Human interest in geology can be traced back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages,but modern geology as a research subject is more recent following the influential volumes of Principles of Geology by Lyell[1]in the 1830s,which emphasized processes that may have caused geological observations.In the latter half of the last century,our understanding of the principal processes controlling Earth evolution underwent a paradigm change with the development of the theory of plate tectonics.As noted by Frankel[2],the plate tectonics theory can be considered alongside the theories of evolution in the Life Sciences and of quantum mechanics in Physics in terms of its fundamental importance to our scientific understanding of the world.However,like evolution and quantum mechanics,much in our understanding of Earth processes remains to be resolved.For example,the Earth's present-day surface motions are well known.
美国科学院院士William R. Dickinson教授是享誉世界的地质学家.他被誉为板块构造理论的先行者,开创了沉积大地构造学科,推动了板块构造理论的建立和发展.他架起了地质学与考古学的桥梁,为恢复大洋洲岛屿人类的迁徙过程提供了关键证据.文章通过对Dickinson教授的生平介绍及其主要学术成就解读,探讨其取得巨大成就的原因,冀望为中国科学家(尤其是地质学家)的成长提供借鉴和启示.
