Frank Dawson Adams
A foundational Canadian geologist whose pioneering experiments revealed how rocks form deep within the Earth's crust.
1859–1942 (age 83)·Canadian geologist·Birthday: September 17
Biography
Frank Dawson Adams brought the rigorous methods of laboratory science to the ancient puzzle of the Earth's interior. Born in Montreal, he studied in Europe before returning to Canada, where he would spend most of his career at McGill University. Adams was not content with merely observing rocks; he wanted to recreate the conditions that made them. In a pioneering series of experiments, he used massive presses to subject limestone and other materials to immense heat and pressure, simulating the processes of metamorphism. This work provided some of the first experimental proof for how sedimentary rocks transform into marble and other metamorphic forms. His leadership extended beyond the lab, as he served as the longtime dean of McGill's faculty of science and played a key role in mapping the geology of Quebec, helping to identify its mineral wealth.
#1 When Frank Was Born
The biggest hits of 1859
Frank's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1859Born
1864Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1877Could vote
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1880Turned 21
Edison patents the incandescent light bulb
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1889Turned 30
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Turned 40
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 50
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 60
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 70
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 80
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Died at 83
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
Key Achievements
- Conducted landmark experimental geology work, transforming limestone into marble under controlled pressure to model metamorphic processes.
- Served as the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science at McGill University for over twenty years.
- Authored the influential book 'The Birth and Development of the Geological Sciences'.
- Was a primary force in the geological survey of Quebec and a president of the Geological Society of America.
Did You Know?
He was the first Canadian to be elected a Foreign Member of the Geological Society of London.
Adams was an avid book collector whose personal library on the history of geology was considered exceptional.
The mineral 'adamite' is named not for him, but for a different geologist, Gilbert Joseph Adam.
“We must recreate the Earth's depths here in the laboratory to understand them.”
