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Animals
- All About Aardvarks – Lesson
- All About Aardvarks – Quiz
- Babirusa – What a Pig! – Lesson
- Babirusa – What a Pig! – Quiz
- The Chimpanzee – The Nearly Human Primate – Lesson
- The Chimpanzee – The Nearly Human Primate – Quiz
- The Donkey – The Intelligent Yet Stubborn Animal – Lesson
- The Donkey – The Intelligent Yet Stubborn Animal – Quiz
- Electric Eels – Shocking Details – Lesson
- Electric Eels – Shocking Details – Quiz
- Ferrets – Playful, Fun-Loving Animals – Lesson
- Ferrets – Playful, Fun-Loving Animals – Quiz
- Giraffe – The Tallest Living Land Animal – Lesson
- Giraffe – The Tallest Living Land Animal – Quiz
- The Hedgehog – Lesson
- The Hedgehog – Quiz
- Iguanas – The “Chickens of the Tree” – Lesson
- Iguanas – The “Chickens of the Tree” – Quiz
- Jaguar – The Largest Cat on the American Continent – Lesson
- Jaguar – The Largest Cat on the American Continent – Quiz
- Koala – Not Koala Bear – Lesson
- Koala – Not Koala Bear – Quiz
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Space and Astronomy
- Mars: Just the Beginning? – Lesson
- Mars: Just the Beginning? – Quiz
- Six Billion ‘Earth-like’ Planets in the Milky Way Galaxy? – Lesson
- Six Billion ‘Earth-like’ Planets in the Milky Way Galaxy? – Quiz
- Did NASA Scientists Find Another Universe? – Lesson
- Did NASA Scientists Find Another Universe? – Quiz
- A New Planet Was Discovered – And Old Theories Must Change – Lesson
- A New Planet Was Discovered – And Old Theories Must Change – Quiz
- SpaceX Completes First Civilian Trip to Space – Lesson
- SpaceX Completes First Civilian Trip to Space – Quiz
- First Movie Filmed in Space Successful – Lesson
- First Movie Filmed in Space Successful – Quiz
- James Webb Telescope Heads to Deep Space – Lesson
- James Webb Telescope Heads to Deep Space – Quiz
- A Lot Is Happening on and Around the Moon – Lesson
- A Lot Is Happening on and Around the Moon – Quiz
- First-Ever Picture Taken of the Milky Way’s Black Hole – Lesson
- First-Ever Picture Taken of the Milky Way’s Black Hole – Quiz
- First James Webb Telescope Images Revealed – Lesson
- First James Webb Telescope Images Revealed – Quiz
- Buzz Aldrin Sells Jacket from the Moon Landing – Lesson
- Buzz Aldrin Sells Jacket from the Moon Landing – Quiz
- Humans at Home on the Moon – Could It Really Happen in This Decade? – Lesson
- Humans at Home on the Moon – Could It Really Happen in This Decade? – Quiz
- Winter on Mars – Lesson
- Winter on Mars – Quiz
- Pictures of Mars Show Hidden Figures – Lesson
- Pictures of Mars Show Hidden Figures – Quiz
- Jupiter and Venus Appear to ‘Kiss’ – Lesson
- Jupiter and Venus Appear to ‘Kiss’ – Quiz
- The James Webb Telescope Finds Six Ancient Galaxies – Lesson
- The James Webb Telescope Finds Six Ancient Galaxies – Quiz
- Would an EpiPen Work in Space? – Lesson
- Would an EpiPen Work in Space? – Quiz
- Satellite Spots Earth’s Second Moon? – Lesson
- Satellite Spots Earth’s Second Moon? – Quiz
- Space Mining – The Race is On and China is Leading – Lesson
- Space Mining – The Race is On and China is Leading – Quiz
- How Did Gold and Platinum Arrive on Earth – Lesson
- How Did Gold and Platinum Arrive on Earth – Quiz
- Odysseus Has Found Its New Home – Lesson
- Odysseus Has Found Its New Home – Quiz
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The Environment
- Red Tide: No Fun in the Florida Sun – Lesson
- Red Tide: No Fun in the Florida Sun – Quiz
- Leaded Gas Eradicated from the World, Says United Nations – Lesson
- Leaded Gas Eradicated from the World, Says United Nations – Quiz
- COVID Plastic Waste: A Big Problem for Oceans – Lesson
- COVID Plastic Waste: A Big Problem for Oceans – Quiz
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Archaeology and Paleontology
- Ancient Human Species Discovered – Lesson
- Ancient Human Species Discovered – Quiz
- Biblical City of Sodom Found in the Jordan Valley? – Lesson
- Biblical City of Sodom Found in the Jordan Valley? – Quiz
- Antarctic Explorer’s Ship Found After a Century – Lesson
- Antarctic Explorer’s Ship Found After a Century – Quiz
- Newly Found Diary Shows How Ancient Egyptians Built the Pyramids – Lesson
- Newly Found Diary Shows How Ancient Egyptians Built the Pyramids – Quiz
