Nature of the Work Geologists study the physical aspects and history of the earth. They identify and examine rocks, study information collected by remote sensing instruments in satellites, conduct geological surveys, construct maps, and use instruments to measure the earth's gravity and magnetic field. They also analyze information collected through seismic prospecting, which involves bouncing sound waves off buried rock layers.
Many geologists search for oil, natural gas, minerals, and underground water.
Increasingly, geologists, geophysicists, geochemists and other earth scientists are becoming known as geological scientists or geoscientists, terms which better describe their role in studying all aspects of the earth. Geoscientists play an increasingly important part in studying, preserving, and cleaning up the environment. Many design and monitor waste disposal sites, preserve water supplies, and reclaim contaminated land and water to comply with stricter Federal environmental rules. They also help locate safe sites for hazardous waste facilities and landfills. Geologists examine chemical and physical properties of specimens in laboratories, sometimes under controlled temperature and pressure.