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Deformation experiments and piezoelectric modelling show that the electric charge generated by quartz crystals is capable of depositing dissolved gold. These results suggest that the piezoelectric activity of quartz might drive gold nugget formation from hydrothermal solutions in earthquake settings.
An investigation of global trace-element data suggests that the parental melts of hotspot lavas are uniform in their elemental composition, consistent with derivation from a common depleted and outgassed mantle reservoir.
Major sedimentary hiatuses and thinning are present in key Ediacaran sections across the eastern Gondwanan margin prior to c. 574 million years ago, as shown by Re-Os radioisotopic data and age-depth models for multiple early Ediacaran successions.
Ryugu is more primitive than carbonaceous chondrites, according to elevated noble gas concentrations. Elevated Xe and its isotopic composition further provide constraints on fractionation of the solar composition to form the early planetary components.
Here, the authors present 74 radiocarbon and 31 luminescence age determinations from four sites in southern Italy. They use these data to suggest that Neanderthal disappearance in the region predated the appearance of early modern humans, a previously unclear chronology
Clinopyroxene offers clues about the inner workings of volcanic systems, as Teresa Ubide explains. Its ability to track where and when magma is stored may also help forecast eruptions.
Plant nitrogen source in the soil is challenging to track. Compiling the most comprehensive global δ15N dataset, a new study shows the plant use of various available soil nitrogen forms (ammonium, nitrate, and organic nitrogen) is strongly controlled by temperature.
Deformation experiments and piezoelectric modelling show that the electric charge generated by quartz crystals is capable of depositing dissolved gold. These results suggest that the piezoelectric activity of quartz might drive gold nugget formation from hydrothermal solutions in earthquake settings.
The origins of the stones that make up the ancient monument Stonehenge can provide insights into the connectivity of a Neolithic society in Britain (about 4300 to 2000 bc) that otherwise left no written record. The age and chemistry of minerals from the Altar Stone provide a ‘fingerprint’ that traces its origin to sedimentary rocks in Scotland’s Orcadian Basin.