However, science and the scientific method are the best way to understand the universe we live in. Geologists likewise understand studying the Earth is an ongoing process, beginning with James Hutton ...However, science and the scientific method are the best way to understand the universe we live in. Geologists likewise understand studying the Earth is an ongoing process, beginning with James Hutton who declared the Earth has “…no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end.” Geologists explore the 4.5 billion-year history of Earth, its resources, and its many hazards.