GEO Podcast - podcast cover

GEO Podcast

Gary Lewis, GEOetc.comwww.geoetc.com

A place to learn about geology for teachers, students, rock hounds, and geology enthusiasts - that comes out on Fridays!

Gary Lewis is an Australian-born geologist who loves to share his passion for all things 'geology'. In the GEO podcast, Gary takes you on a journey to learn about rocks, minerals, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers and so much more. 

It does not matter if you have no experience in geology, Gary will help you to understand the fundamentals of our planet so you can have a greater understanding about when you see when visiting your backyard, your local creek, cliff or beyond. 

You can also join Gary as he runs Field Adventures (specialist travel experiences) to see parts of the world through the eyes of a passionate Earth scientist.  Find out more at www.geoetc.com.

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Episodes

Microfossils

You can find the GEO podcast on iTunes right here. You can also find GEO Podcast or all the major podcast capture platforms! (Go on...subscribe and do not miss the new episodes) In this episode, I talk about the major types of microfossils and how they are important for us to understand the environments in which rocks formed in the past. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Feb 07, 20259 minSeason 6Ep. 79

Shale - and how we use it

You can also find GEO Podcast or all the major podcast capture platforms! (Go on...subscribe and do not miss the new episodes) In this episode, I talk about shale, some major types, and how humans have used shale over time. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Jan 31, 20256 minSeason 6Ep. 78

Sandstone - quartz, arkose and lithic

You can find the GEO podcast on iTunes right here. You can also find GEO Podcast or all the major podcast capture platforms! (Go on...subscribe and do not miss the new episodes) In this episode, I talk about sandstone and what the sand grains can tell us about how far away from he source rock the material has traveled. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support what I do to help you... Support t...

Jan 24, 20256 minSeason 6Ep. 77

Apparent Polar Wandering & Plate Tectonics

You can also find GEO Podcast or all the major podcast capture platforms! (Go on...subscribe and do not miss the new episodes) In this episode, I explain what apparent polar wandering curves are and how the information was then used to work out the position of the continents over time. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Jan 17, 20255 minSeason 6Ep. 76

Seeing Inside the Earth

In this episode, I explain how seismic waves are used to see the internal structure of the Earth including the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. You can also find GEO Podcast or all the major podcast capture platforms! (Go on...subscribe and do not miss the new episodes) Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Don't miss a thing! Join our email list. Support the show...

Sep 30, 202410 minSeason 5Ep. 75

Tectonic Plates - Lithosphere, Moho, Asthenosphere

In this episode, I talk about the structure of a tectonic plate and introduce the terms crust, mantle, lithosphere, moho discontinuity, and asthenosphere. You can find the GEO podcast on iTunes right here. You can also find GEO Podcast or all the major podcast capture platforms! (Go on...subscribe and do not miss the new episodes) Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Sep 11, 20244 minSeason 5Ep. 74

Three reasons why civilizations grew up around volcanoes

In this episode, I talk about the three reasons why people and civilizations grew up around active volcanoes. Why did people need to live close to the dangers of eruptions? What was it that drove and kept them there? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Mar 29, 20246 minSeason 5Ep. 73

Salt Weathering

In this episode, I talk about how salt acts as a physical weathering agent to break down rocks. Physical weathering is the breaking down of rocks without a chemical change, and salt can act as the agent that breaks down rocks especially close to the ocean, but also in salt-rich soils, etc. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Mar 21, 20246 minSeason 5Ep. 72

Current Iceland Volcanic Activity 101

In this episode, I explain in simple terms what is happening in Iceland these last few years on the plate boundary. I explain the two geological phenomena in Iceland, the recent eruptions and earthquake activity, and how they are related to Plate Tectonics. Support the show

Jan 19, 20248 minSeason 5Ep. 71

Fake & Pseudo Fossils

In this episode, I talk about fake fossils and why people create them, as well as pseudo fossils such as dendrites. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Come and check out all we have to offer at GEOetc.com Support the show

Dec 22, 20235 minSeason 4Ep. 70

Where does magma come from?

In this episode, I talk about how molten rock is formed inside the Earth - what are the mechanisms that cause our planet to produce molten rock to feed volcanoes? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show Support the show...

