Gold is a world famous precious metal. Its reserves are small in comparison with other metals of the Earth, extraction and extraction are labor-intensive, so the cost is quite high. Possessing plasticity, malleability, brilliance, gold has become an ideal material for making jewelry, attributes of power, and luxury items among different peoples. A symbol of wealth, a high position in society - this is the main role of the yellow metal in world history. Let's take a look at some interesting facts about him.
Fact No. 1. There are many fairy tales and legends about gold. One of the most famous is about King Midas, who wished that everything he did not touch turned into precious metal. God Dionysus fulfilled his request, the greedy monarch was at first delighted, and then regretted his desire - food, water and even people turned into gold. With great difficulty, Midas convinced Dionysus to return him to his former state.
Fact No. 2. The precious metal became the goal of ancient scientists, and this prompted some of them to study the world around them. For example, alchemists were looking for a way to turn other metals into gold using the "philosopher's stone", thus creating their own laboratories, describing some substances and conducting chemical experiments. Of course, it only benefited science.
Fact No. 3. Many people know the expression "golden calf", it is associated with the biblical tradition about the creation by people of an idol in the form of a bull and about worshiping him due to the long absence of Moses, who climbed Mount Sinai. Subsequently, Moses destroyed the symbol of idolatry, and the phrase began to mean greed and service to money.
Fact No. 4. Statues made of gold existed in the cultures of different peoples. Some have survived to our time, for example, a huge three-meter Buddha statue, which is located in Bangkok, while others were created in the XNUMXst century - the statue of Mao Zedong, the Siren statue, dedicated to the model Kate Moss.
Fact No. 5. There were times when coins were made of gold, and counterfeiters replaced them with lead or tin. And to make sure that the money was genuine, the merchants tried it on the tooth. If a dent remains, the coin has been counterfeited.
Fact No. 6. Gold is a high-density metal (19,3 g/cm²), which means that massive jewelry made from it is quite heavy. The ancient monarchs believed that the more jewelry, the better. It is known that for one of the Egyptian pharaohs they made a gold necklace, consisting of plates with inserts - sparkling stones. Such an ornament weighed several kilograms, so a counterweight was put on the back with it to fix the position of the product.
Fact No. 7. Jewelry made of gold can not only please the owner, but also benefit the country. So the Prussian princess Marianne gave her jewelry to help the front (there was a war with Napoleon), becoming the founder of the patriotic action “I will give gold for iron”. Iron rings with this inscription were received by women who followed her example; it was unpatriotic to wear jewelry in a difficult time for the country.
Fact No. 8. Golden regalia still exist today. For example, for each newly elected pope, a "fisherman's ring" with his name and the image of St. Peter is cast from gold. The decoration symbolizes the salvation of human souls. After the death or abdication of the pontiff, the ring was destroyed; in our time, two cuts are made on the ring. Interestingly, at the request of the current Pope Francis, his ring was made of silver in order to save money - gold would cost the treasury of a small country dearly.
Fact No. 9. As already mentioned, gold is plastic. It can be rolled out into a “film” comparable in thickness to a sheet of paper. This is gold leaf - the thinnest metal sheets used for decorative finishing. They are decorated with interior details, icons, domes of temples. Often gold leaf is replaced with potal - an imitation of gold from metal alloys.
Fact No. 10. Gold chains have been made for hundreds of centuries, although this is a rather laborious process. It is known that in ancient Greece they were worn both as an independent product and as a basis for pendants. The nobility of Ancient Russia also wore gold chains, some were made as belt decorations. For example, an elegant Chernihiv octagonal gold chain is known.
Fact No. 11. Gold has a high light reflectivity, in particular reflects infrared rays, so it is often used in the glass industry. The thinnest golden film of skyscraper windows helps to avoid overheating of buildings.
Fact No. 12. The modern world of electronics is unthinkable without gold wire, it is needed for the manufacture of microcircuits - the "brain" of various devices. Engineers appreciate the "despicable metal": it does not oxidize, has good thermal conductivity, low resistance and high melting point. There are even companies that are engaged in the extraction of precious metal from old devices - cell phones, computers, etc. The idea is good - gold reserves are not large, and it's good for the planet - recycling avoids littering.
