Hutton's theory

Hutton’s theory, known as uniformitarianism, proposes that the Earth's geological features were formed by continuous, natural processes over long periods, rather than by sudden, catastrophic events. He believed that the same processes we observe today—like erosion, sedimentation, and volcanic activity—have been shaping the Earth consistently throughout its history. This idea shifted scientific thought from viewing Earth's history as a series of abrupt changes to understanding it as a slow, ongoing process, allowing us to interpret the Earth's past by studying present-day geological activities.