Dec 16, 20236 minSeason 4Ep. 69

All about limestone

In this episode, I talk about the different forms of limestone and how they form including chalk, coquina, fossiliferous limestone, travertine, and oolitic limestone. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Jun 30, 20239 minSeason 4Ep. 68

Bowens Reaction Series

In this episode I talk about Bowen's Reaction Series - and how it tells us the order of crystallization of minerals from molten rock. Support the show

Jun 23, 20237 minSeason 4Ep. 67

Earth's Major Systems

The Earth is a huge system made up of a number of 'spheres' - the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. What are each of these spheres and how can they interact? This episode explains each sphere and gives examples of the interaction between them. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Jun 16, 20237 minSeason 4Ep. 66

Buying a rock (geologic) hammer

In this episode, I talk about the things to consider when buying a geologic hammer - what to look for and the decisions you will need to make. You can find this information and more in my blog post about buying a forever hammer . Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Jun 09, 20236 minSeason 4Ep. 65

Earth's largest volcano erupts - Mauna Loa 2022

In this episode, I talk about the recent eruption of Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The eruption was in 2022 and lasted just two weeks - but produced massive around of lava. Come and join us in Hawaii, or on any of our field adventures. See here for the trips for educators and here for the trips for geocachers. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Jun 02, 20237 minSeason 4Ep. 64

Have I found gold? Simple tests to find out!

In this episode, I talk about the three common minerals that fool people into thinking they have found gold - pyrite, chalcopyrite, and mica. I talk about the simple tests you can do to find out if what you found was really gold or one of these three. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

May 26, 20236 minSeason 4Ep. 63

Hawaii - why I love taking people to visit the volcanoes

In this episode, I talk about the four reasons I just love to take people on tours around the volcanoes in Hawaii. It is about the accessibility of seeing the planet's largest and most active volcanoes and more. Come join us on an field adventure: www.geoetc.com/field-adventures Support the show

May 19, 20239 minSeason 4Ep. 62

The 5 Great Extinctions

In this episode, I talk about the five great extinction events - events in which more than 70% of species on Earth become extinct. When did these occur and what might have caused each event. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

May 12, 20238 minSeason 4Ep. 61

Graptolites

In this episode, I talk about the extinct colonial animal we call graptolites. These are fascinating fossils as they not only show an evolutionary trend that goes from complex to simple, but their wold-wide distribution makes them a perfect index fossil. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

May 05, 20236 minSeason 4Ep. 60

Elements needed for an EV battery

In this episode, I talk about the major elements needed for an EV battery (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite). How much is needed for just one EV battery? Where are these materials currently coming from? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Apr 28, 20238 minSeason 4Ep. 59

Volcanic Explosive Index

In this episode, I talk about the Volcanic Explosive Index (VEI) and how that logarithmic scale is used to rate eruptions. It is based on the amount of material ejected, the size of the eruption plume and the length of the eruption. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Apr 21, 20238 minSeason 4Ep. 58

Volcanic Eruption Styles

In this episode, I talk about the five major eruption styles - Icelandic, Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, and Plinian. What are the characteristics of these different styles of eruptions and what materials do they produce? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Apr 14, 20239 minSeason 4Ep. 57

Sapphires, Rubies & Corundum (oh my!)

In this episode, I talk about the corundum family of minerals - their chemistry, how they form, and what makes them different from each other. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Apr 07, 20235 minSeason 4Ep. 56

Longshore Drift - the shifting sands

In this episode, I talk about how sand moves along a beach due to longshore drift. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Mar 24, 20237 minSeason 4Ep. 55

Volcanoes & Climate

In this episode, I talk about how volcanic eruptions can affect climate - by releasing ash, gas, and aerosols. We talk about the role of CO2 and SO2 and what effect they may have. I talked specifically about Pinatubo, Tambora, and the Laki eruptions. I also mention an activity available for GEOetc Members called Climeworld that members can download and use in their classrooms to show students how the volcano's location can affect climates in different hemispheres. Visit our GEOetc Members Sectio...

Mar 16, 20238 minSeason 4Ep. 54

Focus & Epicenter - important earthquake terms

In this episode, I talk about the difference between the terms focus and epicenter. What do the terms mean and how are they used? How is the information about an earthquake's focus used? How about the information about the epicenter of an earthquake? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Mar 10, 20237 minSeason 4Ep. 53

Ring of Fire - what's happening around the Pacific?

In this episode, I talk about what is causing the Pacific Ring of Fire. Why do 75% of all active volcanoes and 90% of all earthquakes happen around the edge of the Pacific Ocean? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Mar 03, 20236 minSeason 4Ep. 52

Diamonds - all about those gems!

In this episode, I talk about diamonds - where they form, how they are brought to the surface and even about different colors and uses. Visit our Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show

Feb 24, 20239 minSeason 4Ep. 51

Index Fossils - the keys to dating layers

In this episode, I talk about index fossils - what are they and what makes one fossil better than another for dating layers in a sedimentary sequence. I aven leave you pondering what human product would make a great index fossil. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show...

Feb 17, 20237 minSeason 4Ep. 50
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