More than 4,000 naturally occurring minerals—inorganic solids that have a characteristic chemical composition and specific crystal structure—have been found on Earth. They are formed of simple ...

Despite seeming like a relatively stable place, the Earth's surface has changed dramatically ... across large discontinuous areas. Some minerals in rocks and organic matter (e.g., wood, bones ...

David Bressan is a geologist who covers curiosities about Earth. Rocks and minerals contribute essential raw materials for any civilization, and in a technological society minerals (and the rare ...

Trovants are rocks that grow by absorbing minerals from rainwater. Romania is home to a cluster of trovants that inspired ...

Earth has existed ... contain tiny traces of rock that are older than the hills themselves. The 50-mile-long (80 kilometers) ridge contains crystallized minerals called zircons dating to 4.4 ...

Scientists have detected organic compounds and minerals necessary for life in the samples collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission ...

Rocks close rockA rock is a solid material made of minerals. on Earth do not always stay the same. Find out more about the different rock types in this guide. Look at the diagram to get a better ...

Bennu contains minerals and thousands of organic molecules, including the chemical components that make up DNA.

The organic ingredients to life, hints to where Earth’s water came from, and the fundamental building blocks of our planet ...