Public interest and media attention make this an excellent time to consider contributionsbeing made by researchers in the diverse fields of Earth Science and Human Health. Thisis an exciting expansion of thinking. Those focusing on the natural environment con-sciously include health issues, and the health community increasingly takes into considera-tion the many environmental factors that potentiate disease. A meaningful crossover hasdeveloped as a result of combining these two knowledge areas. The interdisciplinary fieldthat resulted has been given titles such as 'Geology and Health' and 'Medical Geology'. Inthis series of papers, I have chosen to accentuate some of the many ways natural materialscontribute to health and the ability of life forms to cope with, procreate in, and dwell in ter-restrial environments. Not surprisingly, the main focus of this endeavour is the interactionsof humans and natural Earth materials, some of which are indispensible and beneficial,whereas others are hazardous to our longevity. Earth materials and their fundamental rolesin life and health are topics quite appropriate for International Geology Review.
展开▼
