UnEarthed: Raw Beauty
Exploring the Art and Science of Minerals
In the Winter of 2025, I’m curating a new exhibit at NHMLAC that will showcase some of the most beautiful aspects of Earth’s treasures—both the art and science.
Minerals are fundamental in advancing scientific understanding across multiple disciplines, from materials science to planetary evolution. Their crystalline structures and chemical compositions are natural laboratories that reveal Earth's geological processes and history. The study of minerals provides crucial insights into thermodynamic conditions, chemical environments, and physical processes throughout Earth's history.
The scientific significance of minerals extends beyond geology into materials engineering and technology development. Natural minerals often exhibit unique properties that inspire synthetic materials with advanced applications. For instance, the piezoelectric properties of quartz led to the development of precision timing devices and sensors. The study of magnetite's magnetic properties advanced our understanding of paleomagnetism and continental drift. Examples of how we use materials at NHMLAC include using zeolites to help entomb toxic metals from soils in Los Angeles [1, 2], using their natural architecture to sieve metals from the human body, trapping radioactive elements from entering the ecosystem, acting as pharmaceutical carries to target specific diseases, advancing new energy resources [3], and a whole host of other important environmental applications.
New mineral discoveries frequently reveal previously unknown chemical bonding arrangements and structural configurations. These insights expand our understanding of crystal chemistry and can lead to breakthroughs in synthetic materials design. At the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, we are constantly searching for the next big scientific discovery that will change how we harvest and store energy, clean water, and air and make advancements for our sustainable future.
The preservation of minerals for their aesthetic value, therefore, parallels the conservation of natural landscapes but with additional scientific implications. While national parks preserve macroscopic natural beauty and ecosystems, mineral collections preserve microscopic natural architecture representing billions of years of Earth's chemical evolution. These specimens serve as irreplaceable references for scientific research, as many come from deposits that are now depleted or inaccessible.
The aesthetic value of minerals also serves a vital role in public engagement with science. Their natural geometry, color variations, and crystal perfection captivate and inspire audiences, and provide tangible connections to abstract geological concepts. This intrinsic beauty makes minerals powerful educational tools for introducing chemistry, physics, and Earth sciences concepts. The "Unearthed: Raw Beauty" exhibit provides a way to increase the appreciation of minerals while conveying the importance of studying them.
Furthermore, preserving mineral specimens is crucial for maintaining type localities and reference materials for scientific studies. Just as biological type specimens serve as definitive references for species identification, type locality minerals serve as mineralogical classification and characterization standards. These preserved specimens enable future researchers to reexamine historical findings with new analytical techniques, potentially revealing previously undetectable features or relationships.
The intersection of scientific value and natural beauty in minerals creates a unique imperative for their preservation. Unlike many other scientific specimens, minerals simultaneously represent natural art and scientific data, making their conservation essential for cultural and research purposes. This dual significance enhances public support for geological preservation efforts and helps secure resources for maintaining research collections.
Example specimens to get excited about
[1] Smith, J. D. (2023, May 2). Los Angeles Exide lead cleanup experiment: Science, art, social justice. Los Angeles Times.
[2] Phoenix, J. (2024, August 7) Getting (Lead) Down To Earth. Union of Concerned Scientists.
[3]* Hall, H. (2025, January 7) R&D 100 winner of the day: Direct lithium extraction sorbents. R&D World.
*Reference [3] is significant because we are the only museum to have ever won the globally competitive R&D award since it started in 1963.