Where does gold come from? - David Lunney

Did you know that gold is extraterrestrial? Instead of arising from our planet’s rocky crust, it was actually cooked up in space and is present on Earth because of cataclysmic stellar explosions called supernovae. CERN Scientist David Lunney outlines the incredible journey of gold from space to Earth.

Lesson by David Lunney, animation by Andrew Foerster.

[amirul]

TED-Ed: We can manufacture gold!

also TED-Ed: We actually cannot, but hypothetically yes!

[kerentan]

This video ends on such a happy note.
"Oh, and if a star dies close enough to us we could either get rich or completely die out!"

[lanellobubunevortia]

Him: Gold is about 20x denser than water
Me: Laughs while watching duck tales on tv

[genroynoisis]

"Diamonds have been crushred for like a million years."
"Gold is literally made from space explosions."

[ConspiracistLizardMan]

Everybody knows that gold comes from the end of a rainbow.

[mlc]

Medieval alchemist: "where did that 3km long particle accelerator come from?"

[laughsinmisogyny]

The ancient Aztecs called gold "the sweat of the sun". Seems they knew what they were talking about

[spicyladyhunter]

First, the Server generates some chunks, and then we find them. Make sure to use an Iron Pickaxe.

[Jayohennn]

I think they are missing the more important question: could Scrooge McDuck really swim in one of those Olympic swimming pools full of gold? Sadly, the world may never know.

"Did you know that gold is extraterrestrial?" < well it's been on earth since it formation billions of years ago, so it's as "extraterrestrial" as we are, or anything on earth actually.

[richardrobertson]

Well done. When the very young earth was still forming and molten, most of the gold that arrived settled deep within its mantle and core because of its relative weight and although moderate amounts of stirring have occurred, most of it is still down there. Occasionally volcanic activity lifts some into the crust mixed with many other heavy elements (magma) and even some of it rarely makes it to the surface (mixed in the lava). Additionally, cracks in the crust (earthquakes) permit hot acid water to flow toward the surface, slowly depositing dissolved minerals in these cracks (such as quartz and gold) as it cools. Most quartz and hot water veins sadly brought no gold with it (those quartz veins are called "bull" quartz) and sometimes this hot acid water flowed toward the surface too fast (steeper angle than 67 degrees) to permit the gold to settle (precipitate) out and it remained diluted in the 3 to 5 parts per million concentration. So, every time you hear of an earthquake deep within the crust, just think more gold may be heading near the surface for you to find some day.

[stephenlukner]

am i the only one who felt bad for the alchemist

[dpopluf]

Holy cow, learnt more about physics in these minutes than during the last 41 years

[RinoaL]

this cartoon is so awesome, please do more in this style! haha

[ArtML]

Two notes. First, to the best of my knowledge, the majority of gold and other heavier elements in the universe is produced not in supernovas but in much more rare events - neutron star merges. Second, all gold that we mine actually came to Earth on meteorites over billions of years of its development, since the original gold, platinum, and other heavy elements present during the formation of the planet should have sunk into its core.

[raidennaz]

what if people in the future no longer considering gold as a valuable substance? like what if people value dirt/soil because of the nutrient in it to make plants?

[Enter_channel_name]

"Gold is extraterrestrial" Isn't everything cooked up in space?

[lourdesmirlourdes]

1:00
What do you see?
A circle with eyes and a letter H
A circle with eyes and cheeks

[doragary]

Can I invest in Gold?
Any specific guide please?

[calisthenicsharmony]

1:00 those hydrogen atoms looks like as if they r holding breath 😄