Questions tagged [geology]
For questions about rocks, minerals and the physical structure and substance of the world.
4
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1answer
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How to make a bigger planet be as similar to Earth as possible
My fantasy world is slightly larger than earth so that discovery of the continents becomes harder (about 20% surface should do it). But at the same time I want to preserve most aspects to make it like ...
13
votes
13answers
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What conditions would make having them sunken into the ground the predominant way of building large structures?
As he neared the outskirts of the city the canyons of multi-storey buildings lined with coffee- and tea-houses gave way to the large squat shapes of factories, storage-halls and other industry. If it ...
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10answers
3k views
Realistic geological and chemical composition of an edible planetary surface
We all at some point in our childhoods thought that the moon is made out of cheese. As such, I thought: under what circumstances can a planetary surface form in such a manner that it is edible (and ...
7
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6answers
686 views
A world without mountains
I'm relatively new to all this. I'm thinking of studying a little Earth sciences in the hope that it tells me but, up front, I want to know if I'm completely off. I want to know if a world with no ...
4
votes
5answers
302 views
Civilization on a diamond exoplanet?
If humans discovered a diamond exoplanet and then traveled there, how would they set up civilization on a diamond exoplanet?
Everything needs a foundation, even on low-gravity planets (below 9.8m/s^2)...
2
votes
0answers
71 views
Thousand Plate World: Effects [closed]
I have found this idea on a discussion on /r/worldbuilding. Anyway, the premise is as follows:
The planet is earth-like in terms of size and mass.
The planet has a very large amount of small, active, ...
5
votes
2answers
272 views
Thousand Plate World: Formation
I have found this idea on a discussion on /r/worldbuilding. Anyway, the premise is as follows:
The planet is earth-like in terms of size and mass.
The planet has a very large amount of small, active, ...
3
votes
2answers
86 views
Survival of Eukaryotic Life in Stagnant Oceans
I was trying to figure out the early geological/biological history of the world I'm creating, and I was wondering about the development of early life. Basically, I've envisioned a world where ...
9
votes
4answers
823 views
How long does it take for islands to form after an underwater volcanic eruption?
So, vaguely, I remember from earth science that when submarine volcanoes erupt they eventually form archipelagos. My question actually has several parts;
Starting with the first eruption to break ...
13
votes
1answer
230 views
Planet-wide vocalizations: is there a natural limit preventing it?
Premise
I recently recalled when the Chelyabinsk meteor crashed overhead in 2013. The pressure wave was immense. The infrasounds, as recorded by nuclear missile detectors, appeared to traverse the ...
9
votes
6answers
312 views
Long Term Zircon Data Storage
Question
How can Zircon be used to record data for generations of life forms?
Requirements
Must be able to store the data with little to no loss of it, for a least 541 million years
The data in the ...
3
votes
1answer
84 views
How do I figure out the size of an Earth-like world's layers and composition of elements
After getting help from the members of this site with Worldbuilding an Earth-like world around an F-Type Star, I have another question. The Planet's radius is 90% of Earth's. The Planet's rotation is ...
7
votes
2answers
221 views
What geological consequences would result from a binary planet system?
Before picking specs, I need to ensure feasibility. Only one of the planets need be Earth-like; in fact, I would prefer if the other planet were rather small and dead, like a moon. The orbits will be ...
3
votes
3answers
151 views
Can A Theia-Like Object Make Earth Richer?
Let's start with a little backstory--our planet underwent an impact-coalescence cycle only once, 4.5 billion years ago, when a Mars-sized object named Theia destroyed the infant Earth in a glancing ...
4
votes
2answers
96 views
All the Radioactive Metals Inside Earth's Core--How Would They Affect Convection?
In relation to a recent question of mine, this alternate Earth still has its core consisting of 84% iron, but the other 16% contains the greatest concentrations of all known species of heavy metals (...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
If Earth's Core had ALL Of the Heavy Metals
Back home, Earth had gone through an impact-coalesce cycle only once. Since then, its core has been 84% iron, 6% nickel and the rest being labeled by The Encyclopedia of Earth: A Complete Visual ...
