The Adventure, Joy, and Value of Science: Lessons from a Field Geologist in Antarctica, Mount St. Helens, and the American West

This is a book about science, which is largely a way of thinking. Such thinking builds upon facts and curiosity to make discoveries about the natural world, applying objectivity to sort out the meaning of all new data. Science also has a moral component, always seeking the truth regardless of other demands by political, religious, or high authorities. Abiding by facts is paramount, and objectivity and critical thinking are the goals of all scientists throughout their careers. The discoveries by science have had great practical importance, producing benefits to humans and bringing the world out of the Dark Ages. Life expectancy has greatly increased due to revelations by science and technology in agriculture, medicine (including vaccines), knowledge, energy supplies, metals, clean water, etc. This book is a primer on how science operates, for justifying and explaining the scientific method has become a lost art. We live in an age where conspiracy theories, mysticism, and denial of reality abound. Although climate change is the most important fact of our time, it now has become the focus of gaslighting by commercial interests and populist/conservative politicians, organizations, and news media.

These lessons are told through a life story of a research geologist and colleagues who have had an unusual amount of adventure. Yet our experiences are typical of those of most scientists in all specialties throughout the world. Our examples of discovery are described. Issues such as basic ("pure") science versus applied (mission-oriented) science are debated, as are the errors in thinking brought on by pseudoscience, groupthink, and simplistic solutions. Scientists are inspired by the wonder and beauty of the world, as noted here. By describing our eureka moments in Antarctica, Mount St. Helens, the West, and other places, this book illustrates the excitement, joy, and importance of doing science. Yet science has had its ups and downs, as recorded here during this life history, that have been influenced by the space race, the Vietnam War, good and bad American presidents, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, exponential climate changes that are nearing critical tipping points, beyond which humans cannot change outcomes, demand scientific expertise. This book is an optimistic view of how scientists will help. For students, a science career is worth doing and is far more needed now than ever before.

The author, Dr. Pete Rowley, was a Geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey from 1970 to 2000. He was leader and member of five small remote USGS field parties (1970-1987) that geologically mapped previously unvisited mountainous areas (about 50,000 square miles, the size of Illinois) in the southern Antarctic Peninsula, the last unexplored mountains on the earth's land surface. He was USGS Information Scientist during two of the six 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens, then did research on the 1980 ash-flow tuffs for three years. Other projects included geologic studies of volcanic fields, mining districts, and other areas in Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. He also taught college geology for three academic years. Since 2001, he has been a consulting geologist, largely making geologic maps for state geological surveys, including a study of earth's largest ancient landslide complex on land (3000 square miles, the size of Delaware plus Rhode Island), and applying science to find groundwater and to answer other practical questions. He is the author or coauthor of about 250 published research reports and geologic maps. He lives with his wife Dawna Ferris in New Harmony, Utah.