The tectonic processes that shape the Earth operate on such long timescales and at such enormous spatial scales that it is difficult for us as individual humans to situate them in our own decadal lifespans. In this way, they share a strong affinity with mythology, the stories humans construct in order to make sense of a place and existence that is beyond our everyday comprehension. By studying these processes and figuring out how our dynamic planet came to be, we follow in the footsteps of those who told of gods and other legendary beings creating order out of chaos. In doing so, we continue the very human task of figuring out how to understand our history as a species in the context of a much longer broader history.
Myth and Mountains - A Proposed First-Year Seminar
As a way of giving first-year students a glimpse at the intersection of the humanities and the sciences, I am designing a first-year seminar exploring myths that describe the formation of major mountain ranges, in conjunction with an introduction to the science of plate tectonics that describes how these mountains formed according to the geologic record. This is still a work in progress, but possible topics include:
- The Himalayas: The Mahabharata and India-Eurasia Collision
- The Cascades: Thunderbird and the Whale and Megatrhust Earthquakes
- Mt. Vesuvius: Hercules and Volcanic Arcs
- The Caucasus: Prometheus/The Golden Fleece and Arabia-Eurasia Collision
Resources
- Geological Society of London Special Publication Myth and Geology