From @LiveScience: Emerging evidence suggests that plate tectonics may have begun much earlier than previously thought — and may be a big reason that our planet harbors life. Some scientists are now arguing that plate tectonics emerged very soon after Earth's formation — perhaps predating life itself. Read more: https://flip.it/9nLsjW
#Science #Earth #Geology #Life #Aliens

The trail of color leading up to the #MinCup24 Grand Final...

#BlueMinerals #PinkMinerals #MineralsArrangedByColor #Minerals #Geology

Today in #MinCup24 Corundum gets the storytelling vote. I have recently done a whole two-hour program on just folktales and legends about corundum (sapphires and rubies).

You can find many of the stories on my blog:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/p/gemstone-folklore.html

#storytelling #geology #folklore #folktales

It’s Mineral Cup time! See below for the bracket. Who will be crowned king of the crystals this year? *You* might think this is low stakes, but if so you clearly haven’t met many geologists…

#geology #minerals #MinCup24

From: @MineralCup
https://mastodon.social/@MineralCup/113060694670741201

So, it's September, and it's time for the Mineral Cup! My favorite time on Mastodon 🥰

Incidentally, it's also the weeked of the Budapest Mineral Show. Where people can vote for Mineral of the Year 2025 and Fossil of the Year 2025 😊 3 candidates each. The geologists at the booth are lobbying hard for their favorites. I was won over by the opal lobby. And got a button!

(Also pictured is a pink opal bracelet. Because pebbles!)

#MinCup24 #minerals #geology #shiny #jewelry #image

How is it this late into August already?!

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR #MINCUP2024!!!

Suggest minerals for this year's competition before we put the bracket together: www.mineralcup.org/nominations

#science #geology #scicomm

#MinCup23 Calcite vs opal. Got to be calcite: an amazing mineral, which can crystallize directly from magmas, from almost every kind of fluid, and in living plants and animals.

And amazingly useful as a geochemical and isotopic tracer of processes and time.

And best of all, an almost unparalleled complexity in crystal forms. In Goldschmidt's Atlas der Krystallformen, plates 3 to155 *just cover calcite* - this is just one of them🤩 🤯 🥰
#Geology #Mineralogy #Calcite

I know many people are upset ice didn't make it into #MinCup23. Well, why not vote #TeamQuartz? The oldest name for quartz is the Greek word κρύσταλλος (kristallos) which was first used 300-325 BCE. Kristallos means cold - it was believed that crystals were a type of ice that couldn't melt because it was made by the gods ❄❄❄

Vote for quartz here! https://www.mineralcup.org/2023/campaigns/round-1-match-2

#geology #mineral #minerals @MineralCup 3/?

Honestly I don't even have strong allegiances for #MinCup23. I am just looking forward to geologists and mineral enthusiasts telling me cool stuff to convince me about the votes 😄 I love seeing people geek out about things.

#minerals #geology #CoolStuff

So the Mineral of the Year 2024 and Fossil of the Year 2024 vote in Hungary has started. It is one of my favorite things 😄 The campaign tends to get heated between geologists and crystal enthusiasts...

Contenders for MotY:

Zircon
Feldspar
Corundum

Contenders for FotY:

Aptychus
Quercus kubinyii
Woolly mammoth

I know which ones I'm voting for. Curious what you all think 😊

#fossils #minerals #geology #paleontology #vote #rocks

Dry streambed ripples, western #NorthDakota #geology