This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Happy Valentine's Day to those who celebrate it, and happy Half-Price Candy Eve to those who don't! Let's take a break from earthquakes and volcanoes oh my and play with some sparkly things instead. We've investigated the geology behind a lot of shinies over the years.
On a day that's ostensibly all about romance, what could be more romantic than the story of the beautiful necklace that Rose gave to the ocean that froze her lover Jack to death? Discover the truth about the Heart of the Ocean, and the geologic processes that created its lovely central stone.
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Forged in Cosmic Furnaces: The Geology of the Seahawks Super Bowl Rings (Prologue)
Now that we've got the romantic stuff out of the way, let's go back to the very beginning. See where geology and the elements that make up all of the shiny things it creates were born!
Grown in Hot Rock Depths: The Geology of the Seahawks Super Bowl Rings Part I
Discover the origin of those most romanticized stones: diamonds. They go deeper than you might think...
Diamonds: Tears of the Gods
The story of diamonds continues! Herein, we explore the remarkable volcanoes that bring these deep stones to the surface.
The Astonishing Origin of Garnets in Rhyolite
The Glories of Garnet Mica Schist
Finding pretty semi-precious gemstones in a store is great, but finding them in the wild is super great. Finding out how they formed is extra super great.
The Prettiest Rock: Blueschist Edition
This amazing metamorphic stone has garnets in it, and so much more! The story of how the Earth makes it is truly intense.
The Origin of Amethysts May Leave You Tingly
Amethyst is basically a superhero version of quartz, people. Here's its origin story. And according to the ancients, this is exactly the gemstone you need to prevent a morning of regret after a night of celebrating with wine.
Aquamarine: A Neptunian Stone's Plutonic Origin Story
This sea-colored gemstone has a surprisingly hot genesis.
Tiger's Eye: A Deceptive Delight
Semi-precious gemstones deserve some love today, too! Here's one of my faves: a tawny brown beauty that shimmers with a cat-like gleam. You might be rather astonished to find out what it's made from.
Fool's gold is endlessly pretty, and has quite a remarkable history. But perhaps the most surprising fact about it is that it's not completely fooling about gold...
Oceans of Ore: How an Undersea Caldera Eruption Created Jerome, Arizona
Where would gemstones be without precious metals to set them in? Here's how a rich and wonderful ore body formed, long ago, when part of the land that became Arizona was deep under the ocean, and also the site of a gargantuan volcanic eruption.
I hope you enjoyed that tour through pretty, shiny things. May your day sparkle!
Credit: Dana Hunter