The World's Oldest Known Gem Uncovered in Australia

Researchers have been taking a closer look at gemstone that was discovered in Australia. The stone itself was found in 2001, but has been the subject of scrutiny over the past few years. This is owing to the fact that it may actually be one of the oldest such stones in the world. This is part of the reason why researchers have thought that it would help people identify the best all around solution to answer some valuable questions about the history of the planet. It could actually help researchers discover the answers to questions about how the earth’s crust was originally formed.

A wide variety of scientific conclusions have since been backed by this discovery. For instance, the researchers indicated that this stone proved that the Earth likely had a hydrosphere in place up to 4.3 billion years ago. That would explain the presence of the stone on the surface, which enabled it to take on a distinctive look. Many people will be interested in finding out more information about the specifics behind how these stones tended to form over time. This will prove to be an invaluable asset, since it will actually provide the team with an answer to many long held questions. This is part of the reason why many people will be interested in what the researchers have to offer in the way of answers.

The stone under investigation is the zircon, which has its own distinctive look to it. It is actually only around 200 to 400 microns in length, but it has already proven to be valuable among many scientists out there. Most people will be interested to learn more about how the gem may be effectively used to answer questions. It is actually a stone that bears a diameter just twice that of a human hair. This has got researchers very careful with the way that they tend to manage it. They will be wanting to run a battery of tests that can ascertain the look of the stone. This can help answer questions, but still preserve the stone for future research.

Much of the research is being conducted using atom probe technology. This has enabled to researchers to identify many other zircons as some of the oldest components of the Earth itself. This research is currently being carried out by a variety of scientists. Much of their work is being published in Nature Geoscience, which is a leading publication in the field. It will cove a lot of background of the role of the zircon in these scientific investigations. Many people will be interested to see how this work impacts future research as well.

These stones have been collected from an outcropping that has been located in the Jack Hills region of Australia. This is a geologic section of the Earth that has been staked out near the city of Perth. Other older gem stones have been discovered in the area, making it a great place for geological researchers to investigate. Much of this research is being headed up by John Valley, who has brought in a team from the University of Wisconsin.