Researcher Studies Mystical Gemstones with Potential Applications in Space Exploration

Just now September 22, 2026 1 min read 📰 Phys.org

📋 Key Takeaway

Ph.D. candidate Natalia Seliutina studies the properties of pounamu, a tough gemstone, and its potential applications in space exploration. Her research spans various locations, including Siberia and Taiwan, and has been published in a geological journal. This research may not have direct implications for Iran but highlights global scientific collaboration.

Ph.D. candidate Natalia Seliutina has followed gemstones from the -30° temperatures of Siberia to the carving studios of Ōtepoti and the particle accelerators of Taiwan in her quest to discover why pounamu is one of the toughest natural materials on Earth. Fresh from the publication of Natalia's paper in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, Kathryn van Beek catches up with her to find out how understanding the properties of pounamu might one day help us explore space.