Beautiful images provide an excellent medium to communicate scientific concepts, since a lot of geological information can be stored in a photograph. Here I collected some of my favourite geological pictures, ranging from gigantic folds seen from an airplane (yes, I am THE person always moving from one side to the other of the airplane...sorry) to fossils witnessing the first signs of life on Earth, to images of minerals as seen under the microscope. Observations on such different scales are routinely integrated when trying to understand the dynamics of our planet. Enjoy the view!

Aoraki/ Mt.Cook (3754m), the highest peak of New Zealand, seen from its dry east side. Clouds are piling up on the western side of the divide, along the horizon.