August 01, 2025

Episode 418 - "I like the crystal habit"

50 minutes

What makes a mineral a favorite? In this fun and down-to-earth episode, John and Shannon swap stories about the minerals they love most — and why. Along the way, they unpack cool crystal habits, formation environments, fieldwork memories, and the aesthetic appeal of minerals from museum specimens to muddy boots.

Shannon shares her appreciation for:

Hematite – With its metallic luster and planetary significance.

Goethite – A subtle but important iron oxide-hydroxide.

Smithsonite – Beautiful colors and a fascinating history in ore geology.

John counters with:

Ulexite – “TV rock,” with fiber-optic properties that never fail to wow.

Uraninite – A dense, radioactive reminder of geologic power and energy.

Tourmaline – A colorful, complex favorite of mineral collectors and scientists alike.

Fun Paper Friday

James, C. W., et al. "A nanosecond-duration radio pulse originating from the defunct Relay 2 satellite." The Astrophysical Journal Letters 987.1 (2025): L16.

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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By John Leeman and Shannon Dulin

4.9

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