A range of papers on the history of the geological sciences have been published in Episodes since it was established in 1978, many by members of INHIGEO and others by those with an interest in the history of our science. As well as historical research articles the wide spectrum of topics also includes historical profiles of the IUGS affiliates, biographies of geologists, historical background to significant events and reviews of books on history of geology.
INHIGEO as an IUGS commission encourages contributions to Episodes on all aspects of the history of the geological sciences in order to provide historical depths to modern geoscientific research.
If you are interested in submitting contributions on the general history of geological sciences, please contact the INHIGEO Publications and Outreach Coordinator.
Issue | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| November 2025. Online | Thomas Hofmann | The collections of the Geological Archives of the University of Vienna – a place of preservation, remembrance and research. Book Review. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2446&vmd=Full |
| November 2025. Online | Chao Liu | The Dissemination and Development of Geology in China: A Case Study of the Geological Textbooks (1853–1937). Book Review. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2445&vmd=Full |
| 2025, 48(4): 587-588 | Gregory A. Good | The Emergence of Geophysics: Journeys into the Twentieth Century. Book Review. https://www.e-episodes.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.18814/epiiugs/2025/025029 |
| 2025, 48(4): 579-586 | Yang Lijuan | Between fieldwork and classroom training: the Geological School and the early geological surveys of China (1913–1916). https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2430&vmd=Full |
| 2025, 48(3): 373–383 | Ivano Del Prete | Reassessing the Origin of Fossils in pre-Enlightenment Europe: 1300–1700. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?volume=48&number=3&spage=373&vmd=Full |
| 2025, 48(2): 237-238 | Claudine Cohen | Inscriptions of Nature: Geology and the Naturalization of Antiquity. Book Review. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2400&vmd=Full |
| 2025, 48(2): 229-236 | Jingfei Zhang | The conception of Geomechanics: ‘The Fundamental Cause of Evolution of the Earth’s Surface Features’ by J. S. Lee, 1926. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2401&vmd=Full |
| 2025, 48(1): 131-132 | Martina Kölbl-Ebert | On the Edge of Eternity. The Antiquity of the Earth in Medieval & Early Modern Europe: Book Review. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2389&vmd=Full |
| 2025, 48(1): 117-130 | Johannes Mattes | The making of “Classical” Karst: Serbian geographer Jovan Cvijić, (inter)nationalism, and the emergence of karst sciences, 1870–1914. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2395&vmd=Full |
| 2024, 47(2): 405-417 | Volkan Sarıgül | The curious case of Karl Nagalhard and the central European influence on the early studies on the Cenozoic paleobotany in Turkey. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2363&vmd=Full |
| 2024, 47(1): 187-195 | Susan Turner | IUGS-60th Women in the early years: Vera Lafferty and the beginnings of Episodes. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2325&vmd=Full |
| 2023, 46(2): 337-339 | Chao Liu | Humanity Earth: The history of human understanding of the Earth Book review. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?uid=2329&vmd=Full |
| 2023, 46(1): 117-125 | Martin J. S. Rudwick | Georges Cuvier’s appeal for international collaboration, 1800. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2022/022002 |
| 2022, 45(4) 455- 456 | Kathleen Histon | From Local Patriotism to a Planetary Perspective. Impact crater research in Germany, 1930s ̶ 1970s. Book Review. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2022/022003 |
| 2021, 44(4): 469- 471 | Ricardo N. Alonso | La Mujer en la Geología. Book review. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2021/021033 |
| 2021, 44(4): 467- 468 | Kathleen Histon | Rebels, Scholars, Explorers. Book Review. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2021/021032 |
| 2019, 42(1): 69-75 | Mike Johnston, Marianne Klemun | Looking back to the roots of INHIGEO: The inaugural and 50th anniversary meetings held in Yerevan in 1967 and 2017. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2019/019002 |
| 2017, 40(3): 189- 199 | Elena A. Jagt-Yazykova, Grzegorz Racki | Vladimir P. Amalitsky and Dmitry N. Sobolev – late nineteenth/ early twentieth century pioneers of modern concepts of palaeobiogeography, biosphere evolution and mass extinctions. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2017/v40i3/017022 |
| 2014, 37(4): 333- 343 | IUGS | David R. Oldroyd (1936-2014). https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2014/v37i4/017 |
| 2013, 36(4): 304- 306 | Toshihiro Yamada | Seventeenth century geological thought in the context of Steno’s scientific texts. Book Review Nicolaus Steno: Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist, By Tardel & Maquet. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2013/v36i4/008 |
