The Big Blue Rock Pod

"I'm a 4.567 billion-year-old planet with a rich history, constantly evolving, and always open to new experiences. You should leave a message if you like cheese and would like to discuss it further..."

This month Matt, Sarah, and Doug discuss it further with UK Earth and Environmental Science professor Dave Moecher. Take a listen to their chat about the age of the Earth, the oldest rocks on earth, meteorites, petro-tectonics, terrane orogens, radiometric dating, zircons, and much more!

This Halloween, step into Kentucky's spooky side with Matt, Sarah, and Doug as they explore eerie place names, reveal the surprising history of Transylvania, and uncover the haunting tale of Floyd Collins – the legendary cave explorer whose fateful journey into the depths became one of the state's most gripping stories.

September is National Bourbon Heritage Month and it's a celebration of bourbon as America's "Native Spirit". Check out one of our favorite episodes, Bourbon and Geology, where we discuss the link between Kentucky geology and all things bourbon. Fun fact, the episode's guest, Mike McGlue, is now the new Director of the Kentucky Geological Survey and the Kentucky State Geologist.

In case you lost your old CD or iTouch, Matt, Sarah, and Doug bring back to life an OLD KyGeocast that is a guided tour of Lexington’s McConnell Springs. McConnell Springs is a city park near downtown Lexington famous for its exposure of karst features such as springs and caves, but also as the founding site of the city.

Matt, Sarah, and Doug talk to KGS geologist Ben Tobin about all things hydrology. They discuss karst hydrogeology, the water cycle, dye tracing, water usage, integrated hydrologic modeling, the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, water data dissemination, student mentoring, climate change, and much more!

Matt, Sarah, and Doug talk about KGS summer activities including the Potter Internship, an Appalachian Karst Hydrogeology Workshop, and participation in the Association of American State Geologists meeting in Utah. They discuss all things state surveys, the first female state geologist, Utah geology, field trips, Snowbird, seismic base isolators, landslides, and much more!

Matt, Sarah, and Doug sit down with KGS carbonate and mineral geologist Gina Lukoczki about carbonate petrology, critical minerals, rare earth elements (REEs), tools to assess REEs, the KY fluorspar district, rotten dikes, renewed interest in KGS core, the KGS Mineral Resources Information Map, and much more!

Matt, Sarah, and Doug discuss all things engineering geology with UK Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences professor Sarah Johnson. They talk about engineering geology expertise, site investigations, geology-engineer jokes, terminology for geologists and engineers, engineering geology training, landslides, and the motivation for more applied geology.

Matt, Sarah, and Doug talk with KGS geologist Marty Parris about hydrocarbon reservoir geochemistry, water and rock interactions, brines, carbon storage, Kentucky’s orphaned oil and gas wells and much more!

Matt, Sarah, and Doug answer questions submitted from listeners, members of the general public, and attendees at the KGS Open House. The trio discusses the Findlay Arch, Kyrock, lack of dinosaur bones in Kentucky, oldest specimen in the KGS lobby, quicksand, world water total, cool places to hike, and more!