Gold from Outer Space - Periodic Table of Videos

The Professor discusses new research suggesting why gold (among other dense metals) is found close to the Earth's surface.



Periodic Videos films are by video journalist Brady Haran

[benhewitt]

I love how the professor gets so excited when he gets to see or do something new, great enthusiasm!

[GateCrasherVI]

I think the Professor is probably my favorite Professor ever. =)
Such an intelligent and pleasant man.
Thank you for all the videos! From the GulfCoast of Texas =)

[kevinthegreat]

They need alot more torches or a creeper will get them.

[KyleStratacusDrewry]

I really like this guy and his videos, especially when he's surrounded by the wealth of nations.

[johnqpublic]

I love this guy. He's the chemical mentor of my adulthood where Bill Nye was that of my childhood. Id love to see the two meet and chat!

[BoltClevo]

So does that mean there may be a pot o' molten gold at the centre of the earth?

[cosmosgato]

The miner's sense of humor stole the show.
He was great.

[ludikalo]

Not going to lie, that tour guide seems really awesome and peppy. Very nice service from the looks of it. That's someone who loves his job.

[joedirt]

I need a giant diamond straw to suck the gold from the core of the planet.

[ThatSinisterSRT]

Based from what you said and since gold comes in little BB'S I think the earth was a moltin ball of metals and asteroids hit the surface causing the liquid to spread rather than the gold being in the asteroid and from that you get the little BB'S of gold etc I only think this because I do alot of mig welding and spatter is the little BB'S and if the moltin puddle of metal isn't just right. Think of it this way you pour water in a glass drop something fairly heavy into that the water will splash going everywhere I think something similar happened.

[davomac]

This was exciting, just clicked on this video because I love the videos on this channel, and find the professor is underground in my home/current town in it.

[ABitOfTheUniverse]

In case anyone is curious, 1337.58 is the melting point of gold in Kelvins, which is 1064.43 °C or 1947.97 °F or 2407.64 °R (for Rankine) or 851.54 °Ré (for Réaumur).

[kerianhalcyon]

Actually as far as that's concerned the Professor's a bit inaccurate.

They've already confirmed that metal-based asteroids exist.  These asteroids are essentially large clumps of metallic material that would have potentially made up the innards of a planet if it had properly formed.  While from the outside they would appear like rock in the same way one would expect a planet or other asteroid would, their innards would be chock full of raw ore material.  Even if it was distributed, there's enough stuff in there that it affects magnetic instruments. It is also the only way to explain why one can find a huge amount of gold or iron or silver in mines across a large amount of area; if there wasn't a lot there, it would be near impossible to find it without getting very lucky.

So the short version; it is very possible to get rich quick by finding an asteroid in space.  It just takes longer to get it than simply grabbing the asteroid and dragging it back home.

[Stner]

holy shit, you guys were in bendigo? thats where i live!

[turfele]

Every time he says Heavy Metal, I raise my hand, hailing Metal...

[Webofscience]

@525047 That depends entirely on the temperature, pressure, water fugacity and major element composition of the magma. These intensive variables are what control the composition of crystals that form. In a system of pure melt, I think we have a fairly decent understanding that the major element composition is largely homogeneous (leaving aside cooling gradients, nucleation sites etc).

[metfan]

@theman2160 what the prof was referring to was when he was talking about gold separating into the core occurred well before plate tectonics started to move elements around. Tectonics only began when the Earth was cool enough to have a solid crust, core formation would have occurred when the Earth was still molten.

[geetarwanabe]

There are no tectonic plates going through australia, and the likelyhood is that it may be a combination of factors.

[SirTranquilizator]

Yep. I subscribed. Actually I'm surprised i haven't done it before.

[trespire]

The Professor most certainly has excellent taste in periodically correct gentleman's accessories !
One of the more dazzling videos.