Principle of Uniformitarianism

The Principle of Uniformitarianism states that the natural processes we observe today, like erosion and volcanic activity, have been shaping the Earth in the same way throughout its history. This means that understanding current geological processes helps us interpret Earth's past. Essentially, the Earth's features are formed by gradual, consistent processes over long periods, rather than by sudden, extraordinary events. This principle is fundamental in geology because it allows scientists to piece together Earth's history based on observable phenomena happening now.