"Tony Turner" wrote in message
...
What is the correct word to describe Martian rocks? "Geo-" means earthly.
Study of moon rocks was called selenology, I think. Is there a correct,
official term? If not, it's time to invent one.




Will there be a different word for each planet explored? What about the
rocks on a asteroid?

Maybe they should settle on one word for all off Earth study of rocks.

We might end up exploring Jupiter's moons within one or a few human
lifetimes.

I suggest Washingtonology in honor of George Washington. Or maybe Kirkology
in honor of fictional captain James Kirk or the enterprise. In fact, maybe
since it is science all of earth study of that which we would use the prefix
"Geo" - Geophysics or Geomorphology or Geology - should be Spockology. In
honor of the fictional Science officer of the Enterprise?


The entire world has seen Star Trek and it is a non political show. I think
everything that uses the word "Geo" should just be replaced with the word
"Spock".


An easier way might be just to not worry about the original meaning of "Geo"
and just stick to Geology etc.? Get rid of Selenology. It was a mistake to
open that door.

You could look at it as an investigation of Earth people of these worlds. At
some point there will be an indigenous population of humans on a lot of
these places and they linguistically probably will come up with their own
dialect and then actual differing languages. They can worry about
substituting Geo just as the French try to after the fact get rid of
Americanisms. They will use whatever language they come up with and it will
be yet another AP class for us on Earth to take to master the various words
for Geology.