What is the scientific study and exploration of caves called?

The scientific study and exploration of caves is called speleology.

Speleology examines caves and related karst environments, including their formation, structure, water systems, climate, history, and biological communities. The term comes from Greek roots commonly translated as “cave” and “study.” Because caves involve many kinds of evidence, speleology draws on geology, hydrology, biology, archaeology, and environmental science.

Exploration is part of the field, but speleology is not simply recreational caving. Caving may be undertaken for adventure or exercise, while speleologists document passages, map underground systems, analyze minerals and sediments, and study specialized cave organisms. Some people combine scientific work with technical exploration.

A related term is speleothem, the name for mineral deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites. “Geology” is broader, and “hydrology” focuses on water; neither precisely names the interdisciplinary study of caves. A scientist who specializes in this work is a speleologist.