PCPG's A Poorly Sorted but Well Rounded Series

Pennsylvania is known for many interesting features, but beaches are not high on the list. Yet Pennsylvania boasts a very unique shoreline with features worth exploring and understanding. Join us for a trip to Presque Isle State Park to explore a one-of-a-kind beach setting.

Mt. St. Helens is a name that looms large in the mind of any geologist or the mind of anyone who was alive in the USA in 1980. The 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was one of the greatest natural disasters ever to hit the United States of America. The sobering part of it is that it will happen again. This podcast examines the lead up to the 1980 eruption from the point of view of the geologists who met and dealt with the event.

Western Pennsylvania is known for many interesting geologic features, including those of glacial origins. Let’s explore the unusual features of two of Pennsylvania’s beautiful parks. Though very close to each other, Moraine State Park and McConnell’s Mill offer related oddly contrasting geologic wonders.

We don’t normally think about the relationship between the core of the Earth and the ability of the planet to support life. But it turns out that complex life on Earth would be impossible without a spinning iron-rich core producing the magnetosphere that shields us from the deadly solar wind. Let’s take a look upward and downward and examine the center of the Earth as well as its far-flung outer boundary.

The White Clay Creek Park and Preserve is found in a unique setting both historically and geologically. While most of Pennsylvania is underlain by sedimentary rocks, the White Clay is within the Piedmont just above the coastal plain, and area composed almost entirely of high-grade metamorphic rocks. Come and explore the unique geology of this area.

Geoheritage sites are features of geology, both large and small-scale that are fundamentally important in understanding and appreciating the Earth and her origins. Join us as we talk with Dr. Adolfo Quesada-Roman, an expert from the University of Costa Rica, about the geoheritage here in the USA and around the world.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hike the Appalachian Trail and see it through the eyes of a geoscientist? So did Craig Eckert, so he did it. Join us for an interview with Craig and hear a little about his new book, Rocks, Roots and Rattlesnakes.

Water is life. Water in and of itself is not that uncommon in the solar system or the universe. But liquid water on the surface of a planet is unusual and it is absolutely critical to our existence. Without water, the Earth would be a sterile ball of rock revolving endlessly around the Sun, and we would not even exist. What makes water so vital?

Earth is the only planet known to support life. Why is that so? Alone of all the planets in the solar system, the Earth is coated in a layer of soil, the very skin of Mother Earth. Soil is a symbiotic collaboration between biology and geology.

When preparing for or performing field work, we often plan for physical safety considerations such as wearing the proper PPE or knowing the nearest medical center in case of emergency. But what about social conditions you may encounter while on a job site? Join Russ Losco and Tiffani Doerr in an interview with Josh Anadu where we discuss an important and most likely overlooked aspect of field safety.

Take a journey through Pennsylvania's Rickets Glen State Park and learn about the unique Geology of the park.