Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils

Rocks and minerals on and below the surface in Kansas create a varied landscape and provide economic opportunities.

Through fossil finds, geologists and paleontologists piece together evidence of earlier life and landscapes on Earth.

Geoarchaeologists combine geologic and archaeological techniques and research to learn more about when, where, and how early people lived in North America and what natural environments were like during prehistoric times.

In the same way that biologists use categories to identify animals and plants, geologists have created categories such as formations, groups, and members to distinguish one rock layer from another.