Who first discovered the principles of relative dating?

Question

anonymous · Answer

hello

prakharluv · Answer

The regular order of occurrence of fossils in rock layers was discovered around 1800 by William Smith. While digging the Somerset Coal Canal in southwest England, he found that fossils were always in the same order in the rock layers. As he continued his job as a surveyor, he found the same patterns across England. He also found that certain animals were in only certain layers and that they were in the same layers all across England. Due to that discovery, Smith was able to recognize the order that the rocks were formed. Sixteen years after his discovery, he published a geological map of England showing the rocks of different geologic time eras.

kainui · Answer

I've been dating my relatives for years, I didn't know there were principles...

anonymous · Answer

lolzzz @Kainui

jmark · Answer

The principles of relative dating is first discovered by William Smith Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_dating