- Study Shows ‘Apocalyptic Dust’ Might Have Killed the Dinosaurs – Lesson
- Study Shows ‘Apocalyptic Dust’ Might Have Killed the Dinosaurs – Quiz
- Ancient Celestial Calendar Found in a 2,000-Year-Old Tomb – Lesson
- Ancient Celestial Calendar Found in a 2,000-Year-Old Tomb – Quiz
- Hiker Stumbles Upon Ancient Fossils While Hiking in Italy – Lesson
- Hiker Stumbles Upon Ancient Fossils While Hiking in Italy – Quiz
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Technology
- 3 Reasons to Protect Your Online Privacy – Lesson – VIDEO
- The Rise of Deepfakes – Lesson
- The Rise of Deepfakes – Quiz
- A New Mayflower Voyage, Captained by AI Technology – Lesson
- A New Mayflower Voyage, Captained by AI Technology – Quiz
- The Latest Supercomputer Is Breaking Speed Barriers – Lesson
- The Latest Supercomputer Is Breaking Speed Barriers – Quiz
- LNGenZ Survey: What is the Greatest American Invention? – Lesson
- LNGenZ Survey: What is the Greatest American Invention? – Quiz
- School and ChatGPT – Is it Cheating? – Lesson
- School and ChatGPT – Is it Cheating? – Quiz
- Artificial Intelligence Gets an Upgrade? – Lesson
- Artificial Intelligence Gets an Upgrade? – Quiz
- Scientists Plan to Bring the Dodo Bird Back from Extinction – Lesson
- Scientists Plan to Bring the Dodo Bird Back from Extinction – Quiz
- Is There Too Much Technology in Education? – Lesson
- Is There Too Much Technology in Education? – Quiz
- AI Coming to a Keyboard Near You – Lesson
- AI Coming to a Keyboard Near You – Quiz
- Is the NSA Browsing Your Browser History? – Lesson
- Is the NSA Browsing Your Browser History? – Quiz
- AI Can’t Compete With People Skills – Lesson
- AI Can’t Compete With People Skills – Quiz
- How Social Media Is Hazardous to Generation Z – and Beyond – Lesson
- How Social Media Is Hazardous to Generation Z – and Beyond – Quiz
- Surgeon General’s Warning for Social Media – Lesson
- Surgeon General’s Warning for Social Media – Quiz
- Pay With Your Face: Is the End of Cash Nigh? – Lesson
- Pay With Your Face: Is the End of Cash Nigh? – Quiz
- Can Artificial Intelligence Really End Cancer? – Lesson
- Can Artificial Intelligence Really End Cancer? – Quiz
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Mind and Body
- Teen Scientist’s Invention Mixes Music with Mental Health – Lesson
- Teen Scientist’s Invention Mixes Music with Mental Health – Quiz
- Man Receives First Pig Heart Transplant – Lesson
- Man Receives First Pig Heart Transplant – Quiz
- Sniffing Out the Truth About Smells – Lesson
- Sniffing Out the Truth About Smells – Quiz
- The Power of Playtime – Lesson
- The Power of Playtime – Quiz
- Is Language Getting More Emotional? – Lesson
- Is Language Getting More Emotional? – Quiz
- Scientists Say Household Chores Help Kids’ Brains – Lesson
- Scientists Say Household Chores Help Kids’ Brains – Quiz
- Transplant of Pig Kidney Into a Human Successful So Far – Lesson
- Transplant of Pig Kidney Into a Human Successful So Far – Quiz
- The Lack of a College Degree Is Shortening Lifespans – Lesson
- The Lack of a College Degree Is Shortening Lifespans – Quiz
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Flora and Fauna
- Dogs Can Tell When Humans Make a Mistake, Says Study – Lesson
- Dogs Can Tell When Humans Make a Mistake, Says Study – Quiz
- Jonathan: The World’s Oldest Living Tortoise – Lesson
- Jonathan: The World’s Oldest Living Tortoise – Quiz
- The Monarch Butterfly Makes a Surprise Return – Lesson
- The Monarch Butterfly Makes a Surprise Return – Quiz
- Bat Falcon Spotted in the United States for the First Time – Lesson
- Bat Falcon Spotted in United States for the First Time – Quiz
- Charles Darwin’s Notebooks Mysteriously Returned after 20 Years – Lesson
- Charles Darwin’s Notebooks Mysteriously Returned after 20 Years – Quiz
- Six Endangered Red Wolf Pups Born in Wildlife Refuge – Lesson
- Six Endangered Red Wolf Pups Born in Wildlife Refuge – Quiz
- Scientists Record Never-Before-Heard Whale Call – Lesson
- Scientists Record Never-Before Heard Whale Call – Quiz
- Underwater Meadow Gets Credit as the World’s Largest Living Plant – Lesson
- Underwater Meadow Gets Credit as the World’s Largest Living Plant – Quiz
- Scientists Trying to Bring the Tasmanian Tiger Back from Extinction – Lesson
