Over many years of geological time, opal is slowly formed as many small spheres of silica (what glass is made of) ...

A bug trapped in a precious gem could offer new clues in the hunt for ancient life on Earth and Mars. The opal, pulled from rock in Indonesia and nicknamed “Beverly,” contains the shell of a tiny ...

Water-rich opals may one day provide a source of water on the Martian surface. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. More than just a ...