Untitled Long Island Glacial Geology Long Island was formed by glaciers during the Pleistocene epoch. The most recent glacier to shape the surface of Long Island occurred approximately twenty two thousand years ago. At that time, humans inhabited North America, although there is no evidence of humans co-existing with glaciers in the Long Island area. Despite Long Island being one of the more populated areas in the United States, its geologic history has only been sporadically studied. Only recently, a whole new thinking has developed surrounding the formation of the very backbones of Long Island, called the moraines.
Some geologists say the moraines are composed of the debris that washed off the glacier.
More recently, other geologists have discovered evidence that instead of flowing debris, parts of the moraines are composed of sediments that have been pushed in front of the advancing glacier, much like a bulldozer pushes soil into piles. The origin of the moraines is only one question posed on the origin on Long Island's Landscape. Because of the crucial role glaciers have played in the formation of Long Island, there are many intriguing questions that can be asked. All these questions can be answered by doing research. Some projects that can help answer these questions are briefly described below.