Found all over the world, calcite is the most stable form of calcium carbonate and is the main mineral found in limestone. We find calcite in the ocean, in shells or hard parts of marine organisms ...

IntroductionProduct consistency is one of the most important factors when sourcing minerals for industrial applications.

UV fluorescence reveals a natural calcite varnish protecting 37,000-year-old Chauvet Cave paintings, without touching the fragile art.

When looking at calcite under a microscope, a scientist would immediately recognize the crystalline form of calcium carbonate by its rhombohedral appearance. That is, calcite is shaped like a ...

Researchers reporting in ACS Omega used ultraviolet fluorescence spectroscopy from a protected walkway to investigate ...

On this week's episode of Mineral Monday we learn about a mineral that comes in many different crystal formations. On display at The Keck Museum is one of the more rare formations of calcite shown ...

This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's ...

Some starfish made of a brittle material fortify themselves with architectural antics. Beneath a starfish’s skin lies a skeleton made of pebbly growths, called ossicles, which mostly consist of the ...

A researcher has firsthand experience with the frustrations of oil production. He spent nine years as a hydraulic fracturing engineer with operating and service companies. A few years ago, he started ...