21
votes
12answers
3k views
Malign Science: Counter argument for KT boundary
Premise
This is a world in which humans are blissfully unaware of their own vulnerability. Needless to say, there are many vulnerabilities to address, however, this question deals only with the ...
15
votes
2answers
230 views
A blue flamestorm blasting through a system of big yellow caves?
What I "want":
My fantasy world has lots of volcanos. Deep under the surface there is a root-like form of life predominant. It grows in big bundles and searches for important minerals, gases, fluids, ...
4
votes
3answers
151 views
Geology on low density planets
I am currently working on a piece that has a planet (about double the size of Earth). It is worth noting that this is a low density planet. Without any other factors (Earth-like atmosphere, same ...
11
votes
6answers
501 views
Ringstadt: Can my mountains be what I need them to?
When the old mining town was founded, nobody did think of this ever growing into much more than a coal-mining town. The deposits of iron-ore, aside from the already developed peat bog to the north, ...
2
votes
2answers
87 views
Ringstadt: Getting sulphur into my water
You sure lad? For some of you folks normal beer is already an acquired taste, but this... this beer definitely is. You understand that this stuff is brewed with water from the devil's choke? You know, ...
2
votes
3answers
273 views
How much electricity could an iron core moon passing over a copper deposit on a planet generate?
Assuming the moon is the same size as ours and its core is generating a magnetic field, and the copper deposits are quite large, consisting of a tectonic plate containing huge deposits of native ...
20
votes
7answers
4k views
What would it take for an island to sink and rise yearly and naturally
So I'm writing a book and need help to better explain this island that sinks, more on that in a moment as I give you the basic build of the planet...
First, its a world on a very tilted angle. the ...
20
votes
6answers
5k views
An iron rain to starve a planet
I have a generic Earth like planet, same atmospheric composition, and the same oceanic composition. The crust of this planet is predominantly silicon based but plenty of iron, nickel and copper. ...
17
votes
6answers
652 views
Ringstadt: How sensible is my topography?
Look at you all sitting here. Quite some of you have probably never ventured beyond the outskirts of this city, mayhaps not even past the wall? You've spent your whole lives in this place, but what do ...
2
votes
2answers
89 views
Fantastic gas, part 2: what would be the source of a subterranean gas that's not organic in origin?
Natural gas comes can be found in the underground, but its origin are the organic rests of a long time ago. However, my gas doesn't come from dead trees or anything like that. So what's an alternative ...
1
vote
2answers
74 views
How would we overcome the sinking problem as sediment builds up around urban areas? [closed]
As sediment builds up over the earth, it is compacted into layers of rock, which can be seen in the geological record. However, urban areas typically have good maintenance which washes away any ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Oceanic crust formation
I'm working on a earth-like planet with a much lower sea level (like 3000m so the mid-ocean ridge would form many islands) but is that even possible? Will the emerged ridge make some weird stuff and ...
4
votes
7answers
258 views
Natural barriers around medieval towns
I have a town, the capital of an empire. It covers 560 Hectares.
What kind of natural barrier conforms to the following requirements:
Is both heavily defensible and does not hinder trade all too ...
17
votes
6answers
5k views
Can a habitable planet have two separate crusts, both of which can sustain life?
Can a habitable planet have two separate crusts, both of which can sustain life? I am wondering if through the planet's creation, over time through some form of mantle cooling/erosion combination, ...
6
votes
2answers
821 views
How would coral reefs thrive on this super-earth world?
I have a super-earth world. The surface of the world is shallower due to extra gravity, so shorter mountain ranges and less ocean depths. The world orbits a binary star system at a distance of the ...
14
votes
6answers
3k views
What type of stone should I use for these hills?
The capital of a country is built on a series of stone hills that gradually lead to the ocean. The stone is noted for both the strength of castles made from it and its unique blue-green coloring. This ...
48
votes
2answers
6k views
How tall can a humanoid creature be without alerting the rest of the planet with earthquakes?
Planet is earth sized. Fantasy medieval setting that takes place on Continent A, which is on the other side of the planet from Continent B - about as far as South America is from Asia. Continent B ...
