Hutton, James

James Hutton (1726-1797) was a Scottish geologist, often referred to as the "father of modern geology." He is best known for proposing the theory of uniformitarianism, which suggests that the Earth's features were shaped by continuous and uniform processes over vast periods of time, rather than by sudden, catastrophic events. His observations of rock formations and natural processes led him to conclude that the Earth is much older than previously believed. Hutton’s work laid the foundation for understanding geological time, influencing later scientists like Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin in their studies of Earth and evolution.