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PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast

PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast

Chris and Jesse 288 episodes Latest May 28, 2026

A Geology and Earth Science Podcast. Join Chris, an award-winning geology teacher, and Jesse, a geoscience professor, in discussing the amazing features of our planet and their impact on your everyday life. No prior knowledge required. New episodes coming at you every week. Listen, subscribe, share with someone you know!

Episodes

Rocks for the Future - with MIT Prof. Oli Jagoutz Jun 11, 2026 2645 What does cracking open green-shiny rocks in a German preschool have to do with feeding eight billion people without oil and gas? In this episode, Jesse sits down with Oliver "Oli" Jagoutz, professor at MIT and director of the Earth Resources Laboratory (ERL), for a wide-ranging conversation that travels from the Himalayas to the wastewater treatment plant — and makes the case that geolo
The Fundamentals of Geology (Exam) May 28, 2026 2465 This week we take on the FG test — the Fundamentals of Geology exam — the very first step on the road to becoming a professionally licensed geologist. Jesse just sat the exam this past fall (yes, a geology professor going back to take Geology 101), and we get into exactly what that was like: the nerves, the cram sessions, and the very real fear of an embarrassing fail.We break down what's act
Granite Wars: The Debates That Built a Science May 21, 2026 3553 In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Mike Ackerson (Smithsonian) for the kick-off of a deep-dive series on granites and granitoids. This one goes into the weeds: the 250-year history of how arguing about granite shaped nearly every major idea in the geosciences.We trace the great controversies from the 1700s to today:🌊 Neptunism vs. Plutonism — Did granite precipitate out of a global ocean, or cr
The Geologist's License: How the FG and PG Exams Get Built — with Keith Rapp Apr 30, 2026 3810 In this episode, we sat down with Keith Rapp, senior hydrogeologist, longtime volunteer with ASBOG (the Association of State Boards of Geology), and immediate past president of the organization. We dug into the professional geologist licensure process — what the FG (Fundamentals of Geology) and PG (Practice of Geology) exams actually test, how questions get written and vetted by panels of subject
What Makes Supervolcanoes? With Professor Shan de Silva and Dr. Rachel Phillips Apr 16, 2026 3018 What distinguishes supervolcanoes from regular or non-super volcanoes? How many supervolcanoes are on Earth today? What are the precursors to supervolcano eruptions? In today's deep dive, Dr. Rachel Phillips, from GeoGirl, and I we got to talk to supervolcano researcher, Dr. Shan de Silva, to answer all your supervolcano questions (and more)!Download the CampGeo app now at this link. On the a
Eating Rocks For Breakfast Apr 2, 2026 2216 Download the CampGeo app now at this link. On the app you can get tons of free content, exclusive images, and access to our Geology of National Parks series. You can also learn the basics of geology at the college level in our FREE CampGeo content series - get learning now!Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating!——————————————————Instagram: @planetgeocastTwitter: @planetgeocastFacebook: @planetgeoc
What is a Professional Geologist? An Intro to Licensure Mar 26, 2026 1879 Jesse and Dr. Joshua Davis introduce a new series on professional geology licensure, prompted by listener questions, exam study use of their podcast, and continuing-education approvals. Jesse shares starting the U.S. process by taking the FG (Fundamentals of Geology) exam and explains the typical U.S. pathway in 31 states: FG exam, geologist-in-training status, years of work experience under a lic
Visualizing the Deep Earth - CEO and Founder Christie Capper Mar 19, 2026 3187 Today Jesse talks with Christie Capper, founder and CEO of Deep Earth, which aims to visualize the subsurface by digitizing and unifying scattered underground data into accessible 3D maps. Christie describes her path from a toy-inventor upbringing to studying economics and mechanical engineering (robotics) at Claremont and Columbia, then working at SpaceX, interning at the UN and Boeing, moving in
The Anatomy of Mountain Ranges Feb 26, 2026 2483 Chris is back!! Today we answer the simple question - Why do we see a predictable geologic and topographic progression as we drive from flat plains into mountains? We use examples from Michigan to Tennessee, the Canadian Rockies, Glacier, the Bighorns, Colorado, and the Appalachians to walk through a common sequence: we start on broad areas of mostly flat-lying sedimentary rocks (sandstones, shale
Geology Meets Deep Tech - Danielle Bennett Feb 19, 2026 3463 On this episode of Planet Geo, we welcome Danielle Bennett—a startup operator with a venture capital background (and not a geoscientist by training) who’s been talking with tons of geologists, hydrogeologists, and engineers while helping build a geoscience-adjacent mapping company at Deep Earth Tech. Danielle shares how growing up with entrepreneur parents (who ran a groundwater-focused engineerin
Here Be Dragons - Exploring the Unknown with NASA Ames Chief Scientist for Innovation Dr. John Stock Feb 12, 2026 4434 In this riveting episode, we catch up with Dr. Jonathan Stock, Chief Scientist for Innovation at NASA's Intelligent Systems Division. We dive deep into the realms of geosciences and discuss how innovation can transform our understanding of the Earth and beyond. From quantum gravity gradiometers to AI-driven geophysical mapping, Dr. Stock reveals the tech that could redefine geospatial explora
Banded Iron Formations - A Deep Dive Feb 5, 2026 3246 In this episode, we bring you a riveting Q&A session with GeoGirl Dr. Rachel Phillips and Dr. Joshua Davies, both experts in geology who explore the mysterious world of banded iron formations (BIFs). We dive deep into what BIFs are, when they formed, and their significance. Josh unpacks the debated origins of these rocks, discussing how they may be the most hotly contested rocks in the geologi

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