| 2013, 36(1): 75-76 | David R. Oldroyd | The Life and Work of Professor J.W. Gregory FRS (1864–1932) By Bernard E. Leake. Book review. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2013/v36i1/014 |
| 2012, 35(1): 44-56 | David F. Branagan | Fleshing out the Landscape: Two centuries of Australia’s geological heroes. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2012/v35i1/005 |
| 2011, 34(4): 282- 284 | David R. Oldroyd | Travels of Hochstetter and Haast in New Zealand 1858–1860 By Mike Johnston and Sascha Nolden. Book Review. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2011/v34i4/014 |
| 2011, 34(1): 57-58 | Alberto C. Riccardi | The 50th Anniversary of the IUGS. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2011/v34i1/009 |
| 2008, 31(1): 185- 192 | Björn Sundquist, et al. | History of Geology in Norden. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2008/v31i1/025 |
| 2004, 27(3): 229- 230 | David Oldroyd | INHIGEO: The International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2004/v27i3/013 |
| 2002, 25(4): 288- 289 | Andrew Skinner | The International Association of Hydrogeologists. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2002/v25i4/014 |
| 2001, 24(3): 182- 193 | Martina Kölbl-Ebert | On the origin of women geologists by means of social selection: German and British comparison. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2001/v24i3/005 |
| 1999, 22(1): 36-40 | Martina Kölbl-Ebert | Observing orogeny — Maria Graham’s account of the earthquake in Chile in 1822. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1999/v22i1/006 |
| 1998, 21(3): 172- 177 | Gerald M. Friedman | Sedimentology and stratigraphy in the 1950s to mid-1980s: The story of a personal perspective. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1998/v21i3/006 |
| 1998, 21(1): 3-10 | Peter J. Wyllie | Hutton and Hall on theory and experiments: the view after 2 centuries. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1998/v21i1/002 |
| 1992, 15(2): 101- 108 | Christy Vodden | 150 years in the history of the Geological Survey of Canada. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1992/v15i2/002 |
| 1991, 14(4): 341- 343 | Allan López | John Graham Ramsay. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1991/v14i4/006 |
| 1990, 13(1): 18-21 | Felix Chayes | Notes on the prehistory and early history of digitized data bases and related information systems in igneous petrology. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1990/v13i1/005 |
| 1989 12(4): 257- 262 | John F. Bookout | Two centuries of fossil fuel energy. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1989/v12i4/005 |
| 1989, 12(3): 184- 189 | Olivier Y. Dottin | The Commission for the Geological Map of the World at cartographic crossroads – The past, Present, and future of an IUGS affiliate responsible for mapping the world. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1989/v12i3/006 |
| 1989, 12(2): 97-100 | Robert W. Boyle | IAGOD: History and Aims-the International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1989/v12i2/008 |
| 1989, 12(1): 3-5 | Manfred Menning | A Synopsis of Numerical Time Scales 1917-1986. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1989/v12i1/002 |
| 1988, 11(1): 3-4 | Gordon Y. Craig, Endre Dudich | International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1988/v11i1/002 |
| 1987, 10(4): 297- 302 | Brian J. Skinner | Changing Thoughts About Mineral Deposits: The 5th to 28th IGC. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1987/v10i4/014 |
| 1987, 10(2): 107- 110 | Francis Saupé | The Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA) https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1987/v10i2/006 |
| 1986, 9(4): 232- 234 | John B.W. Day | The International Association of Hydrogeologists at 30. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1986/v9i4/005 |
| 1986, 9(3): 166- 168 | R.W. Hutchinson | The Society of Economic Geologists. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1986/v9i3/006 |
| 1986, 9(3): 155- 159 | Brian Hitchon | The International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1986/v9i3/004 |
| 1985, 8(4): 231- 235 | Michael G. Bassett | ‘Transition Rocks and Grauwacké’ – The Silurian and Cambrian Systems through 150 Years. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1985/v8i4/002 |
| 1985, 8(4): 252- 256 | Curt Teichert, Ellis L. Yochelson | The International Palaeontological Association: Historical Perspective. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1985/v8i4/005 |
| 1985, 8(3): 169- 172 | Waclaw Ryka, Zbigniew Werner | Ten Centuries of Salt Mining in Poland. https://www.episodes.org/journal/view.html?volume=8&number=3&spage=169&vmd=Full |
| 1979, 2(2): 18-21 | Michael G. Bassett | 100 Years of Ordovician Geology. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1979/v2i2/003 |
| 1979, 2(1): 20-22 | Mary C. Rabbitt | The U.S. Geological Survey at 100. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1979/v2i1/006 |
| 1978, 1(1): 20-23 | James M. Harrison | The Roots of IUGS. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1978/v1i1/005 |
| 1978, 1(1): 3-5 | Gordon Y. Craig | Episodes and engravings: James Hutton and John Clerk. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/1978/v1i1/001 |
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