- Scientists Trying to Bring the Tasmanian Tiger Back from Extinction – Quiz
- Jurassic Era Insect Found at Arizona Walmart – Lesson
- Jurassic Era Insect Found at Arizona Walmart – Quiz
- The Comeback of the Nearly Extinct Earless Lizard – Lesson
- The Comeback of the Nearly Extinct Earless Lizard – Quiz
- A Strange Golden Orb Found on the Ocean Floor Is Alive! – Lesson
- A Strange Golden Orb Found on the Ocean Floor Is Alive! – Quiz
- Peanut: The Pet Chicken With a World Record – Lesson
- Peanut: The Pet Chicken With a World Record – Quiz
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Mathematics
- Metric vs. Imperial: A Weighty Debate in Britain – Lesson
- Metric vs. Imperial: A Weighty Debate in Britain – Quiz
- The Abacus is Helping Kids Master Math Skills – Lesson
- The Abacus is Helping Kids Master Math Skills – Quiz
- Retired Engineer Discovers ‘Einstein’ Shape – Lesson
- Retired Engineer Discovers ‘Einstein’ Shape – Quiz
How Did Gold and Platinum Arrive on Earth – Lesson
A new theory may explain the presence of precious metals.
New scientific studies have been released regarding the origin and formation of Earth’s gold and platinum, amongst other precious metals. Though somewhat mysterious, scientists initially theorized that massive meteor showers in the early years of our planet’s formation are responsible for metal deposits within the Earth’s mantle. The latest studies reveal additional theories for the presence of these elements and their specific locations closer to the surface.
Gold and Platinum Explained?
Previous research explains how precious metals became a part of Earth’s deep core but fails to show how they are in shallow, more accessible places. The weight and siderophile (iron-attracted) qualities of these elements easily explain why they are most prominent in deeper areas. Recent tests, however, have revealed possible explanations for why these “heavy” metals can also be found closer to the surface.
Most researchers agree that gold and platinum formed billions of years ago after Earth collided with celestial bodies early in the planet’s formation. Yale scientists Jun Korenaga and Simone Marchi experimented with a new theory. What the latest research reveals piggybacks off the original theory and explains that beyond the Earth’s deep core-mantle, there is a more temporary or traveling mantle closer to the surface that absorbs falling mineral-rich components and disperses them throughout the mantle, forming over time the precious metals we are most familiar with.
“Our research is a good example of making an unexpected discovery after re-examining conventional wisdom,” Korenaga said. “Working with Simone, who is an expert on impact dynamics, I was able to come up with a novel solution to this conundrum.”
Not only has the latest theory helped to explain the presence of gold and platinum nearer to the Earth’s surface, along with other elements usually found much deeper, but it also sheds some light on the earliest formation of our planet and how it came to be.
NASA’s Psyche Mission
16 Psyche – an ancient, Greek-named, metal-rich asteroid – is the focus of a NASA mission to learn more about the rocky structures in our solar system. Though so far unproven, the asteroid is believed to contain up to $700 quintillion worth of gold. However, the space mission is far from a get-rich-quick scheme.
16 Psyche orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter and is primarily made of metal. The fact that the asteroid is so rich in metals is why scientists are so intrigued to explore it. Most celestial bodies are made up of rock and ice. The metal-rich surface of 16 Psyche signifies that the asteroid was around billions of years ago when violently fierce collisions took place that resulted in the formation of the planets.
NASA’s spacecraft, also named Psyche, will have onboard an imager, magnetometer, and a gamma-ray spectrometer. This equipment will assist scientists with their discoveries and allow them to explore the iron core that is the building block of the planets in our solar system.
Whether or not it is filled with gold, the potential discoveries 16 Psyche has to offer could prove invaluable to the scientists eager to explore it.