Mattia Pistone hails from a lineage of medical practitioners. Raised in Italy, he presumed he would follow in their footsteps. However, during high school, he enrolled in a course on geographical astronomy that altered his perspective.

Geographical astronomy is a segment of mathematical geography that examines planets and other solid entities in the cosmos, including Earth and its volcanic formations. Pistone returned home from that class and informed his grandmother of his decision to pursue geology instead of human physiology.

His grandmother was not amused.

“‘You’re a fool,’” Pistone remembered her playfully saying to him. His entire family was taken aback by his choice to abandon the medical field.

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