minerals | EarthSky

Deep in Earth’s interior, minerals behave unexpectedly

Scientists have discovered that iron oxide conducts electricity more readily under the extreme pressures and temperatures found in Earth’s deep interior.

Several gleaming polished oval opals, primarily white with iridescent blue, green, yellow and red specks.

October birthstone: Colorful opal and tourmaline

Take your pick: the October birthstone is either the striking iridescent opal or the many-colored tourmaline. Learn the lore of these pretty gemstones here.

Rust-colored rocky terrain, with hills in the distance, under a yellow sky.

Water systems on early Mars were complex and hot

NASA's Perseverance rover has found evidence of ancient complex water systems on early Mars, including hot hydrothermal activity.

Curiosity rover insights after 5000+ sols on Mars

Curiosity rover has now spent 5,000 sols — the equivalent to 5,000 Martian days, or more than 14 years — on Mars. Here's a look at some of its discoveries.

Large planet with continents and clouds on it, similar to Earth. Milky Way behind it.

Giant mega-Earth is 23 times more massive than Earth

Astronomers have discovered a new giant mega-Earth exoplanet that is a whopping 23 times as massive as Earth and 2.5 times its diameter.

Super-Earths might be solid: Bluish planet with its reddish star nearby and another planet about halfway between them.

Super-Earths might be solid deep on the inside

Super-Earths might be solid in their deep insides, a new study says. Minerals might take unusual forms and remain solid despite the intense heat and pressure.

A green gemstone, cut into a rectangular shape with many facets.

August birthstone: Peridot, spinel, or sardonyx

The August birthstone can be crystalline green peridot, colorful spinel, or banded sardonyx. Take your pick of these colorful gemstones, August babies!

Smooth, flat gray surface, partly light and partly darker, with dark cracks in it.

Oldest Mars meteorite reveals Mars lost its water early

A new analysis of the the oldest known Mars meteorite, Teghaza 001, reveals evidence for a granite-like crust and the start of the loss of water on early Mars.

Gray chunk of rock that is more silvery on top, with a wrinkled texture.

Meteorite strike of New Jersey home reveals life clues

Meteorite strike of New Jersey home! It crashed through the roof of a house in 2024. A new study shows it reveals clues to life's origins.

Brown, barren rocky terrain. A robotic arm and 1 wheel of a rover are visible.

Complex carbon in Mars rocks: Another clue to past life?

Scientists have found complex carbon in Mars rocks that the Perseverance rover has studied. They're the same rocks found in 2024 to contain hints of life.

Closeup image of a potato-shaped rock with a narrow waist, covered with craters.

Peanut-shaped asteroid wobbles in 2 directions

New analysis shows that a peanut-shaped asteroid wobbles in space in 2 directions. Lucy spacecraft now continues its journey toward Jupiter’s Trojans.

Rosalind Franklin rover to search Mars clays for life

The Rosalind Franklin rover will land on Mars in 2028 to explore Oxia Planum, a region rich in clays. Its mission is to look for signs of past or present life.