How Scots invented modern geology

SCOTLAND is considered the birthplace of modern geology.

It has gained this honour thanks to James Hutton, pictured inset, an Edinburgh-born scientist who developed the topic’s fundamental principles – uniformitarianism.

Having gone to university first in

1740 at the age of 14 to study medicine, Hutton built his experience and, in 1785, presented to the Royal Society of Edinburgh that the Earth had a long history which could be explained by looking at current natural formations.

At the time it was believed that the Earth had been formed biblically, and by supernatural means, which he suggested were not needed to explain the geological history of the planet.

Hutton visited Siccar Point, just outside Edinburgh, in 1788 to back up his theory. The rocks helped him explain how the Warth’s heat and erosion could lead to varying rock formations.

Accompanying him to Siccar Point was a companion, John Playfair, who later wrote of the visit: “The mind seemed to grow giddy by looking so far into the abyss of time”. He developed the concept of “deep time”, recognising that the geological processes occurring around us today have operated over a long period and will continue to do so into the future.

He died on March 26, 1797, and is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh.

Sir Charles Lyell, born in Angus in 1797, was considered the leading geologist of his generation.

He wrote Principles Of Geology, which popularised Hutton’s concepts of uniformitarianism, and was a close friend of Charles Darwin.

Lyell was one of the first scientists to support On The Origin Of Species.

His wife, Mary Horner, was daughter of Leonard Horner, the founder of Heriot-Watt University. Along with popularising Hutton’s work, Lyell also developed a pioneering explanation for climate change.