Mineralogy is the branch of the geosciences that investigates the chemical composition, crystal structure, physical properties, and genesis of minerals, which are naturally occurring, inorganic solids with ordered atomic arrangements and defined (though sometimes variable) chemical formulas. It integrates crystallography, solid-state chemistry, and thermodynamics to characterize mineral phases, their stability fields, and phase transitions under varying pressure–temperature–composition conditions. Mineralogical research underpins petrology, ore deposit studies, and environmental and planetary sciences by providing quantitative tools for identifying minerals, modeling geochemical processes, and interpreting rock-forming and alteration histories at microscopic to planetary scales.
Crystals have repeatedly been found at archaeological sites alongside Homo remains. Evidence shows that hominins have been collecting these stones for as long as 780,000 years. Yet, we know that our ancestors did not use ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 4, 2026
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In this age of Mars rovers, questions about the planet's ancient past have shifted. A growing body of evidence supports the idea that Mars was once warm and wet. Now researchers are focused on the timeline of the red planet's ...
Planetary Sciences
Mar 1, 2026
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For about six months, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been exploring a region full of geologic formations called boxwork, low ridges standing roughly 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) tall with sandy hollows in between. Crisscrossing ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 23, 2026
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Minerals form the building blocks of almost everything on Earth. They are made up of crystals—regular, repeating atomic structures that fit together like a three-dimensional pattern. When minerals deform, their normally ordered ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 12, 2026
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Two related discoveries detailing nanocrystalline mineral formation and dynamics have broad implications for managing nuclear waste, predicting soil weathering, designing advanced bioproducts and materials and optimizing ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 5, 2026
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While scientists have long known that iron oxide minerals help lock away enormous amounts of carbon—sequestering it from the atmosphere—a new Northwestern University study now reveals exactly why these minerals are such powerful ...
Earth Sciences
Dec 15, 2025
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Because oxygen-bearing sulfate minerals trap and preserve signals from Earth's atmosphere, scientists closely study how they form. Sulfates are stable over billions of years, so their oxygen isotopes are seen as a time capsule, ...
Astrobiology
Oct 23, 2025
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Unless you've owned reptiles, you might not know that many of them "pee" crystals. Researchers publishing in the Journal of the American Chemical Society investigated the solid urine of more than 20 reptile species and found ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 22, 2025
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Identifying a mineral might sound straightforward: Analyze its chemistry, compare it to known minerals and voilà. But for geologists, this process can be a time-consuming puzzle requiring specialized expertise and a lot of ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 20, 2025
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In 2024, NASA's Mars rover Perseverance collected an unusual rock sample. The rock, named Sapphire Canyon, features white, leopardlike spots with black borders within a red mudstone and might hold clues about sources of organic ...
Space Exploration
Aug 12, 2025
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