The Huttonian Model

The Huttonian Model, developed by Scottish geologist James Hutton in the 18th century, proposes that the Earth is much older than previously thought and that its landscape is shaped by slow, gradual processes. Hutton emphasized the importance of erosion, sedimentation, and volcanic activity in geological formation. His key idea, “the present is the key to the past,” suggests that by studying current processes, we can understand the historical development of the Earth. This model laid the groundwork for modern geology and the theory of uniformitarianism, which asserts that the same natural laws and processes we observe today were also key in shaping the Earth’s past.