From using penguin poo to coal fire - nature has many ways to generate minerals on and off Earth.
"Life affects minerals in various ways," explained Dr Hazen.
"These are shells, teeth, bones, and other structures in organisms that are purposefully deposited and sculpted in the most amazing nano-technology kinds of ways.Image source,Malachite only formed on Earth after life had created atmospheric oxygen about 2.5 billion years agothe international journal American MineralogistThe pair have built a database of every known process of formation for every known mineral species. That's 5,659 in the IMA catalogue.
Some minerals are extraordinarily ancient; 296 are even thought to pre-date Earth itself. Of this number, 97 are known only from meteorites. These can include mineral grains with ages estimated at up to seven billion years. That's long before our Solar System existed. Hazen's and Morrison's work not only puts the mineralogy of Earth into its proper historical context, it also becomes a tool to investigate other worlds.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Split the Room is an agonizing and hilarious party game about making impossible decisionsWhile Cards Against Humanity simply shows you grotesque or troubling subject matter for a laugh, Split the Room forces you to sit with and think about it deeply.
Read more »
Why Iraqi moustaches are making a comebackFacial fur is again a matter of style, not safety
Read more »
Chelsea 'planning on making official offer' for Man City player - first bid £20m below asking priceAccording to reports, Chelsea are 'planning on making an official offer' to Man CIty for their defender Nathan Ake. He previously played for the Blues.
Read more »
Clogher: PSNI officer attacked while making arrest'Assaults on our officers are unacceptable, and must not be tolerated as simply being 'part of the job',' says PoliceServiceNI:
Read more »