To many people, a rock is just a rock. If anyone has been house shopping, you know how realtors will mention that the countertops are "granite" and you might wonder why, from house to house, they all ...

A thin slice of the ancient rocks collected from Gakkel Ridge near the North Pole, photographed under a microscope and seen under cross-polarized light. Credit: E. Cottrell, Smithsonian. If you’re ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Sean Anthony Eddy via Getty Images A microscope’s job is to magnify the minuscule world ...