Constructed in 1896, the obelisk, also called the polylith, stands 32.7 feet high and weighs 53.4 tons. This "pile of rocks" was created the same year the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (formerly the School of Mines) at The Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA, came into existence. A plaque on the monument reads as follows: "Containing 281 stones arranged in natural geologic order, this monument was erected in 1896 under supervision of Professors T.C. Hopkins and M.C. Ihlseng, School of Mines, The Pennsylvania State College, to demonstrate weathering properties and subsequent value of Pennsylvania building stone."
This image was taken at the Barree Road outcrop in Alexandria, PA. It is an open inclined fold and the shale layers act as a slip plane for the sandstone layers.
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia has a new exhibit, Dinosaurs Unearthed, running from October 12, 2013 to March 30, 2014. This exhibit features more than a dozen life-size animatronic dinosaurs, as well as skeletons, fossils, and much more.
A life-size Tyrannosaurus rex (pictured here) welcomes you outside the Academy. The long neck of the Ruyangosaurus towers over the Art of Science Gallery. Inside the exhibit, get up close with a microraptor, a Triceratops, a Velociraptor, and more. The exhibit also contains a dig site for young paleontologists, a Dino Detective touch-screen quiz, chances to control dinosaur movements, and other activities to encourage exciting hands-on exploration.
Pine Creek Gorge, sometimes called The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is a 47-mile (76 km) gorge carved by Pine Creek in Pennsylvania. It sits in about 160,000 acres (650 km2) of the Tioga State Forest and is ~1,280 ft (427 m) from the rim to its deepest point. The brown pathway to the right and parallel to Pine Creek is a Rail Trail. TrailLink information on the Pine Creek Rail Trail.
For additional information, read this excellent article in Geotimes titled Pine Creek Gorge: The other Grand Canyon. The article contains a description of how the glacial history of the region changed the direction of flow in Pine Creek.
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) was utilized for an investigation at Cumberland Cemetery in Lima, PA, to identify the grave sites of unmarked burials in this historic cemetery. For a summary of the study results, please see Eileen Fresta's undergraduate honors thesis on A Study of the Cumberland Cemetery in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania. This video by GSSI gives a good overview of GPR and its applications.
Rattlesnake Rock is a recreational stop along the Pine Creek Rail Trail. This spot has an excellent view of some fluvial features, such as these sand bars that have accumulated in Pine Creek.
The Centre Furnace site includes the Centre Furnace Mansion, furnace stack (pictured here), and surrounding eight acres. This National Register site represents the 18th century beginnings of the charcoal iron industry in this area and a small portion of the late 18th-century ironmaking village once located here.
Light fog hangs over Oil Creek, just south of Titusville in Oil Creek State Park. The park is home to several waterfalls and over fifty miles of hiking trails, in addition to providing a historical perspective on the early petroleum industry.
This photo was taken during a program offered by the Tiadaghton State Forest staff, titled "Marcellus Shale and Natural Gas Development on Pennsylvania State Forest Lands." The program was part of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers Eastern Section Conference. These wellheads, nicknamed Christmas trees, are on a pad in the Tiadaghton State Forest. Visit the PA DCNR website to learn morem about Natural Gas Development and State Forests.
PAESTA is funded by the National Science Foundation:
