Scientifically speaking, the term “crystal” refers to any solid that has an ordered chemical structure. This means that its parts are arranged in a precisely ordered pattern, like bricks in a wall.

Minerals are geologic time capsules of the environments in which they form. With the right approach, their mysteries can be cracked open to reveal key features of the ancient Earth or other planets.

The mineral pyrite was historically nicknamed fool’s gold because of its deceptive resemblance to the real precious metal — gold. The term was often used during the California gold rush in the 1840s ...

Gabriela Farfan, the Smithsonian's curator of gems and minerals, answers the internet's burning questions about gemstones. Are all minerals crystals? How are diamonds cut? How do geodes form? Is the ...

Mislabeled, lab-grown, and made from plastic—fakes abound in the crystals industry. Who’s going to do anything about it? By Maddie Stone Published Sep 12, 2023 9:00 AM EDT Get the Popular Science ...