List of publications in geology

This is a list of important publications in geology, organized by field.

Some reasons why a particular publication might be regarded as important:

Topic creator – A publication that created a new topic
Breakthrough – A publication that changed scientific knowledge significantly
Introduction – A publication that is a good introduction or survey of a topic
Influence – A publication which has significantly influenced the world
Latest and greatest – The current most advanced result in a topic

Foundations

Principles of Geology

Publication data: 1830–1833.

Online version: Online version at esp.org

Description: The work's subtitle was "An Attempt to Explain the Former Changes of the Earth's Surface by Reference to Causes now in Operation", and this explains Lyell's impact on science: he was, along with the earlier John Playfair, the major advocate of the then-controversial idea of uniformitarianism, that the earth was shaped entirely by slow-moving forces acting over a very long period of time. This was in contrast to catastrophism, a geologic idea that went hand-in-hand with the age of the earth suggested by biblical chronology. In various revised editions (twelve in all, through 1872), Principles of Geology was the most influential geological work in the middle of the 19th century, and did much to put geology on a modern footing.

Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence