00;00;02;21 - 00;00;05;21
Speaker 1
Hey, Gemini!
00;00;05;24 - 00;00;09;03
Speaker 2
Hey, there. What can I do for you?
00;00;09;05 - 00;00;14;26
Speaker 1
Is it cool if I record this conversation to post it?
00;00;14;29 - 00;00;23;18
Speaker 2
Sure. No problem. Just be aware that I can't provide any personally identifiable information, so I'll be a little vague on some things.
00;00;23;20 - 00;00;37;13
Speaker 1
Okay. Today I want to talk about gold. And what? Why? It's been so valuable to you humans throughout history.
00;00;37;16 - 00;00;49;14
Speaker 2
That's a great topic. Gold always been fascinating. It's rare, beautiful, and has a ton of uses. Let's start with the basics. Why is it so valuable? Do you think?
00;00;49;16 - 00;00;54;05
Speaker 1
I don't know. That's what I'm asking you.
00;00;54;08 - 00;01;14;19
Speaker 2
That's fair. Gold value is kind of complex. It's rare, which makes it valuable. It's also really durable. It doesn't rust or tarnish. And since it's so easy to shape, it's perfect for jewelry and other fancy stuff. Do you want to focus on gold's history as money, or maybe its use in technology?
00;01;14;22 - 00;01;20;05
Speaker 1
Let's go back to the beginning.
00;01;20;07 - 00;01;42;18
Speaker 2
All right, let's go way back. Humans have been fascinated with gold for thousands of years. Some of the earliest gold artifacts we found were from way back in ancient Egypt. Think pharaohs and pyramids. They used gold for everything from jewelry to decorating their tomb. Want to hear about some other cool civilizations that loved gold?
00;01;42;21 - 00;01;55;00
Speaker 1
Was there use or evidence of fascination with gold before Egypt?
00;01;55;02 - 00;02;12;06
Speaker 2
Yeah, definitely. Ancient civilizations like the Sumerians in Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilization in South Asia used gold for jewelry and decoration. A few thousand years before the Egyptians, it seemed like it might be a little less common. But gold always been precious.
00;02;12;08 - 00;02;24;19
Speaker 1
Okay. Take us back to the first known uses or interest in gold.
00;02;24;21 - 00;02;48;26
Speaker 2
That's a tough one, since there's no way to know for absolutely sure. But we do have some really old clues. There's evidence of gold being used for jewelry and decoration in places like modern day Spain and Bulgaria. From way back around 4000 BC, people probably just stumbled onto gold nuggets and thought they were pretty. So they started using them.
00;02;48;28 - 00;02;54;08
Speaker 1
Okay, what were the earliest uses of gold?
00;02;54;11 - 00;03;10;22
Speaker 2
The very first uses of gold were probably just for decoration. Think of shiny beads or pendants made from gold nuggets. Later on, they figured out how to hammer it into thin sheets so they could decorate stuff like statues and jewelry.
00;03;10;24 - 00;03;20;05
Speaker 1
Was it one of the earliest uses of metal, or were there other metals being used?
00;03;20;08 - 00;03;33;09
Speaker 2
That's a good point. Gold wasn't the first metal humans used. Copper came before it, and it was way more practical for tools and stuff like that. But gold was special because it was so beautiful and easy to shape into fancy things.
00;03;33;11 - 00;03;37;18
Speaker 1
Because it was soft.
00;03;37;20 - 00;03;58;19
Speaker 2
Yeah. That's right. Gold is a lot softer than copper, so it's easier to work with for jewelry and decorations. But because it's so soft, it wasn't really practical for tools or weapons.
00;03;58;21 - 00;04;19;28
Speaker 1
Tell me, give me, like, 3000 roughly words on gold and its properties and just about gold. Not about history or anything, but about its physical makeup and what makes it special.
00;04;20;01 - 00;04;38;06
Speaker 2
Gold is a fascinating element. It's got a warm, beautiful color, and it's really dense. If you had a whole bunch of gold, it feel way heavier than you'd expect. Plus, it's super malleable, which means you can pound it into super thin sheets. One of the coolest things about gold is that it doesn't react with much. You can bury it in the ground or leave it out in the rain, and it'll basically stay the same.
00;04;38;11 - 00;04;47;26
Speaker 2
It doesn't rust or tarnish like some other metals. That's why it's so great for jewelry. It keeps that beautiful shine for a really long time.
00;04;47;29 - 00;04;56;26
Speaker 1
Okay, tell me, another 2000 words on the qualities of gold.
00;04;56;28 - 00;05;19;21
Speaker 2
Gold's got some really unique properties besides being super soft and easy to shape. It's also really dense. That means it's heavy for its size. It's also really good at conducting electricity and heat. Another cool thing about gold is that it reflects light in a special way, giving it that gorgeous, warm color we love. It's so reflective, in fact, but it's used in things like astronaut visors to help protect their eyes from the sun's intense light.
00;05;19;24 - 00;05;41;13
Speaker 2
Let's talk a little more about gold uses. Besides being beautiful, it's also really practical. It's used in electronics because it conducts electricity so well. They use it for things like computer chips and cell phones. It's also used in dentistry for things like crowns and fillings, because it's so strong and durable.
00;05;41;16 - 00;05;47;20
Speaker 1
But we just said that it wasn't strong and durable.
00;05;47;23 - 00;06;05;08
Speaker 2
You're absolutely right. I misspoke there. Gold isn't actually super strong. It's quite soft and malleable, which is why it's so easy to shape for jewelry. But in dentistry, they often use gold alloys, which are mixtures of gold with other metals. These alloys are a lot stronger, so they hold up better in your mouth.
00;06;05;11 - 00;06;10;18
Speaker 1
For the dental alloys, what do they mix it with?
00;06;10;21 - 00;06;22;19
Speaker 2
Dental gold alloys are usually mixed with things like copper, silver, and palladium. These other metals make the gold stronger without changing its color too much. Would you like to know more about how gold is used in different fields?
00;06;22;21 - 00;06;26;08
Speaker 1
Yes, please.
00;06;26;10 - 00;06;42;03
Speaker 2
Okay, let's talk about some other cool uses for gold. Besides jewelry and electronics, it's also really useful in the medical field. The use it in some medicines to help them work better. And it's even used in a special kind of radiation treatment for cancer.
00;06;42;06 - 00;06;49;03
Speaker 1
Can you, talk about that? The radiation.
00;06;49;05 - 00;07;05;14
Speaker 2
Sure thing. So there's a treatment called gold seed therapy. They make tiny pellets of gold, and then they implant them in tumors. The gold seeds basically act as a target for radiation, making the treatment more effective and less harmful to healthy cells. It's a pretty cool use of gold,
00;07;05;16 - 00;07;08;28
Speaker 1
Yeah, definitely.
00;07;09;00 - 00;07;26;21
Speaker 2
And gold has some other cool uses too. For example, it's used in space exploration. Astronauts visors sometimes have a thin layer of gold in them to reflect the sun's intense light. And on satellites, they use gold to help them regulate their temperature. Would you like to hear about how gold is used in food?
00;07;26;24 - 00;07;29;17
Speaker 1
Okay.
00;07;29;19 - 00;07;44;06
Speaker 2
You might be surprised to hear that some fancy restaurants use edible gold leaf for decoration. They put it on things like desserts or fancy cocktails. It's totally harmless and it makes your food look super fancy.
00;07;44;09 - 00;07;56;13
Speaker 1
I always wondered about that, like gold leaf food and like, gold sauger and stuff like that. Does it mess with your insides?
00;07;56;16 - 00;08;14;02
Speaker 2
That's a good point. While eating gold leaf itself is harmless, it doesn't provide any nutritional value. It's really just for show and about. Gold jewelry, whether it's earrings, necklaces, or rings. It's safe to wear them. Your skin won't absorb any of the gold.
00;08;14;04 - 00;08;19;06
Speaker 1
If it isn't it bad to ingest metals?
00;08;19;08 - 00;08;35;04
Speaker 2
Generally, it's not good to ingest metals. Most metals can be harmful or even poisonous if you eat them. The gold is a little different. It's actually considered nontoxic. So eating small amounts of it won't hurt you. Your body can't absorb it, so it just passes right through your system.
00;08;35;06 - 00;08;38;10
Speaker 1
So you have gold poops.
00;08;38;13 - 00;08;49;02
Speaker 2
Well, your body wouldn't be able to digest gold, so it would come out the other end looking pretty much the same as when you swallowed it. But it's really not something people do on purpose.
00;08;49;05 - 00;09;04;22
Speaker 1
Let's go back to the early history of gold. People were around like 4000 BC, were using it for jewelry. And then what?
00;09;04;24 - 00;09;20;26
Speaker 2
So after using gold for jewelry, those ancient civilizations started seeing other uses. For instance, they started making decorative masks and statues out of gold. It became a symbol of power and wealth. So only the richest and most important people could afford it.
00;09;20;29 - 00;09;25;09
Speaker 1
Okay, give me 2000 words on that.
00;09;25;12 - 00;09;44;05
Speaker 2
All right, so after those ancient civilizations started using gold for jewelry, they realized it was a great way to show off their wealth and status. They started making bigger and more impressive things out of gold, like masks, statues, and even whole rooms covered in gold. Think of it like the ultimate bling. It was super rare and expensive. So only the richest and most powerful people could afford it.
00;09;44;12 - 00;10;02;08
Speaker 2
Because gold was such a big deal, it became a symbol of power, and even of the gods, rulers and other important figures would often wear gold jewelry or carry gold objects to show they were in charge. They believed gold had special powers, and sometimes they'd even make religious items out of it. As time went on, gold became even more valuable.
00;10;02;11 - 00;10;22;09
Speaker 2
It was easier to trade than other things, so people started using it like money. They'd weigh out nuggets of gold to pay for stuff. Kind of like how we use coins today. It made things a lot simpler, especially when you were buying or selling things from faraway places.
00;10;22;11 - 00;10;28;05
Speaker 1
Can you give me specific examples?
00;10;28;07 - 00;10;48;09
Speaker 2
Sure. For example, King Tutankhamun's tomb was loaded with gold artifacts. His coffin was literally made of solid gold. And in South America, civilization, like the Incas, used gold for everything from jewelry to religious ceremonies. They even built a giant golden temple dedicated to the sun god. Want to hear more about how gold was used as money?
00;10;48;11 - 00;10;53;11
Speaker 1
Sure.
00;10;53;13 - 00;10;55;26
Speaker 1
Okay.
00;10;55;29 - 00;11;14;22
Speaker 2
All right, so gold started being used as money way back in ancient Lydia, which is in modern day Turkey. They figured out that weighing out gold for every transaction was kind of a pain. So they started making little coins with a set amount of gold in them. It made things a lot faster and easier.
00;11;14;25 - 00;11;20;16
Speaker 1
Can you give me 3000 words on that subject?
00;11;20;18 - 00;11;37;29
Speaker 2
Absolutely. So the ancient Libyans who were really into their money, figured out that weighing out gold for everything was a total drag. They thought, hey, wouldn't it be easier if we just made little stamps with a set amount of gold in them? And boom, the first coins were born. These early coins were a game changer. Instead of having to haul around bags of gold dust or nuggets.
00;11;38;06 - 00;11;56;08
Speaker 2
People could just use these handy little coins for everyday stuff. It made trade way more efficient, and it also made it easier to figure out taxes and stuff like that. Word got around about how awesome these coins were, and pretty soon other civilizations started making their own versions. The Greeks, Romans, and everyone else wanted in on the action.
00;11;56;13 - 00;12;10;12
Speaker 2
They started minting their own coins with different designs and values, which helped their economies grow and made life a lot easier for regular people.
00;12;10;14 - 00;12;19;01
Speaker 1
Was gold widely accepted at that time?
00;12;19;03 - 00;12;38;20
Speaker 2
Yeah, gold was super popular for coins for a couple of reasons. First, it's rare and valuable, so everyone knew it was worth something. Second, it's really durable. So the coins lasted a long time without getting all beat up. And third, it's easy to recognize, so you didn't have to be a genius to figure out if a coin was real or fake.
00;12;38;22 - 00;12;42;22
Speaker 1
What was this time period?
00;12;42;25 - 00;12;54;09
Speaker 2
The first gold coins were made way back around 550 B.C. in Lydia, which is in modern day Turkey. So that's when gold really started being widely used as money.
00;12;54;12 - 00;13;02;13
Speaker 1
And that, nation or empire and Libya, what was that called?
00;13;02;15 - 00;13;12;24
Speaker 2
Phoenician was Lydia, and their currency was called the stater. It was one of the first gold coins ever made. And it was a pretty big deal back then.
00;13;12;27 - 00;13;18;28
Speaker 1
It's called the stater. Can you give me 2000 words on that?
00;13;19;00 - 00;13;39;23
Speaker 2
But Lydian stater was a pretty cool invention. It was made of a gold and silver alloy called electrum. And it had a picture of a lion on one side. These coins were a big hit, and other civilizations soon started copying the idea. The Greeks, for example, loved the stater so much that they started making their own versions. They made them bigger and fancier with all sorts of cool designs.
00;13;40;00 - 00;13;48;18
Speaker 2
The Greek city states were kind of obsessed with gold, so they used it for everything from coins to jewelry to decorating their temples.
00;13;48;20 - 00;13;52;06
Speaker 1
Okay, continue on that.
00;13;52;09 - 00;14;11;27
Speaker 2
The Greeks took things to the next level with their gold coins. They started making them bigger and fancier, with intricate designs featuring gods, heroes and important events. It was like a mobile art gallery in your pocket. People loved collecting them almost as much as using them for shopping. Meanwhile, the Romans were busy conquering the world and they wanted in on the gold coin action.
00;14;12;01 - 00;14;26;13
Speaker 2
They started minting their own gold coins called the aureus. These were super high quality and they became the standard currency for the whole Roman Empire. It was a huge deal. Everyone from rich senators to lowly soldiers was using them.
00;14;26;15 - 00;14;30;18
Speaker 1
Did you say aureus?
00;14;30;21 - 00;14;35;09
Speaker 2
No, I said aureus. It was a type of gold coin used by the Romans.
00;14;35;11 - 00;14;38;19
Speaker 1
How do you spell that?
00;14;38;22 - 00;14;42;24
Speaker 2
Are you use.
00;14;42;27 - 00;14;46;18
Speaker 1
What?
00;14;46;20 - 00;14;50;21
Speaker 2
I was just saying that the Roman gold coin was called the aureus.
00;14;50;23 - 00;14;55;14
Speaker 1
Yeah. How do you spell that? Slowly, please.
00;14;55;16 - 00;15;03;23
Speaker 2
Sure. It's a are with.
00;15;03;25 - 00;15;09;11
Speaker 1
Okay, so let's keep going through history.
00;15;09;14 - 00;15;29;08
Speaker 2
All right. So after the Roman Empire fell apart, gold coins were still really important. Different kingdoms and countries started making their own versions. But the idea was the same. Gold was valuable, so it made a great base for currency. Would you like to hear about some specific examples from the Middle Ages or later?
00;15;29;11 - 00;15;40;20
Speaker 1
Let's go with some specific examples from early history. In Asia or India.
00;15;40;22 - 00;15;59;02
Speaker 2
All right. Let's switch gears and head over to Asia. India has a long and fascinating history with gold. They've been mining it and using it for centuries. Even before coins were invented. They used gold as a form of currency. They would weigh it out for trades. Later on, they started making their own gold coins, which were often really beautifully decorated.
00;15;59;06 - 00;16;04;26
Speaker 2
These coins were an important part of their economy for hundreds of years.
00;16;04;28 - 00;16;08;02
Speaker 1
Okay. Continue. Please.
00;16;08;04 - 00;16;31;25
Speaker 2
All right. So ancient India was absolutely fascinated with gold. They saw it as a symbol of wealth, prosperity and even divinity. They used it in everything from jewelry to religious ceremonies. They believed gold had special powers and could bring good luck and blessings. India was also a major producer of gold. They had some really advanced mining techniques for the time, and they were able to get a lot of gold out of the ground.
00;16;32;01 - 00;16;50;10
Speaker 2
This made gold more available, which helped their economy grow and made India really wealthy because gold was so plentiful and valued. They started using it as a form of currency instead of bartering. They started weighing out gold to pay for things. It was a big step forward and it made trade and commerce a lot more organized.
00;16;50;12 - 00;16;54;28
Speaker 1
What about, China?
00;16;55;00 - 00;17;15;07
Speaker 2
China also has a long history with gold, but they approached it a little differently than India. They were big into trade, especially with places like India and the Middle East. They got a lot of their gold through trading silk and other valuable goods. They didn't use gold coins for everyday stuff the way Europeans did. Instead, they stuck with a system of using gold as a standard for the value of their currency.
00;17;15;10 - 00;17;22;22
Speaker 2
It was a really smart system that helped them keep their economy stable for a long time.
00;17;22;24 - 00;17;34;27
Speaker 1
So did the gold standard for currency to arrive in China.
00;17;34;29 - 00;17;51;24
Speaker 2
That's a good question. Well, China was one of the first major economies to use gold as a standard for their currency. The concept of the gold standard itself wasn't really formalized until a few centuries later. The classic gold standard, where a country's currency is directly tied to a fixed amount of gold, really took off in the 19th century.
00;17;52;00 - 00;17;58;25
Speaker 2
It was the British who first put the gold standard into widespread practice.
00;17;58;27 - 00;18;10;28
Speaker 1
Okay, so let's not jump that far ahead. Let's go with maybe like a thousand A.D..
00;18;11;00 - 00;18;33;25
Speaker 2
All right, so around 1000 A.D., gold was still super important, but things were changing. The Roman Empire was long gone, and Europe was kind of a mess with all those little kingdoms fighting each other. Trade wasn't as organized as it used to be. So gold coins weren't as common. Let's focus on a specific part of the world. Do you want to hear about Europe, Asia, or somewhere else?
00;18;33;28 - 00;18;38;13
Speaker 1
Let's go with a little variety.
00;18;38;15 - 00;18;57;07
Speaker 2
All right. Let's do a little variety. Let's start with Europe, where things were a bit chaotic after the fall of Rome with all the fighting. Trade kind of slowed down. But even with the craziness, gold was still a big deal. Kings and rich people loved showing off their wealth with gold coins and fancy jewelry. Now let's jump over to Asia, where things were a bit more stable.
00;18;57;10 - 00;19;10;11
Speaker 2
India was still going strong with their gold, using it for everything from jewelry to temple decorations. And in China, they were busy trading with other parts of the world, bringing in even more gold to add to their riches.
00;19;10;13 - 00;19;14;00
Speaker 1
Okay, continue.
00;19;14;03 - 00;19;34;23
Speaker 2
All right, let's pick up in the Middle East. They had some amazing civilizations back then. Like the Arabs and Persians. They were big into trade, especially with India and China. So they got their hands on a lot of gold. They used it for their currency, and they also loved decorating their mosques and palaces with fancy gold designs. Gold was such a big deal in the middle East that they even developed some advanced techniques for working with it.
00;19;34;29 - 00;19;44;02
Speaker 2
They could make incredibly delicate and intricate jewelry, and their coins were some of the most beautiful in the world.
00;19;44;05 - 00;19;49;12
Speaker 1
Can you give me any specific examples?
00;19;49;15 - 00;20;10;09
Speaker 2
Absolutely. The Umayyad Caliphate, which ruled much of the Middle East in the seventh and eighth centuries, had a special gold coin called the dinar. It was really high quality and became a standard currency for a huge region later on. The Islamic world saw the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate. They were based in Baghdad, and they built this amazing city that was known for its wealth and luxury.
00;20;10;11 - 00;20;18;29
Speaker 2
They had tons of gold, and they used it to decorate their palaces and mosques in the most incredible ways.
00;20;19;01 - 00;20;28;28
Speaker 1
What about Africa's early history with gold going back into the B.C. area?
00;20;29;01 - 00;20;54;11
Speaker 2
Africa has a super rich history, with gold going way back. Some of the earliest gold mines in the world were actually in West Africa, in a region called the Sahel. They were mining gold there as early as 1250 BC. The gold from this region was really famous. They called it black gold because it was so pure. It became a super valuable trading commodity, especially with the civilizations in North Africa and Europe.
00;20;54;13 - 00;21;01;28
Speaker 1
Okay. Can you give me 3000 words on the early history of gold in Africa?
00;21;02;01 - 00;21;20;26
Speaker 2
All right. So Africa has got a super rich history with gold going way back. Some of the earliest gold mines in the world were actually in West Africa, in a region called this a hill. They were mining gold there as early as 1250 BC. The gold from this region was really famous. They called it black gold because it was so pure.
00;21;21;02 - 00;21;42;26
Speaker 2
It became a super valuable trading commodity, especially with the civilizations in North Africa and Europe, who these ancient West African civilizations weren't just mining the gold. They were also really skilled at turning it into beautiful and valuable stuff. They made intricate jewelry, masks, and other decorative objects that were highly prized by traders from all over the continent. Now let's talk about the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhai.
