History Main / ArtisticLicenseGeology

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** ''Skyrim'''s moonstone is in a similar situation to the malachite — it is fairly close in appearance to the real-life counterpart (a gemstone), but is noticeably more useful for making practical armor.

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* Creator/JulesVerne's ''JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'' (and its many movie remakes and retellings) is a prime example of this. Verne was more concerned with following the RuleOfCool in this book than the current scientific understanding of the interior of the Earth. His narrator in this story, Axel, is a geology student, and is continually [[LampshadeHanging lampshading]] how utterly impossible what they are doing should be, with his explanations being consistent with 19th century geologic theories, and they still stand up pretty well.

* Very common in CthulhuMythos stories. While some elements such as [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10464231/Volcano-raises-new-island-far-south-of-Japan.html islands rising from the sea floor]] might be justified under RuleOfCool, ScienceMarchesOn, and/or [[AWizardDidIt An]] EldritchAbomination [[AWizardDidIt Did It]].

This is the supertrope of CaliforniaCollapse. Compare ArtisticLicenseBiology, ArtisticLicensePhysics. Contrast ShownTheirWork. See also AllNaturalGemPolish.

* ''Film/{{Earthquake}}'' is very guilty of this for the magnitude. The quake in the film hits a 9.9 on the Richter scale, and is judged entirely by the massive damage the quake leaves behind in Los Angeles (something that should actually be left to the Mercalli intensity scale). In real life, not only has a 9.9 earthquake never happened in recorded history (the strongest earthquake ever was 9.4-9.6 in Chile, in May 1960), but it's scientifically impossible for one to strike since rock lacks the capability to build up that much pressure before it gives to the quake. Scientific consensus on the San Andreas Fault (the source for most of L.A.'s quakes) finds that the fault is [[http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/megaqk_facts_fantasy.php very limited in trying to cause a mega-thrust quake]] (quakes at or greater than 8.0 on the Richter scale).

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'': "Turtles at the Earth's Core" has the Turtles meet dinosaurs from "beneath the Earth's core."

* In ''CodeGeass'', when the F.L.E.I.J.A. bomb is deployed it leaves a [[http://codegeass.wikia.com/wiki/F.L.E.I.J.A./ 1300 meter-deep crater]], but the now exposed terrain is uniform and absent of geological layers. It's possible the weapon burns the exposed earth to a uniform appearance, but that appearance is regular soil brown.

* One dinosaur comic has paleontologists find "the most complete T. Rex skeleton ever", and carbon-date it to make sure it's genuine. Carbon dating is not used on objects older than 30,000 years (by then, any radioactive carbon-14 in the sample has decayed to unusable levels).

* The MagicalLand realm of Skartaris in Creator/DCComics' ''TheWarlord'' is located in the center of a HollowWorld Earth as a tribute to the ''Literature/{{Pellucidar}}'' novels of Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs.

* In the miniseries ''[[TenPointFive 10.5]]'', a volcano erupts without any hint of activity and a ground fissure chases a train, and the very title is not possible,[[note]]At least not through normal geological processes. A sufficiently large impact event could produce a 10.5 or higher magnitude earthquake, but then it would also do a lot of other really nasty things to the planet.[[/note]] among many other errors. Immediately following the original airing of ''10.5'' a local news program of the same network showed a bunch of real-life geologists watching ''10.5'' and laughing their heads off.
* In one Steptoe And Son episode, the pair try to hawk a zircon to a half-blind fence as a diamond, figuring that he won't be able to see that it's fake. However, he "tests" it by smashing it with a hammer. This test wouldn't work in reality; a diamond would break at least as easily as a zircon.

* The mines of the ''HarvestMoon'' games. Even discounting the one set in [[ConvectionSchmonvection a semi-active volcano]], you have mines where you can find gold, silver and copper, along with emeralds, rubies, and diamonds ''on the same level''. Older games at least tried to pay lip service to reality by having the precious gems and metals in different mines, but that was abandoned in favor of streamlining.

* Doyle's Literature/SherlockHolmes story "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" misuses the term "carbuncle", as it's actually a term for ''red'' garnets cut in a particular style. It is not clear whether this is a mistake by the author or if the stone in question has acquired a misleading
nickname in-universe.

** This game has a volcano in a limestone cave system. While here's nothing preventing a volcanic intrusion from occurring in an area with caves, which might cause magma to enter the cave system. It would not create an actual volcano, though. Another problem is that because of the presence of the ''hot magma'', the limestone should have recrystallized as marble, or melted to become a calcic igneous rock.
** Unlike most computer games set underground, the trope is averted in the very first version which was a fairly accurate simulation of the real Bedquilt Cave in Kentucky, with a few fantasy elements thrown in. Later versions (including the first complete version, finished by Don Woods) included more fantasy and magic, including the volcano, but the actual cave layout, being described by an experienced caver, is quite accurate to the real place.

For earthquakes, fissures do not chase B actors or swallow entire cities whole without a trace. For volcanoes, outrunning the lava flow in RealLife is as easy as picking up your pace to a brisk walk. Rarely does it move any faster than a few kilometers per hour across open ground; it needs to be constricted to move faster, and then it's a simple matter of walking right or left. On the other hand, you cannot [[OutrunTheFireball Outrun the Pyroclastic Flow]]. Those travel at up to 700 kph and are essentially made of extremely hot rocky air, although you could attempt to get beyond the extent of the flow if you had enough advance warning. Speaking of which, it's not the lava that kills you, it's the [[ConvectionSchmonvection tremendous and far reaching heat.]]

