Gold is not just a precious metal, a symbol of wealth and luxury, but it also carries a mysterious cosmic story of its formation from collisions between neutron stars.
Gold, an ancient and valuable precious metal, has long been regarded as a symbol of power and wealth. Commonly used in jewelry, electronics, and the aerospace industry, gold attracts people not only for its sparkling beauty but also for its scarcity and exceptional 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 precious metal of enduring value.
Gold: From Jewelry to Materials for Science and Technology!
Gold is a simple chemical element with the symbol Au, characterized by its softness, luster, and corrosion resistance, making it the perfect material for crafting jewelry and electronic devices. In many countries, gold is used as a measure of value and is converted into units such as ounces, while in China and Vietnam, gold has been measured in the ancient unit “两 – liang.”
Thanks to its unique chemical properties and excellent conductivity, gold is also an important material in many modern industries, particularly in aerospace and electronics. Despite its widespread use, what makes gold especially valuable 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 revealed an interesting fact about the origins of gold and the amount of gold potentially hidden on our planet. According to scientists, the total amount of gold hidden beneath the Earth’s surface could reach up to 6 billion tons. If this amount of gold were evenly distributed among the world’s population, each person would receive hundreds of kilograms of gold – a figure that astonishes many.
According to scientists, the total amount of gold hidden beneath the Earth’s surface could reach up to 6 billion tons.
Nevertheless, having a vast 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, which explains why gold mining is both difficult and expensive.
The True Origin of Gold
Contrary to what many believe, gold on Earth did not form naturally from within the planet. Instead, scientists believe the origin of gold began with a cosmic event approximately 4.3 billion years ago. According to research, there are two main ways gold is formed: the supernova explosion during the formation of neutron stars, and the collision between two neutron stars.
It is through one of these neutron star collision events that gold “fell” to Earth in a cosmic “gold rain.” About 4.3 billion years ago, this collision produced a massive amount of gold that covered the Earth’s surface, with an estimated thickness of about 4 meters, containing more than 6 billion tons of gold. However, over billions of years of geological change, most of this gold has been buried deep underground, leaving only a small portion on the surface that we can mine.
Scientists have also found 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 mining today is challenging and costly.
There are many signs of the uneven distribution of gold on the Earth’s surface.
Even though there is a lot 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 portion, allowing gold to maintain its scarcity. This scarcity is what keeps the value of gold high and shows no signs of diminishing, despite advancements in mining technology.
Not only on Earth, but gold also exists on other planets in the Solar System. Scientists believe that planets like Jupiter and Saturn may contain enormous “oceans” of diamonds and many other precious resources. However, the distant distance and harsh conditions of space make accessing and extracting resources from these planets currently impossible. Therefore, gold on Earth remains a rare resource that humanity must cherish.
Gold primarily lies deep beneath the thick crust, and humans can only mine a small portion.
Gold is not just a precious metal, a symbol of wealth and luxury, but it also carries a mysterious cosmic story of its formation from collisions between neutron stars. Even though the amount of gold on Earth might be greater than we think, the uneven distribution and challenges in extraction keep gold’s value high. In the future, as technology advances, accessing rare resources from space may open new opportunities, but for now, gold on Earth remains a treasure that humanity always yearns for.
