Thewormgeologicalcommunityowesthe2ndInternationalGeologicalCongress(IGC)Bologna1881(i)theestablishmentofacommondisciplinarylanguage;(ii)agreementonthebasicchronostratigraphicalandchronologicalclassificationandnomenclature;(iii)agreementonthebasicprinciplesfornamingthefossilorganismsfollowingthebinomialnomenclatureandthepriorityrulestartingwithLinnaeus'SystemaNaturae(1776edition);(iv)theestablishmentofpermanentinternationalbodiesliketheInternationalCommissiononNomenclature,whichevolvedintothepresentInternationalCommissiononStratigraphy(ICS),andtheCommitteefortheGeologicalMapofEurope,evolvedtothepresentCommissionfortheGeologicalMapoftheWorld(CGMW);(v)theintroductionofaGeologicalExhibition(thepresentGeoexpo)intimatelyrelatedtotheIGC;(vi)thefirstorganizationofpost-CongressfieldtripsrelatedtotheCongressactivity;(vii)thefreedistributionofpublicationsandmapsspeciallypreparedfortheCongressmembers.ItalyowestheBolognaIGCthefoundationoftheSocietaGeologicaItalianawhichobtainedonsiteimmediateinternationalsubscription.BolognaowesitsIGCtotheopeningofthelafgeGeologicalMuseum(laternamedafterGiovanniCapellini,Chairmanofthe2ndIGC)andthearchaeologicalMuseoCivico.Suchanimpressiveseriesofresultswaspossiblethroughthe“spiritofco-operation”seededatthe1stParisIGC,thetimelyandenthusiastic"organizationaleffortsofCapellini,hisextensivenetworkofforeigncorrespondents,andhissmoothchairmanshipofthesessions.ablyassistedbyQuintinoSella,ThomasSterryHunt,EugeneRenevier,FrancoisFontannes,AugusteDaubreeandJamesHall.Paradoxically,thesuccessandfutureprosperityoftheIGCs,bothbeforeandaftertheestablishmentoftheInternationalUnionofGeologicalSciences(IUGS),wereenhancedbythelimitedgoals,mostlyfocusedontheestablishmentofformalconventions.ItisarguedthattheIGCmustmaintainitsiden
