Geology is destiny--understand it and life gets easier. Our ancestors
grasped enough about their environment to fashion tools, start fires,
erect shelters, and find water. The principles they discovered long ago
still apply, and the science behind stronger concrete, usable marble,
and more pure metals still stands. The ancients were the first
rockhounds out of necessity, and the skills they perfected resonate from
medicine to sanitation, from pottery to food preservation. The Practical
Geologist traces the impact of geology on the first toolmakers in their
trek toward civilization and details how understanding geology allowed
for advances in agriculture, construction, weaponry, and the arts. The
hacks, shortcuts, and rules described here are still vital for not just
homesteaders, campers, hikers, and survivalists--the same geological
factors assist us all as we struggle with ever-changing global
conditions and reach for the stars. Using full-color pictures, tables,
diagrams, and simple language, The Practical Geologist covers the basics
of geology and applies them directly to everyday situations, serving as
a practical guide to co-existing in the physical world.