Erosion is the geological process that describes the gradual wearing away of Earth's surface materials by natural agents. This process involves the detachment and transportation of soil, rock, and sediment, fundamentally shaping topography over vast timescales. Primary agents of erosion include running water, such as rivers and runoff, which carry sediment through fluvial action; wind, which transports materials through aeolian processes; and glacial ice, which scrapes and plucks material from the landscape. The rate and pattern of erosion are controlled by the underlying geology, the resistance of the material to weathering, and the intensity of the transporting agent. Differential erosion, where varying material types wear away at different rates, is responsible for the formation of dramatic landforms, including canyons, gorges, and coastal bluffs.