Revered for its aesthetic and metallurgical properties for thousands of years, gold is still one of the most sought after precious metals. There’s no question gold has played a unique role for humanity, for better or for worse. Today, we’ll explore the fascinating science behind the origin of gold atoms and some theories that seek to explain how the prized element got to where it is today, here on Earth.
Why Gold is important
From what are now Israeli hills during the Copper Age to the Bulgarian Varna Necropolis in the 4th millennium, from the Egyptian pharaohs to the Spanish conquistadors, the allure of gold – its powerful effect on us – has been consistent and unmistakable. In fact, the Egyptians called gold “the breath of God”. And it’s not just the ancients that held gold in high esteem.
To display his imperial glory, Napoleon gilded Paris in gold, while even more recently Hitler sought to control all of Europe’s gold as support for his “1000-year Reich.” What myths made gold such a prized commodity and what factual properties still support it as a precious metal to this very day?