From the lab bench to the field, learning to identify rocks is about more than memorizing names—it’s about reading the story each stone tells. By observing texture, composition, and formation clues, ...

Identifying minerals blends careful observation with dependable tests that reveal each specimen’s unique signature. Geologists examine hardness, streak, luster, cleavage, and crystal habit to tell ...

Test your rock & mineral smarts—are you a Rock Star? Think you know rocks and minerals? Take the Science Trek quiz! Test your smarts on gold, salt, Earth’s oldest rocks, gemstones on Mars, and the ...

If you draw with a pencil, you can tell how soft the graphite inside is. Pieces of graphite break off to leave the pencil mark. But can you imagine drawing with a diamond? Diamonds and graphite are ...

WYOMING, Mich. — What looks like just a rock to most people can hold much more meaning for collectors. The rock can be a story, a science lesson, or even a childhood memory. The Indian Mounds Rock and ...