The word geology was first used in 1778 in the work of Jean Andre De Lue(a swish born scientist who lived at windsor for much of his life as adviser to queen Charlotte) and at much the same time in the work of the scottish chemist James Hutton. Hutton was so sucessful in the field of earth science because of his two important aproach.
1.His interest in geology grew from the observayion he made while travelling and he generally reasoned his observation in the formulation of ideal or hypothesis.
2.Huttons basic assumption was that the past history of the earth can be explain in terms of what is happening now or what was recently happened.