The mindblowing way rocks “survive” and evolve | Robert Hazen

How did mineral evolution shape our planet? Robert Hazen, a renowned mineralogist, shares his fascinating insights into the co-evolution of minerals and life on Earth.

Science has shown us that the universe started with a mere few dozen minerals, and those have since evolved into thousands. This discovery has proven that evolution does not only apply to living systems, like flora and fauna, but is relevant to non-living systems as well.

Hazen highlights a deeper connection between these living and non-living systems, emphasizing that all evolving systems share three critical characteristics: interacting components, the generation of new configurations, and a selection mechanism. Whether it’s atoms and molecules forming minerals, genes in living organisms, or musical notes creating new compositions, these principles apply universally.

When considering how living and non-living systems evolve alongside one another, we can begin to understand how truly connected all of the universe’s systems may be. Thanks to this knowledge, we may be closer to discovering our place in the cosmos.

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About Robert Hazen:

Robert Hazen is a renowned American mineralogist and geologist, known for his pioneering work in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. He is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory and a Professor of Earth Sciences at George Mason University.

Hazen has written over 400 articles and 25 books, contributing research as a profound leader in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. His studies delve into the complex interactions between minerals and life, contributing to our understanding of Earth’s history and the potential for life on other planets. Hazen is also a passionate educator and science communicator.

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[angeluomo]

I met Robert Hazen in Vienna, Austria. Great scientist, great writer. The Story of Earth is one of my favorite books.

[saumitrachakravarty]

2:32 Darwin was not the one to coin the term "survival of the fittest". It was Herbert Spencer. He was applying it wrongly to a whole different scenario outside Darwin's original context. Later, it was incorporated in the evolutionary biology vernacular and given a measurable quantitative definition of fitness within the context of biology. So it would be better if the two words "Darwin said" were left out in this video. That way, the main message would still get through without the misinformation.

[hsvolcom]

This video rocks! Now seriously, really interesting.

[TorgerVedeler]

I never really thought about this before. Cool!

[nickiealtieri-enochs]

I've always loved rocks. My cousins had a rock tumbler growing up, and it fascinated me. 🪨❤

[valuethug]

So, basically, that word 'evolution' that had meaning before Darwin -still has the meaning that it always had...

Don't get me wrong, the co-evolution of life and minerals is fascinating; this may no longer be a thing but -at some point it was hypothesised that minerals (as a binding surface) may be a better candidate for early amino acid formation than Miller's lightning. Very cool to see think about. I'm just teasing you for your sales pitch.

[maha-madpedo-gayphukumber]

CONSCIOUSNESS sleeps in the *rock*, dreams in the plant, stirs in the animal, and awakens in man.

[keithwhittington]

Who says rocks and even Earth aren't alive?

[HadiUmarBhatti]

HOW minerals can be evolved because to make certain compound or mineral there should be a constant ratio of constituents? If i am wrong then please correct my concept...

[MichelleCarithersAuthor]

all resources on this planet evolves, yet this planet can change the course of evolution based on the occupants

[fredreeves]

This is the second time you've gotten it right about life on earth, and the basic nature of space and all things in existence... now that you are on the right track, ALL of nature and all of the cosmos will become more clear, not only the power of LIFE, but how far into the formation of the cosmos LIFE actually reaches, and how it works. Welcome to my newfound understanding of life and the real and true nature of all things. : )

One last thing about the whole "shabang", dark matter IS that medium in which EVERYTHING can grow and evolve; dark matter is the medium in which all things can be, adapt and evolve, and is why dark matter is so prevalent throughout the universe. Dark matter is the petri dish in which all things can be and exist.

Within our generation, the question of life and the what of the cosmos will most likely be explained and answered because physicists and cosmologist will finally understand the life and the living of all things; the only question that shall always elude human understanding is, the why and the who... who is Plato's unmoved mover that takes us right back to the origin of the Big Bang.
: )

[gravestone]

All systems mimic each other between two points where the means of measurement become meaningless and requires a completely different way of thinking and measuring. From quantum mechanics to metaphysics, everything in between can be classified into a series of repeating phenomena both increasing and decreasing in scale. A fractal. All systems within that fractal will be iterations of each other until you reach either the maximum or minimum "break" limits. Life, geological activities, thermodynamics, all systems which mirror and mimic each other at different scales. Everything is fractal in nature, when we explore past those limits of quantum mechanics and metaphysics we may as well be looking into alternate universes who's fractal nature follows a completely different set of rules and yet underpins and overshadows the workings of our own reality. This could continue for an infinite number of "layers" but we barely have the tools to measure the realities at the edges of our own.

In short, it's 🐢 turtles 🐢 all 🐢 the 🐢 way 🐢 down

[keithwhittington]

I'm surprised there are so many here that think small. Is not the Universe alive? It's ever growing, changing, birthing new forms. When a star is born, does it stay the same? Of coarse not. It goes through a life cycle, dies, and is reborn as something else. Please don't bore me with definitions from science books. Is a tomato seed alive or inanimate?

[glenliesegang]

What distinguishes life on Earth from every other system which "evolves" like hurricanes, tornadoes, whitlpools, is "highly complex molecular structures specified by base 64 digitally encoded information to form vast systems which respond to internal and external stimuli.

The game of life and cellular automata may evolve miraculously, but do so by rules and not information.

[johnnycomelately]

Then there are the dynamics of temperature, radiation, light, colour etc in non-living things like rocks

[yashwantkumarjoshi]

A very good analysis 👍 all answers are hidden at very subtle level that is quantum level

[file]

The periodic elements evolved from stars, and stars from new elements, so this is just a continuation of that legacy.

[healingvsion]

May be because of chemistry and the different kinds of environments on earth

[VesperAter]

So the purpose of music "evolution" is to sell more records? What a shallow and inaccurate comparison. We as humans find new ways of expressing ourselves through art but I don't see much resemblance here to the evolution governed by the laws of physics and biochemistry. It would be great if they showed Hazen's explanation to his thesis presenting some actual examples of mineral evolution and principles behind the processes as this is really interesting. What they did with this short is just annoying.

[declan-yw]

So what you’re saying is “rocks change over time due to a number of factors”? How profound.