The Fool’s Gold: What It Is and How It Can Save the World From Extinction

Although pyrite reserves will not ensure our financial stability, they may guarantee our survival. Why? Scientists' findings point out that pyrite deposits in the ocean may be the most important fertilizer for marine life, which in turn affects carbon and oxygen levels and thus the entire ecosystem.

Find out below what these extremely important new conclusions are, but also what crazy gold is and how you can tell the difference between it and "real" gold!

"The fool's gold" versus real gold

Pyrite is a mineral made of sulfur and iron, but its appearance is what has taken many by surprise. In the past, when the gold rush caused many people to leave their homes and families to achieve material prosperity, many people were deceived by the appearance of pyrite and came to believe that they were dealing with the most precious of metals.

They were called "crazy" because of their unjustified faith, and pyrite, as a consequence, "the gold of the crazy."

However, some tests can easily differentiate pyrite from real gold. These are of two kinds; harmless (nondestructive), which will not harm the gold potential, and destructive, which we suggest you do not resort to if you are confused about the value of your discovery.

Non-destructive testing for gold pyrite:

• Stains: If real gold is clean and shiny, pyrite may have stains or dirty surfaces that alter its appearance.

• Color: Pyrite will have a brass tinge, while gold is yellow. In nature, gold often appears mixed with silver, which is why it can have a hint of white.

• Form. While pyrite deposits are usually angular in shape, gold deposits have slightly rounded ends. Be careful though, as this test can be a bit tricky, given that some gold specimens may have a pyrite-like structure.

• Streaks. Pyrite may have fine parallel lines on its surface, which are quite difficult to see but present, while the gold is smooth.

Destructive tests that can differentiate gold pyrite:

• Mohs test. The Mohs test identifies the hardness of a particular specimen: gold has 2.5 and pyrite 6–6.5. How can you take this test? Place your specimen on a flat, clean surface and scratch the tip of an object that already has a hardness. You can try the edge of a coin (hardness of 3) or a piece of glass (hardness of 6). Both will scratch the gold, but will not compromise the surface of pyrite.

• Ductility test: Gold is extremely malleable, which means it will blend easily from the pressure of a nail or a sharp piece of wood. On the other hand, the pyrite will break or withstand pressure.

Pyrite, saving the world as we know it?

Although scientists have not yet discovered a way to take advantage of the discovery below, it was certainly an epochal one.

What it is? About the pyrite that comes from the thermal springs on the ocean floor! Scientists already knew that this was the origin of the mineral in the ocean, but what they did not suspect was that "crazy gold" is so light that it does not reside on the ocean floor, but is scattered over its entire surface.

Thus, according to experts from the University of Delaware, who analyzed the structure of pyrite in 2011, this mineral is emitted in nanoparticles 1,000 times thinner than the circumference of a hair. Being so small in size, these portions of pyrite cross the entire ocean.

Why is a discovery so important? Because, like their terrestrial smiles, bacteria and small plants in the ocean need iron to survive. Unlike us, however, they do not have reserves of red meat or spinach to supplement their iron levels, but they have access to pyrite rich in this mineral so necessary for survival. Moreover, circulating throughout the ocean thanks to its formula, pyrite practically feeds the phytoplankton.

This is how scientists explain the phenomenon: "As pyrite travels from its sources to the interior of the ocean and the surface of the ocean, it gradually oxidizes to release iron, which becomes available in places where iron is absent so that organisms can assimilate it. and then grow. "

Thus, it is also essential that pyrite oxidizes, but not so quickly, which means that it can be available to phytoplankton for a longer time. We are simply charmed by the perfect balance and wisdom with which Mother Nature has arranged them all.

Barbara Ransom, Program Director of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences, said: "These particles have long resided in the ocean and can travel long distances from their source, forming a source. food potentially important for life in the deep water ".

Since 2011, however, this "potential" has changed to "certainly". And considering how important the oceans and their lives are to the entire planetary ecosystem, we can say, in consequence, that the reserves of "crazy gold" on the bottom of the water are essential to the survival of us all.

It is not for nothing that scientists have joked about this discovery, saying that it is "worth its weight in gold". We are curious: did you know what fool's gold is and how important it can be for our survival?