 15, 2020

THE BIRTH OF PLATE TECTONICS, A


 

This is the first of a number of blog entries concerning my recollections of the early development of what has become the dominant paradigm of modern geotectonics – plate tectonics.  You might call it “viewing the birth of modern tectonic thought, from way back in the bleachers”.  I will explain.

I became seriously involved with geology in 1957, when I already had attained the advanced age of 24.  After graduating from Stanford with what proved to be a well-nigh useless degree in Economics, and then whiling away two years in Germany with the United Stated army, I had returned to Stanford to study geology.  As I had only completed a single course in the subject previously (oddly enough – taught by Bill Dickinson, who later became my principal antagonist) - I was essentially a freshman,  Consequently, I enrolled in Geology 1a, or whatever they called it – general physical geology.  As I recall, it was taught by Art Howard, who was essentially a classical geomorphologist. 

For me, the most exciting topics in that course were big-picture things; the origin of continents, ocean basins and mountain ranges.  (I have always enjoyed big-picture speculation: to hell with the details!).  I do not recall Dr. Howard spending much time on such topics.  He lectured that mountain ranges probably were the result of contraction of the earth due to cooling.  If he mentioned continental drift at all,  I don’t remember it.  The text book did cover drift, in two short paragraphs; the first a half-assed summary of Wegener’s ideas, and the second a scornful rejection.  The main lines of counter argument were that (a) drift was impossible, given the properties of the earth’s interior*, and (b) Wegener’s evidence was inexact and/or could be explained otherwise.

Well, two years later I was an all-in drifter.  I will describe why, next time.  

*see https://frivilousessays.blogspot.com/2020/10/s-warren-carey-part-2.html 

5 comments:

  1. Glad to find your blog. I am interested in your recollections.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your blogs will be good to read - thank you for sharing them.
    I remember being taught continental drift in 8th grade science class in 1964! We were about 2 miles from the San Andreas Fault on alluvial soil.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry to hear about your wife dying of cancer. 9 years ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I am treating it with deuterium depleted water, and I'm hoping that kills the cancer. I've been doing it now for a year-and-a-half and I think I see signs of improvement, maybe just coincidence or imagination, but let's hope!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Myrl, I also took Geology 1, in Autumn 1963 as a sophomore, from Art Howard. Of course, we called him Professor Howard, not Art. He might have lectured with a tweed coat and tie. No offense, but he was not an inspiring lecturer. And yet...that class saved my career at Stanford. I had a very rough freshman year having come from a non-academic high school in suburban LA I almost flunked first quarter calculus and physics. But G1, and Chem 1 taught by a superb prof, Dr. Eastman, sent me on my way as a geology major. I aced them both.

    ReplyDelete