Geology is the study of the composition and physical properties of rocks, minerals, gems and other related earth materials, including diamonds and crystals.
Diamonds are beautiful and popular - but not everyone can afford these gems. While man-made versions are less expensive, most lack the luster and brilliance of the real thing, except moissanite. See how it compares! See more »
A famous slogan claims that a diamond is forever. While these precious stones symbolize love and glamour for millions of couples, there's a lot about nature's most famous jewel you might not know. How do diamonds form in nature? How do they get from the Earth's mantle to your local jeweler? And why should you be wary of a diamond's background when you go shopping?
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Archaeology is the study of humanity's material remains -- even a piece of an ancient pot can tell us a lot about the past. But how do archaeologists make sense of these relics?
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You've probably been spending your summers visiting a barrier island or two and you don't even know it! From Atlantic City to Miami Beach barrier islands are popular vacation spots and amazing ecosystems. Go exploring.
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Carbon-14 dating is something that you hear about in the news all the time. Everything from mastodons to the Shroud of Turin has been dated using this technique! Learn about how carbon-14 dating works and why it is so accurate!
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Diamond engagement rings. Diamond anniversary bands. Diamond earrings and necklaces. And now, the right-hand diamond ring! The four Cs -- cut, clarity, carat and color. Find out what the fuss is all about.
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Every time a new fossil is found, one of the first things scientists determine is how old that fossil really is. But how do they determine it, and how can they be completely accurate?
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Fossils tell a story, much like the clues at the scene of a crime. Researchers look for evidence and paleontologists study that evidence to answer questions about the past.
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If you've ever seen a geyser letting off steam or witnessed a fuming volcano simmering under pressure, you know that the interior of the Earth is really hot. So where does all that heat come from, and is there any way to harness it?
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Folks in Montana usually expect snow or rain to fall from the sky, not ash. But the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington flung ash across state lines. What is this gritty, gray stuff?
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Earthquakes and volcanoes get all the press. But the landslides they trigger are often more devastating. What makes the ground suddenly rip downhill, taking trees and homes with it?
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Diamonds are beautiful and popular - but not everyone can afford these gems. While man-made versions are less expensive, most lack the luster and brilliance of the real thing, except moissanite. See how it compares!
See more »
Countless movies and television shows depict quicksand as some kind of living creature that sucks its victims down into a bottomless pit, never to be heard from again. Well, you can't believe everything Hollywood tells you.
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Ever wondered where all that rain goes after a storm? Most of it is absorbed by soil and plants, while watersheds carry the rest into nearby lakes and rivers.
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Whenever I hear people talking about buying diamonds, they keep mentioning the four seas. What does that have to do with diamonds?
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San Francisco has a new airport that's supposed to stand up to the rigors of an earthquake. Does that mean that planes can land while a massive quake is shaking the city?
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There are obvious craters on Earth (and the moon) that show us a long history of large objects hitting the planet. But what if one hit Earth today?
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If oil shale can decrease U.S. dependence on foreign nations for oil, why aren’t we making it yet? We're caught between a rock and a hard, geopolitical place.
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One grows from the ground and one from the ceiling, but sometime's it's hard to remember which is the stalactite and which is the stalagmite. How do they get there, anyway?
See more »Polymer crystals are amazing in that they can absorb many times their size. In fact, one pound of these crystal flakes can hold up to 50 gallons of water. Find out what these polymer crystals are and why they are able to absorb so much water.
See more »My fiancee gave me a 1 carat diamond in my engagement ring. What is a carat? And how does it relate to a karat, as in "18 karat gold"?
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