5
votes
2answers
177 views
Is a Continent of Karstic Plateaus Feasible
The Tsingy National Park is popular for its unique karstic plateaus. These karstic plateaus are thousands of large sharp pillars or needles that stretch towards the sky, creating a wide variety of ...
4
votes
1answer
103 views
The Rocky Side of the World Without Oil
Lately, there has been speculation of what would happen if all the untapped oil, by the handwaving powers of the gods of television and money, disappear overnight. It has been explained, in varying ...
4
votes
2answers
130 views
Starting with a map of current landforms, how can I write the geographic history of my planet?
The current worldbuilding project I have is going to be detailed - very detailed.
It's about the life of an alien planet called Nemo 4, and I want to chronicle the evolutionary history of that life, ...
2
votes
2answers
110 views
Albedo of a planet like Crait
If a planet like Crait existed and was covered by (mostly) white sand, what would its average albedo be? Crait is a planet from Star Wars that has a thin layer of white salt on its surface.
11
votes
5answers
893 views
Can fields be destroyed by water so that new ones need to be dug up?
I currently have a character whose fields are destroyed as they are at the base of a valley, and the rain has completely killed the seeds and waterlogged the dirt. Thus, main character needs to dig ...
-1
votes
2answers
186 views
How would the color of sand affect the color of glass?
So, I know that there are naturally occurring beaches that are various 'odd' colors like pink, black, green, and orange and I was wondering if the color of this sand would have any effects on the ...
2
votes
5answers
237 views
Effects of asteroid passing very close to the planet
I am trying to think of a natural event that causes very big impact to human lives - massive movements of people, shift of power, etc. This event happens in a medieval period on an earth-like planet.
...
6
votes
2answers
678 views
Is this reaction realistic enough?
I'm building a world which has, apart from the 'usual' stuff, 2 types of stones (haven't really decided on a name yet).
Stone A holds some form of energy but when prompted by Stone B it will release ...
2
votes
4answers
237 views
Hyperdense Object
If a planet has a core of super-dense material, how might that effect the geological composition of that planet?
Specifically: imagine a lunar-sized planet, with earth-like geology and density. If ...
5
votes
6answers
206 views
Could there be some kind of way for an underground jungle-like climate to occur
In my world, there would be a tropical region very similar to real life rain forests, though underground there's still jungle. At a point underground, there are huge caverns that are populated by ...
21
votes
6answers
3k views
How many tectonic plates should my planet have? And why?
While constructing a planet, with the same mass, volume and overall composition as Earth, how do I know how many tectonic plates should it have? And what does having more or fewer tectonic plates ...
4
votes
3answers
219 views
Would a lack of landmasses at the equator change climates closer to the poles?
I'm imagining an Earth-like world with a single large continent centered on the north pole, and not reaching entirely to the equator. As ocean currents play a large role in shaping weather, I'm ...
13
votes
7answers
2k views
Advanced civilization on planet with atmosphere only in large sinkholes
I want to have an Earth-sized planet (with similar gravity) with an extremely low-density atmosphere (comparable to Mars) at most of its surface. Complex life, including an information-age ...
25
votes
4answers
6k views
If the Black Sea was disconnected from the Mediterranean, how long would it take to become freshwater?
The Black Sea is a brackish body of water, that used to be separate from the Mediterranean. Further back, it was likely part of the Mediterranean before the last ice age. How long would it, or for a ...
8
votes
2answers
195 views
Is there anything wrong with my plate tectonics map?
Here is a map I just produced of the plate tectonics of a world I'm working on. Does anyone familiar with the subject see anything wrong with it? If you can differentiate between the penciled and the ...
4
votes
2answers
198 views
Can Off-shore Calderas Exist?
A caldera is usually the remnant of a volcanic eruption powerful enough to collapse the structure surrounding the magma chamber. Many of our examples, like Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Toba and even ...
34
votes
7answers
4k views
Evidence of spacetime anomaly in local geology?
My current project features a contemporary scientist who is convinced that some sort of spacetime anomaly occurred in a tiny rural Yorkshire, U.K. community circa-1850; he believes a dilapidated old ...