* ArthurConanDoyle's story [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terror_of_Blue_John_Gap The Terror of Blue John Gap]] has the semi-precious stone [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derbyshire_Blue_John Blue John]] occurring in the wrong part of Derbyshire.
** His Literature/SherlockHolmes story "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" mis-uses the term "carbuncle", as it's actually a term for ''red'' garnets cut in a particular style. Possibly an in-universe example, if the stone in question had acquired a misleading nickname.

* The first InteractiveFiction game ''ColossalCave'' has a volcano in a limestone cave system.
** Depending on how the "volcano" is described, it could be possible. There's nothing preventing a volcanic intrusion from occurring in an area with caves, which might cause magma to enter the cave system. It would not create an actual volcano, though.
*** Another problem is that because of the presence of the ''hot magma'', the limestone should have recrystallized as marble, or melted to become a calcic igneous rock.
** This one does depend on the version, however. The very first version (which was far from finished) had fewer fantasy elements and was more a straight simulation of the real Bedquilt Cave in Kentucky, but later versions (including the first complete version, finished by Don Woods) included more fantasy and magic, including the volcano. The actual cave layout, being described by an experienced caver, is quite accurate to the real place.

* If it's an original movie on SyFy, accuracy is the very least of their concerns.

* Lots of games have "diamond" weapons or armor, assuming that since diamond is hard, it must be very durable. In fact, diamond crystals have perfect cleavage in four directions and are therefore quite brittle: ''scratching'' a diamond is hard, but ''breaking'' it is not.
** An exception is ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', where the ''Normandy'' can be upgraded with armor composed of carbon nanotube sheets interwoven with diamond [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_vapor_deposition chemical vapor deposition]], crushed into dense layers which compensate for diamond's brittleness.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', Corundum is depicted as a greenish ore that can be smelted into opaque dark gold ingots. Real Life Corundum is a crystalline form of aluminum oxide best known as "Sapphire" and "Ruby" when they are gem-quality. If you were to melt it, it'd turn into alumina, which is white.
** On the other hand, it may not be corundum as we understand it. For reference, the game also has ebony and glass as armor and weapon materials, both of which ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' explains as volcanic minerals instead of (in our world) wood and silicon dioxide.

* ''{{Volcano}}'' has the titular feature pop out of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles- while the area is tectonically active, the faults are not the type that generate volcanoes, being too far below the surface. The LA Basin as a whole has no volcanic features newer than a couple dozen million years.

* The volcano part of TheMovie of ''{{Congo}}'' had many geologic sins (diamonds in basalt, etc), but often gets faulted for one part that was actually accurate; the speed of the flow. The Congo is the only place in the world where lava actually can move at freeway speeds due to its consistency (think mud bath, only it would melt your face instead of cleansing your pores).

* Very common in CthulhuMythos stories. While some elements such as islands rising from the sea floor might be justified under RuleOfCool, ScienceMarchesOn, and/or [[AWizardDidIt An]] EldritchAbomination [[AWizardDidIt Did It]].

** Not only is it not used, but in most objects that old there's no carbon left; it's been completely mineralized.

** Not only is it not used, but in objects that old there's no carbon left; it's been completely mineralized.

* One dinosaur comic has paleontologists find "the most complete T. Rex skeleton ever", and carbon-date it to make sure it's genuine. Carbon dating is not used on objects older than 30,000 years.

You've SeenItAMillionTimes. A DisasterMovie features an earthquake, volcano or some other ground-based phenomenon and does it in a relatively entertaining way. Then the FridgeLogic hits that Geology Does Not Work That Way!

* ''DantesPeak'', a [[DuelingMovies dueling movie]] with ''Volcano'', made more of an attempt to be accurate but still pick and chose things to be dramatic (the USGS has a detailed response somewhere.) For example, there is fluid lava during what is otherwise a large explosive eruption, (the two are exclusive), and there's a pyroclastic cloud chase scene where the vehicle has way too little lead time.

** His SherlockHolmes story "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" mis-uses the term "carbuncle", as it's actually a term for ''red'' garnets cut in a particular style. Possibly an in-universe example, if the stone in question had acquired a misleading nickname.

** His SherlockHolmes story "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" mis-uses the term "carbuncle", as it's actually a term for red garnets cut in a particular style. Possibly an in-universe example, if the stone in question had acquired a misleading nickname.

For earthquakes, fissures do not chase B actors or swallow entire cities whole without a trace. For volcanoes, outrunning the lava flow in RealLife is as easy as picking up your pace to a brisk walk. Rarely does it move any faster than a few kilometers per hour across open ground; it needs to be constricted to move faster, and then it's a simple matter of walking right or left. On the other hand, you cannot [[OutrunTheFireball Outrun the Pyroclastic Flow]]. Those travel at up to 700 KPH and are essentially made of extremely hot rocky air, although you could attempt to get beyond the extent of the flow if you had enough advance warning. Speaking of which, it's not the lava that kills, you, it's the [[ConvectionSchmonvection tremendous and far reaching heat.]]