18 min listen
13: Message in a Bottle
ratings:
Length:
17 minutes
Released:
May 10, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
When did Earth's crust form?
It's easy to take the ground beneath our feet for granted, but the story of our crust's origins is one of the most hotly debated topics in Earth history. Today, we'll learn about how elements inside zircon crystals can help solve this mystery. In fact, the element hafnium was discovered inside a zircon by two researchers who also helped keep gold and scientists out of German hands in World War II.
Extra credit: Look at table salt under a microscope, or find different colors of quartz in your local mineral collections.
It's easy to take the ground beneath our feet for granted, but the story of our crust's origins is one of the most hotly debated topics in Earth history. Today, we'll learn about how elements inside zircon crystals can help solve this mystery. In fact, the element hafnium was discovered inside a zircon by two researchers who also helped keep gold and scientists out of German hands in World War II.
Extra credit: Look at table salt under a microscope, or find different colors of quartz in your local mineral collections.
Released:
May 10, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (47)
2: Three Recipes for Rocks by Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History