For thousands of years, mankind has had a love affair with gold. Even as gold prices are dropping you can be sure that it won't be going out of style anytime soon.
And why wouldn't people absolutely love it? It's so shiny and beautiful that it makes for perfect adornments for everything from bodies to palaces.
In addition to being gorgeous, gold is also extremely versatile. In fact, gold is so versatile there are a number of uses for it that may surprise you.
Let's take a look at some little-known yet interesting facts about gold.
1. Gold Windows
Are you looking for a nice upgrade for your home's windows? How about installing window glass that is laced with gold?
But, you can't see through gold. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a window? Not in this case.
Gold is used in window glass in small enough quantities that it doesn't interfere with visibility. But it does reflect back infrared rays. Thus, letting sunlight into your home on a hot summer day while keeping the heat out.
Fun bonus fact about gold: it's also used in astronaut helmets for the same purpose.
2. Gold Injections
Is your rheumatoid arthritis acting up again? You might want to consider getting a gold injection.
Yep, you read that right. Chemically liquified gold being injected into the muscle has shown great success in providing relief to sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis.
Like many other metals, gold is present in the human body. You can even eat it in small quantities will no ill effects. But before you go draining your veins to sell the gold, know that it's a very microscopic amount.
3. Gold is "Aurum"
You'll find gold at position number 79 on the periodic table of elements. The atomic symbol "Au" might not quite jump out at you as being gold, though.
Where did they get the "Au" from? Good old Latin! The word for gold in Latin is Aurum, which also means bright dawn. That's a fitting name for such a lovely precious metal.
But not everyone thinks that gold is lovely. There is a small percentage of people who suffer from aurophobia.
"Auro" comes from the Latin word Aurum we just mentioned. Thus, aurophobia is literally a fear of gold. There are varying levels of this strange irrational fear but it's very real to the person who suffers from this phobia.
4. Gold Deposits
Where can you find gold? Surprisingly, all around you. There is estimated to be about 10 billion tons of gold in the ocean, but nobody knows how to economically recover it.
The Earth's core also contains a very large amount of molten gold. The problem, once again, is how to extract it.
An easier method to obtain gold would be to go to an ATM in Dubai. Yes, ATMs in this wondrous country actually do dispense gold. Try it!
More Interesting Facts About Gold
We hope you have enjoyed these interesting facts about gold. Of course, there are a ton more interesting things to learn about gold so keep reading about it if you want to learn more.
A great place to start is with our blog. We have tons of fun tidbits about gold, diamonds, and jewelry in general. Feel free to browse!