The Catastrophism theory

Catastrophism is the idea that Earth's landscape and features were shaped primarily by sudden, short-lived, and violent events such as natural disasters, floods, or volcanic eruptions. Proponents believed these dramatic occurrences caused quick changes to the environment, rather than slow, gradual processes. This concept was historically used to explain features like mountains, valleys, and layers of rock. Today, catastrophism is recognized as part of the broader understanding of Earth's history, often seen in conjunction with gradual processes like erosion and plate tectonics.