The most precious asteroid: five surprising facts about gold

Gold, a symbol of luxury and prestige, has been of great value throughout history. SSPDaily has prepared some fascinating facts about gold that will expand our knowledge of this sought-after and frequently used element.

A huge amount of gold in the ocean

Surprisingly, the ocean contains a staggering amount of gold - 20 million tons. For every hundred million metric tons of sea or ocean water, there is about one gram of gold. Moreover, gold deposits also exist on the seabed, buried under numerous layers of rock.

Determining the purity of gold

Gold is not a reactive metal, so it never corrodes or rusts. However, if gold jewelry causes itching on your hand or elsewhere when you wear it, it is likely that the product contains other metals mixed with gold.

Not only on Earth

Scientists believe that gold is formed during supernova explosions. As a result, all gold found on Earth is the result of particles accumulated from these celestial events. Given this, it is highly likely that other planets and celestial bodies such as Mars, Mercury, and Venus also contain valuable gold deposits.

Huge gold deposit on an asteroid

An asteroid called Psyche 16, located near the Earth, has caught the interest of NASA. A detailed analysis showed a stunning discovery - this asteroid contains a staggering 20 billion tons of gold. They also discovered that Psyche's various metals are worth 10,000 quadrillion dollars.

First use as a currency

The first recorded use of gold coins as currency dates back to the ancient region of Lydia, the territory of modern-day Turkey, in the 6th century BC. These coins, produced during the reign of Croesus, were made from electrum, a mixture of gold and silver found in the rivers of Lydia. The front side of the coins featured an image of a lion and a bull, and the reverse side had a seal.