Here’s a twist on the lifelist concept — a checklist specific to the field of geology. This
guide provides professional geologists (or amateur
enthusiasts) a fairly comprehensive list of the must-see geological wonders of the world.
The first section covers generic geological occurrences that can’t be missed. Some are straightforward — a
glacier, geyser, volcano, limestone cave and slot
canyon. Others have those fabulous scientific names: an ophiolite complex, a layered igneous intrusion and an
exfoliation dome. Huh? The website provides links to definitions and examples of where these natural phenomenon
can be found around the globe. (For example,
Yosemite Valley is a great place to see a
dome structure.)
There is also a list of specific geological wonders that must be visited. Again, some obvious ones, like the
Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef. But then there are places
like Devil’s Tower in Wyoming (to check out the classic columnar
jointing) and the Giant Causeway in Ireland (to
see the polygonally fractured basaltic flows, of course!)
The list wraps up with the experiences section: feel an earthquake, witness a tornado or meteor storm, find gold or
a dinosaur footprint — you know, the easy stuff. It is a great way to go about building a lifelist or travel
itinerary that includes the natural wonders of this grand planet of ours. I’d love to find similar lists like it for
other professions or fields of study. Drop us a line or comment if you know of any.