# seaturtle geology anatexis microstructures migmatites hot_rocks fossilfriday science art rocks minerals microscope gemstones wallart abstractart sciart scicomm curves lines geometry garnet new_techniques terragonal_garnet spritz italy crystals nature metamorphism microscopy photography colors worms microstructure worldphotographyday world worldphotographyday2021 quote quartz jewels chalcedony earthday earth stem melt cordierite glass inclusions biotite spinel sillimanite photos beauty venetonight2020 arte 5november november5 5novembre 11月5日 meteorites petrography mineralogy chemistry ert fossils meteorite lizardite istayhome

Continuing on the week's theme with a teaser for tomorrow's paper drop, check out the change in growth strategies between the derived protostegid sea turtle Protostega (first picture), and the more basal protostegid Desmatocheyls (second picture).

13 46
2023-02-10

(scientific)
Pseudomorphs after melt films: When there's little doubt this rock from the Kerala Khondalite Belt was once partially melted.

7 51
2022-10-20

The first geological polychromatic polarization module is up and running on my microscope.
Looking forward to imaging more and more non-cubic garnets.
Thanks !

11 63
2022-07-08

anomalous
not a mineral/rock, but SUGAR, viewed in thin section.
Next time you visit Italy, remember that Spritz can be made not only with Aperol or Campari, but also with SELECT.
Here it is.

7 58
2022-03-31

It's all about sphalerite for todays I don't think this little mineral gets enough attention! It's very important for global Zn production and really useful for constraining fluid conditions in seafloor hydrothermal deposits.

12 61
2022-01-20


Beautifully intergrown minerals: Symplectites, Myrmekites, Kelyphites.
Enjoy!

30 161
2021-10-08


AGATES Macro-Micro
Brazil (left) vs. Lake Superior (right).

A lot of silica in various forms in these photos...

6 38
2021-05-27

Earth, Art or Heart???
Happy
(and

"Heart of Stone" (Lipari, Italy)

19 104
2021-04-22


A crustal enclave in the dacite of El Hoyazo and some of the fantastic textures that can be seen in there.
These are real, big, natural experiments!

9 72
2021-03-25


Some for my webinar on the of under the tomorrow at
from top left clockwise Andalusite (Lipari); Tiger's Eye (South Africa); Agate (Brazil)… Granulite (Namibia)

12 61
2020-11-27

2020

Thin section of a cosmic spherule photographed under a polarizing optical microscope

image via pisatoday

2 7
2020-11-06


"Pseudomorphs" after melt films are among the most reliable microstructures indicating the former presence of melt. Here in a felsic granulite from the KKB, India.
The lambda plate helps visualization a lot.

5 52
2020-11-06

Not exactly a thin section, but you may like it.
Caffeine, some sugar and a forgotten medicament.
crossed polars and lambda plate. width 2 mm.

4 35
2020-10-23


Serpentine just passed to the second round at .
You may like some aesthetic photomicrographs of this mineral in serpentinites from the Alps, Sierra Nevada and Ronda Massif.

24 99
2020-09-10

Normally chlorite is bad news in my samples as it forms from the breakdown of the minerals I'm interested in, but this chlorite vein looks simply spectacular!

13 69
2020-07-23

Day 69 of
It's GARNET day at
From Top left clockwise: Ronda, Spain: Taos, NM; Vizze valley, Italy; Vizze valley.

40 165
2020-05-21