News Planetary Science

A new look at the ‘mineral kingdom’ may transform how we search for life

Research also shows Earth may have been ready for life to form earlier than typically thought

yellowish white calcite crystal that formed in a cave

Calcite can form in 17 different ways, more than almost any other mineral. This calcite, which formed in a cave, got its distinctive shape from changing water levels.

Rob Lavinsky/ARKENSTONE

By Asa Stahl

- More than 2 years ago

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

If every mineral tells a story, then geologists now have their equivalent of The Arabian Nights.