Nicolas Steno (1 January 1638 – 25 November 1686 [NS: 11 January 1638 – 5 December 1686] was a Danish Catholic cleric and scientist who pioneered in both anatomy and geology. By 1659, Steno had decided not to accept a statement as true simply because it was written in a book, but rather to rely on his own research. He is considered the father of geology and stratigraphy. Pope John Paul II beatified Steno in 1988.Source: Here
