ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY
ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY
Uniformitarianism
Uniformitarianism
The principle of uniformitarianism says that the present is the key to the past. This principle has had a profound impact on the science of geology.
Grades
5 - 8
Subjects
Earth Science, Geology
Image
James Hutton
Along with Charles Lyell, James Hutton developed the concept of uniformitarianism. He believed Earth's landscapes like mountains and oceans formed over long period of time through gradual processes.
Photograph by SSPL/Getty Images; mezzotint by J.R. Smith; original by R. Cosway
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Last Updated
October 19, 2023
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