For years, humans have speculated about the untapped wealth of precious metals hidden in space. However, scientists now suggest that there could be more than $700 quintillion worth of valuable substances like gold, platinum, diamonds, and even oil scattered throughout asteroids, planets, satellites, and space debris. As we inch closer to unlocking these celestial treasures, let's explore some of the precious metals and minerals that have the potential to redefine our perspective on our world
NASA's Psyche mission, focused on studying the metal-rock asteroid '16 Psyche', has recently passed its critical design phase. Situated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, this colossal 226-kilometer-wide asteroid may contain resources that surpass the entire global economy's worth, according to NASA scientists
'16 Psyche' is predominantly composed of nickel and metallic iron, boasting a solid gold core. The estimated value of this asteroid is staggering, potentially nearing $10,000 quadrillion—enough to make every individual on Earth a millionaire
Continue viewing BT Visual Story
Catch the latest business news, share market updates, expert analysis and exclusives only on BTTV.in
The influx of precious metals from these celestial bodies could revolutionise our resource supply. Certain asteroids are rich in pure metals, with NASA's findings suggesting that the asteroid belt as a whole could be valued at around $700 quintillion
Credit: NASA
One challenge lies in distinguishing which asteroids harbour specific metals. Different missions would be required for different metals, and sending the wrong spacecraft could result in substantial financial setbacks. Classifications such as C-type (minimal materials), S-type (abundant minerals), and M-type (10 times the minerals of S-type) aid in decision-making
Credit: NASA
In a cosmic twist, Saturn's moon Titan boasts hundreds of times more liquid hydrocarbons than Earth's known oil and natural gas reserves. This data, from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, reveals that hydrocarbons rain from the sky, forming vast deposits of oil like lakes and dunes on Titan's surface. This abundance of carbon-bearing material provides insights into Titan's geology and climate history
Credit: NASA
Asteroids hold a treasure trove of minerals, including iron, nickel, iridium, palladium, platinum, gold, and magnesium. Beyond metals, there's a growing interest in extracting water from asteroids—a venture explored by NASA's ARM project. Although not yet financially viable, asteroid water mining could become a crucial industry for Earth's future and support space travel endeavours
The extreme temperature and pressure conditions on Uranus and Neptune are so intense that they could potentially compress carbon atoms into the formation of diamonds within their atmospheres. Methane contains carbon, which can exist independently and undergo tremendous pressure deep within the planet's atmosphere, far beyond the levels we typically study. When the conditions become exceedingly hot and dense within the planet, diamonds begin to take shape and gather. These diamonds grow to become massive and eventually descend through the atmosphere. However, this isn't like the rain we encounter on Earth because the pressures involved are extraordinarily high, making it an inaccessible realm for human exploration
While diamonds are considered rare on Earth, they surprisingly appear to be quite abundant in the vast expanse of space. The notion of diamonds existing in space gained serious consideration in the 1980s when the study of meteorites that collided with Earth revealed a substantial presence of minuscule nano-diamonds. Extrapolating from the dust content in cosmic clouds, calculations indicate that as many as 10,000 trillion nano-diamonds could be contained within just one gram of dust and gas in such a celestial cloud
Credit: NASA
Scientists supported by a NASA theory grant, employed a combination of computer simulations and observational data to calculate the production of lithium during a nova explosion. Computer models were used to estimate the ejection of gas and its chemical composition during a nova event (star explosions). The researchers based their models on observations of classical novae gathered from various telescopes, including ground-based and space-based ones like NASA's Hubble and Spitzer telescopes, as well as the SOFIA airborne observatory aboard a 747 aircraft