Gold is not only a precious metal, a symbol of wealth and luxury, but it also carries a cosmic story about its formation from collisions between neutron stars.
Gold, a timeless precious metal, has long been regarded as a symbol of power and wealth. Widely used in jewelry, electronics, and the aerospace industry, gold attracts people not only with its dazzling beauty but also due to its scarcity and superior durability. However, have you ever wondered where gold really comes from? Is the amount of gold on Earth as limited as we often think?
Gold is a timeless precious metal.
Gold: From Jewelry to Scientific Materials!
Gold is a simple chemical element, denoted by the symbol Au, characterized by its softness, luster, and corrosion resistance, making it the perfect material for crafting jewelry and technological devices. In many countries, gold is used as a measure of value and is converted into units like ounces, while in China and Vietnam, gold has been traditionally measured in “两 – liang.”
Thanks to its unique chemical properties and excellent conductivity, gold is also an important material in many modern industries, especially in aerospace and electronics. Despite its widespread use, what makes gold truly special is its scarcity.
Is Gold Really as Scarce as We Think?
The saying “Rare things are expensive” seems to have become a truth when it comes to gold. However, recent scientific studies have shed light on an interesting fact about the origin of gold and the potential amount of gold on this planet. According to scientists, the total gold reserves hidden beneath the Earth’s surface could reach up to 6 billion tons. If this amount were evenly distributed among the entire world’s population, each person would receive hundreds of kilograms of gold – a figure that many would find astonishing.
According to scientists, the total gold reserves hidden beneath the Earth’s surface could reach up to 6 billion tons.
Nevertheless, having such a massive amount of gold does not mean we can easily access and extract it. Most gold lies deep beneath the Earth’s crust, with only a small portion present near the surface, explaining why gold extraction is difficult and expensive.
The True Origin of Gold
Contrary to what many might think, gold on Earth did not form naturally from within the planet. Instead, scientists believe that the origin of gold began with a cosmic event about 4.3 billion years ago. According to research, there are two main ways in which gold is formed: supernova explosions during the formation of neutron stars, and collisions between two neutron stars.
It is through one of these neutron star collision events that gold “fell” to Earth in a cosmic “golden rain.” Approximately 4.3 billion years ago, this collision produced a massive amount of gold that coated the Earth’s surface, with an estimated thickness of around 4 meters, containing over 6 billion tons of gold. However, over billions of years of geological changes, most of this gold has been buried underground, leaving only a small portion on the surface that we can extract.
Scientists have also discovered evidence of this cosmic event through geological surveys in Greenland. The results show many signs of the uneven distribution of gold on the Earth’s surface, explaining why gold extraction today is challenging and costly.
There are many signs of the uneven distribution of gold on the Earth’s surface.
Although there is a significant amount of gold on this planet, extracting large quantities of gold is nearly impossible. Since gold primarily lies deep beneath the thick crust, humans can only mine a small fraction, which helps maintain its scarcity. This scarcity has kept the value of gold high and shows no signs of diminishing, despite advances in extraction technology.
Not only on Earth, gold also appears on other planets in the Solar System. Scientists believe that planets like Jupiter and Saturn may contain huge “oceans” of diamonds and many other precious resources. However, the vast distance and harsh conditions of space make accessing and extracting resources from these planets currently impossible. Therefore, gold on Earth remains a precious resource that humanity must cherish.
Gold primarily lies deep beneath the thick crust, and humans can only extract a small portion.
Gold is not only a precious metal, a symbol of wealth and luxury, but it also carries a mysterious cosmic story about its formation from collisions between neutron stars. Although the gold reserves on Earth may be larger than we think, the uneven distribution and the challenges of extraction keep gold’s value high. In the future, as technology advances, accessing rare resources from space may open up new opportunities, but for now, gold on Earth remains a treasure that humanity always desires.
