How does geology work? Exploring the science that reveals the secrets of our planet

How Earth’s interior is arranged? How can we understand the Earth by studying its rocks and minerals? Why should we study them? What tools do we use? Here are some of the questions that geology, a young, rapidly growing field that is incredibly valuable in everyday life, seeks to answer.

By applying principles of geology, such as analyzing resource formation, assessing risk and understanding Earth's history, we can mitigate hazards, and avoid past environmental mistakes.

Fabrizio Berra carries out research and teaches geology at the Ardito Desio Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Milan.

Over the course of his career, his work has involved field studies of rocks of different ages in a range of mountain ranges and countries. His research focuses on recreating landscapes from a bygone era and analysing environmental changes and the phenomena that influenced them, by studying sedimentary sequences dating back to earlier times.

He has contributed to creating several geological maps, a key and accurate tool used by geologists to recount the history and uncover the secrets of our planet.

He has taken part in a number of scientific and educational activities in schools, at science festivals and exhibitions, including organising training activities for secondary school teachers.

He is the author of the popular science essay La scienza e la Terra, in English Science and the Earth, published by Scienza Express Edizioni.