Episode 111: The Science of Gemstones
About this episode
This episode explores the science behind gemstones and their potential future applications, featuring an interview with gemologist Mubashir Mansoor.
There’s a lot more to gems than just sparkly rocks. While we can’t promise they’ll cleanse bad vibes, we can dive into the incredible science behind them. In this episode, Andrew and Taylor chat with Mubashir Mansoor, a gemologist and PhD candidate in Materials Science at Istanbul Technical University, to uncover the rich past of gemstones and how they are shaping the future. From restoring a man’s sight to a possible future in quantum computing, these crystals hold more secrets than you’d think. We trace the evolution of gem technology, from bamboo rods and coal to high-tech scanners that can spot microscopic flaws and reveal exactly where a gem was mined. Most importantly we discuss how gemologists are looking for help from materials scientists and engineers to help crack the secrets of these sparkly rocks. Diamonds are Forever: The Evolution of the Bionic Eye [ LINK ] This episode is sponsored by the American Ceramics Society Learning Center. Visit ceramics.org/materialism to learn more or use code MATERIALISM to get $100 off your next On-Demand course registration. This Materialism Podcast is sponsored by Materials Today , an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and…
Topics covered
- gemstones
- materials science
- technology
- quantum computing
Keywords
- gemology
- crystals
- bionic eye
- high-tech scanners
Sponsors
American Ceramics Society Learning Center, Materials Today
More episodes of Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast
- Episode 116: Textile Materials
- Episode 115: Phase Field Modeling
- Episode 114: Synchrotron XRD on Demand
- Episode 113: Metal Organic Frameworks
- Episode 112: Merging 3D Printing and SPS
- Episode 110: LionGlass
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