Presenting... International Geodiversity Day

Presenting... International Geodiversity Day was a temporary exhibit at Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

The first International Geodiversity Day took place on 6 October 2022.

Geodiversity is all around you: it’s the parts of nature that aren’t alive, including everything from minerals and fossils, to soils and spectacular landscapes. Although it may not always be obvious, geodiversity plays an important role in all our lives. It provides resources such as metals and minerals that underpin much building and manufacturing, and rocks themselves break down to form soils, a foundation for the world’s ecosystems and essential to grow the crops we eat. Geodiversity even provides the landscapes we love to explore, supporting our physical and mental health. The specimens in this display highlight some of the amazing geodiversity that can be found across the United Kingdom’s eight UNESCO Global Geoparks. These areas use their internationally important geology to promote education and sustainable economic development. So if you spot something that interests you, why not visit a Geopark to find out more?

Watch the video below to learn more about Geodiversity from researcher Jack Matthews.