Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess brings us a beautiful tale of her time spent exploring the wonders of Tibet, and how she unraveled her path to geology. Listen as she shares memories of her father and how his connection to his daughter led Jess to embark on a trip through the mountains of Tibet as a young graduate student. From this incredible experience, Jess is now able to explain some of the complex geology that characterizes the Himalayas, one of the most famous mountain ranges in the world. Join Jess for the most thrilling and moving episode of Storybook Earth yet, as Season 1 comes to a dramatic end in the mountains of Tibet.

Resources associated with this episode:

Kapp, P., and Peter G. DeCelles, 2019, Mesozoic-Cenozoic geological evolution of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen and working tectonic hypotheses. American Journal of Science March 2019, 319 (3) 159-254.

Kapp, Jessica L.D., T. Mark Harrison, Paul Kapp, Marty Grove, Oscar M. Lovera, and Ding Lin, 2005, The Nyainqentanglha Shan: A window into the tectonic, thermal, and geochemical evolution of the Lhasa block, southern Tibet. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 110, Issue B8.

Host Information: Jess Kapp is an associate professor of practice in the geosciences department at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and a member of the Geology Podcast Network. Her research background is in using geochronology to better understand magma dynamics and tectonics. She is also deeply involved in geoscience education, particularly general education for non-science majors, and is dedicated to accessible and inclusive teaching. She enjoys the outdoors, travel, and spending time with her family. She is also the host of the podcast Plucky Ladies, an exploration of female curiosity, perseverance, and feats of excellence, available on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and her website. As a member of the Geology Podcast Network, she promotes earth science education and enjoys sharing her love of the Earth. Find Jess on Facebook, UofAZ, and Twitter.

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess unravels the amazing geologic history of the Grand Canyon! If you have never been to this incredible geologic wonder before, then this episode is the perfect place to begin. Jess leads you through time as if you were walking the Canyon yourself. She also details a few spectacular must-see lookouts as well as some of the current geological investigations surrounding the mysteries of the Grand Canyon rocks. This is an episode you don’t want to miss, so join us for a trek through time in this week’s Storybook Earth.

Resources associated with this episode:

Gehrels, George E., Ron Blakey, Karl E. Karlstrom, J. Michael Timmons, Bill Dickinson, and Mark Pecha, 2011, Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology of Paleozoic strata in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. LITHOSPHERE; v. 3; no. 3; p. 183–200. doi: 10.1130/L121.1

National Park Service Grand Canyon Website

Host Information: Jess Kapp is an associate professor of practice in the geosciences department at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and a member of the Geology Podcast Network. Her research background is in using geochronology to better understand magma dynamics and tectonics. She is also deeply involved in geoscience education, particularly general education for non-science majors, and is dedicated to accessible and inclusive teaching. She enjoys the outdoors, travel, and spending time with her family. She is also the host of the podcast Plucky Ladies, an exploration of female curiosity, perseverance, and feats of excellence, available on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and her website. As a member of the Geology Podcast Network, she promotes earth science education and enjoys sharing her love of the Earth. Find Jess on Facebook, UofAZ, and Twitter.

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess shares the stories of zircons and why they have become a cornerstone of geochronology, or, the study of geologic aging. Find out how Jess discovered her passion for zircon geochronology, what zircons are, where you can find them, and why they can be compared to the rings of a tree. You’ll be surprised how much tree rings, clocks, and rocks have in common in this intriguing episode of Storybook Earth.

Resources associated with this episode:

Arizona Laserchron Center, University of Arizona

Host Information: Jess Kapp is an associate professor of practice in the geosciences department at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and a member of the Geology Podcast Network. Her research background is in using geochronology to better understand magma dynamics and tectonics. She is also deeply involved in geoscience education, particularly general education for non-science majors, and is dedicated to accessible and inclusive teaching. She enjoys the outdoors, travel, and spending time with her family. She is also the host of the podcast Plucky Ladies, an exploration of female curiosity, perseverance, and feats of excellence, available on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and her website. As a member of the Geology Podcast Network, she promotes earth science education and enjoys sharing her love of the Earth. Find Jess on Facebook, UofAZ, and Twitter.