This Walk is through Time EarthCache
This Walk is through Time
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This is not a typical Geocache. There is no container to find and no physical log to sign at the coordinates. Rather, they will bring you to the beginning of the Geologic Time Scale Walk at Kent State University – Stark Campus. To log this Earthcache, you must gather information as you walk along the paved pathway and email me the answers to the questions asked at the bottom of the page. If you do not send me the correct answers within 5 days of logging this cache, I will have to delete your log. There is plentiful free visitor parking at KSU – Stark scattered throughout the campus with plenty of signs to point the way.
The lesson of this Earthcache is simple: to understand the difference in a tangible way between the length of the history of the earth and of humankind. When we think of our own human history we think of the American Revolution as a very long time ago. The so-called Middle Ages were a thousand years ago, and anything from five thousand years ago is considered Ancient History. But what does that really mean when compared to the history of the earth itself? Dinosaurs are sometimes called nature’s biggest mistake, but how long did they rule the earth compared to Homo sapiens?
There are informative signs along the way to teach you about three major geologic eras: Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. The walk ends with The Ice Ages and Beyond. Smaller signposts along the way break the eras down into periods and provide illustrations of the evolution of the landscape, flora, and fauna of our planet.
You start with a walk down a hill. When you reach the pond, turn left, ignoring the signs in front of the pagoda—they are at the end of your journey, you must first circle the pond in a clockwise fashion.
Your tasks:
1. Glean a little information about Ohio’s Geology from the signs—
Mesozoic: Why aren’t any rocks from this era found in Ohio?
Cenozoic: What deposited the only rocks from this era to be found in Ohio?
If you like—share your own favorite fact in the log for other cachers to see, what surprised you the most as you did this tour through time?
2. Tell me what this site has to teach about geologic time—
At the first sign "Take a Walk through Time": This Time Walk covers the history of the earth from the Explosion of Life onwards. If the formation of the planet before that point in time had been added, how much longer would the Time Walk have been? Round up and use .5 miles for the Time Walk in your calculations.
The dinosaurs ruled the earth during the Mesozoic era--walk from the Triassic sign to the sign for the Cretaceous period. How many steps did you take?
The Cenozoic era is called the Age of Mammals—walk from the Paleocene sign to the Pleistocene sign. How many steps did you take?
The Ice Ages and Beyond: How many steps would you need to take to cover the length of modern human history?
Compare all the answers here--what conclusions can you draw about geologic time?
3. This is totally optional: Post a picture of yourself and/or your GPSer at whichever of the smaller signs strikes your fancy.
Email me the answers to these questions--don't post them in your log (except the optional question for the first task), even if encrypted.
***** Congratulations to familyseekers for FTF! *****
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)