Global warming and a progressively drier climate in many parts of the world are causing more dust storms. To predict how these storms are caused, researchers are looking into the past to understand ...

When looking at black natural stones, you come across names like "Morion," "Black Quartz," and "Smoky Quartz." They all seem ...

By combining electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and laser ablation geochemistry, researchers have decoded trace ...

When looking at a bracelet with transparent round beads, I sometimes wonder."Is this really quartz?"Things sold as quartz ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. — University at Buffalo chemist Jason Benedict and his team spent years developing photoswitchable crystals. Every crystal’s shape is a mirror of the internal arrangement of their ...

So far in this series, pretty much every material we’ve covered has had to undergo a significant industrial process to transform it from its natural state to a more useful product. Whether it’s the ...

Discover what happens when polarized light passes through a quartz crystal under the microscope. The unique interaction between light and quartz reveals beautiful patterns and fascinating optical ...

When earthquakes squeeze quartz crystals, the mineral generates electricity that attracts gold particles. Pierre Longnus via Getty Images Earthquakes may help prospectors strike gold: When these ...