Inkblot slabs? Folded rocks? We are looking at a meeting between geology and architectural design! Each slab is actually made of four panels, because shipping a giant chunk of rock full-size would be… well, a logistical nightmare. So instead, the stone is cut, then mirrored, like opening a book, to create those eye-catching, symmetrical patterns.
Think: Some panels are mirrored horizontally, others vertically. Can you spot which is which?
Now, take a closer look. These slabs aren’t just pretty, they’re packed with geological clues. The minerals, colours, textures, and patterns tell us how each rock was formed, whether it was baked deep underground, squished by tectonic forces, or even laid down in the ocean or an ancient riverbed. Geologists use these clues to figure out all sorts of things, such as how strong the rock is (good to know before building a tunnel), how it deformed under pressure, directions and strengths of forces within the ground millions of years ago, and so on. All this increases our understanding of how continents and landscapes formed; knowledge that is applied in the search for minerals, construction projects, natural hazard mitigation and more. A few of these slabs also contain fossils, like #20 and #21. These hint at long-lost ecosystems and creatures.
Where did all these stones come from? Good question. Stone suppliers don’t always share exact locations (trade secrets!), but these 21 slabs come from quarries across Canada, the U.S., Europe, India, and Brazil. It’s a world tour of geology – without leaving campus.
Think: Before going further, where might you see people using beautifully polished stone slabs like these? Indoors? Outdoors? Large scale? Small scale? People have been using stones since the earliest civilizations.
Learn more: Courses for any UBC student include EOSC 110, The Solid Earth: A Dynamic Planet and EOSC 311, The Earth and its Resources.
Learn even more: You will gain all the skills and knowledge about rocks, minerals, Earth’s history and more by taking courses such as EOSC 220, Introductory Mineralogy, EOSC 221, Introductory Petrology, EOSC 222, Geological Time and Stratigraphy and many others.
All EOSC courses are listed at https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/undergrads/courses-registration/all-courses.
Continue to learn about each of these beautiful and intriguing slabs of rock.