Handbook

The science of how the solid Earth works is essential to overcome great challenges presently facing our society: monitoring and mitigating climate change, protecting the natural environment and sustainably resourcing our future. This subject provides an introduction to Earth science by considering topics related to the solid Earth: deep time, our place in space, plate tectonics, the rock cycle, crystal growth, groundwater, palaeo environments, volcanic eruptions and magmatic plumbing systems, earthquakes, mountain building, mass extinctions, critical minerals required for a low-carbon future, landscape evolution, and archaeology. This subject consists of two parts. In the first half of this subject you will learn to ‘read’ minerals and rocks to understand the evolution of landscapes, unravelling thousands to billions of years of Earth’s history. In the second half of this subject you will apply this knowledge to conduct your own fieldwork, creating a map, describing rocks observed in the field and using these to interpret what the Illawarra region looked like millions of years ago. This subject is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Find out more: www.uow.edu.au/united-nations-sustainable-development-goals/sdg-subjects-and-courses/