May 2017

Highest Aviation Alert Level Issued After Alaskan Volcano Erupts

A code red aviation alert was issued shortly after, but was later brought back down to orange Alaska volcano erupts fo…

Gnat in Amber Raises Questions About India’s Tectonic History

Palaeognoriste orientale, a new species of Lygistorrhinidae in Indian amber, which has its closest relatives in European …

Why is Red Beryl So Rare?

Why is Red Beryl So Rare. Cut hydrothermal bixbite (Red Beryl) Photo by Robert Weldon. Designated the world's…

How Did Dinosaurs Evolve Into Birds?

Comparison between the air sacs of Majungasaurus and a bird (duck) Tohoku University researchers and their internatio…

China Successfully Mines Flammable Ice From the South Sea

Methane hydrate, or 'flammable ice', is a highly energy-intensive fuel source After nearly two decades of r…

The Different Beryl Varieties

The Different Beryl Varieties Beryl: The Gem Mineral of Emerald, Aquamarine, Morganite Beryl i…

The Birth and Death of a Tectonic Plate

Cross-sectional view of Earth, showing mantle, convection currents, and plate motion Several hundred miles off the Pac…

How Do You Grow Such Beautiful Copper and Silver Crystals?

First we start with an electrolytic refining cell. This kind of cell is generally used to refine silver, copper, and …

Researchers Discover Hottest Lavas Erupted in 2.5 Billion Years

X-ray chemical maps of olivines of the Tortugal Suite that record extremely hot crystallization temperatures. Image taken…

The Rarest Natural Element on Earth

The Rarest Natural Element on Earth. This mineral, Autunite, appears in my Photographic Periodic Table Poster represent…

What Is the Difference Between Moonstone and Opalite?

It's really pretty easy to tell if something is Opalite which is just glass, and not a gemstone or if it's Moonstone…

Where to Find Gold in the United States

Where to Find Gold in the United States 10 Places Where You Can Still Pan for Gold in Your Family Vacation Naturally …