Human Exceptionalism: Earth's Mineralogy Unique In The Cosmos
Monday, August 31, 2015 - 10:20
in Earth & Climate
New research predicts that Earth has more than 1,500 undiscovered minerals and that the exact mineral diversity of our planet is unique and could not be duplicated anywhere in the cosmos. Minerals form from novel combinations of elements. These combinations can be facilitated by both geological activity, including volcanoes, plate tectonics, and water-rock interactions, and biological activity, such as chemical reactions with oxygen and organic material. read more