ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Systems geology

Do you remember playing with blocks and building towers? Imagine that you have many of these blocks, each representing a different part of the Earth such as rocks, minerals, and other physical materials. Systems geology is like playing with those blocks but on a much larger and more complex scale.

Scientists who study systems geology use these blocks to understand how different parts of the Earth work together. This means they look at things like how rocks form, how they change over time, and how they react to external factors like earthquakes or climate change. By studying these things, scientists can better understand how the Earth works as a whole.

Think of it like piecing together a puzzle. Each block represents a piece of the puzzle, and by putting them together, scientists can create a more complete picture of how the Earth functions. It's not an easy puzzle and scientists are constantly discovering new information and new blocks to add to their collection.

In short, systems geology is like playing with blocks to understand how the Earth works. Scientists use different blocks to better understand how parts of the Earth work together, like piecing together a puzzle to create a better picture of our planet.