Aaaaagh! First workday of the new year!
This calls for some serious Shiny.
First, the Smithsonian:
Of course, there are some shiny minerals you wouldn’t handle so casually for very long —
— and some shinies that you’d proudly flaunt before the world!
Some people flaunt better than others:
This is what’s sparkling on her shoulder at the end.
Lesser-known shiny gems exist, too!
Bottom line: You would not believe what antics the elements pull when under intense heat and pressure. (I couldn’t fully grasp it and so am now retired from a lengthy career that was satisfying but not Geology.)
But the results of all that geophysics and geochemistry sure are beautiful sometimes!
A little lagniappe:
Featured image: PhoenixNeon/Shutterstock
Flight To Wonder 