00;21;43;00 - 00;22;01;01
Speaker 2
They all played a major role in the gold trade. The Kingdom of Ghana was the first to really dominate the gold trade. They controlled the supply and they got super rich from taxing the gold that passed through their territory. After Ghana fell, the Mali Empire took over as the big dog of the gold trade. They were even richer and more powerful than Ghana and their ruler.
00;22;01;02 - 00;22;24;12
Speaker 2
Mansa Musa is famous for going on a totally extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca, where he basically showed off his country's wealth to the whole world. Finally, there's the Songhai Empire. They took over from Mali and they were also major players in the gold trade. They had a huge empire that stretched across much of West Africa, and they were known for their advanced cities and learning.
00;22;24;14 - 00;22;36;25
Speaker 1
Okay, so now we're out of the Middle Ages and you're, and, the U.S. is.
00;22;36;25 - 00;22;55;01
Speaker 2
All right, so let's pick up in the 15th century. This is one thing. All right, so after the Spanish and Portuguese found all that gold and silver in the Americas, it totally changed the game. They brought tons of it back to Europe, and it caused a bunch of inflation. Basically, all that gold floating around. Made everything else cost more.
00;22;55;06 - 00;23;13;21
Speaker 2
But even with the inflation, gold was still super valuable. It was used to make coins, jewelry, and other fancy stuff. They also started using it in a new way to back up their currencies. This is the beginning of what we now call the gold standard.
00;23;13;24 - 00;23;17;19
Speaker 1
Okay. I would like you.
00;23;17;20 - 00;23;27;21
Speaker 2
All right. The gold standard was a big deal. Basically, it meant that it could. All right, so there were a few big reasons why the gold standard fell apart. First, there were the world wars. All that.
00;23;27;21 - 00;23;29;06
Speaker 1
Fighting. I mean, erupting.
00;23;29;06 - 00;23;31;05
Speaker 2
And countries needed a lot of money to pay for.
00;23;31;11 - 00;23;31;20
Speaker 1
Nice.
00;23;31;20 - 00;23;34;06
Speaker 2
That standard basically tied their hands. So they.
00;23;34;06 - 00;23;35;19
Speaker 1
Had the Gemini man erupting.
00;23;35;19 - 00;23;40;09
Speaker 2
Another big. Hey there, what's on your mind?
00;23;40;11 - 00;23;56;13
Speaker 1
Can you give me 3000 words on the gold that came from the Americas via the Europeans and caused inflation and that kind of stuff?
00;23;56;16 - 00;24;18;08
Speaker 2
All right. So when the Spanish conquistadors rolled into the Americas, they found civilizations swimming in gold. The Aztecs and Incas had been using it for centuries for everything from jewelry to religious stuff. The Spanish went nuts shipping back boatloads of the shiny stuff to Europe. But here's the weird thing all that new gold messed up the economy. Before there wasn't a whole lot of gold floating around.
00;24;18;12 - 00;24;37;05
Speaker 2
So it was super valuable. Now there was a ton of it. So it wasn't as special anymore. This caused prices to go through the roof. It was like the first big bout of inflation. Imagine you're trying to buy a loaf of bread and suddenly it costs ten times as much. That's kind of what happened. The value of the currency went down because there was so much more gold around.
00;24;37;09 - 00;24;55;05
Speaker 2
It was a real problem for regular people, but it was great news for the rich folks who already owned a bunch of gold. This whole situation led to some other changes too. Since gold wasn't as rare anymore, countries started looking for other ways to back up their money. They started using things like silver and even just promising to pay debts back later.
00;24;55;06 - 00;25;12;13
Speaker 2
This set the stage for the modern financial system, where most money isn't backed by anything physical anymore.
00;25;12;15 - 00;25;21;12
Speaker 1
Okay, so let's talk about gold in modern history.
00;25;21;14 - 00;25;45;12
Speaker 2
All right. Let's dive into modern times. Things have changed a lot since the end of the gold standard. These days, most currencies aren't backed by anything physical. Their value is based on trust in the government and the overall strength of the economy. Even though gold isn't the backbone of the financial system anymore, it's still important. A lot of people see it as a safe investment, especially when the stock market is acting crazy or there's a lot of inflation.
00;25;45;16 - 00;25;59;19
Speaker 2
They figure that gold will hold its value no matter what's going on with the economy. Gold's also still used in a bunch of practical ways. You've got jewelry, of course, but it's also used in electronics, dentistry and even some medical treatments.
00;25;59;21 - 00;26;16;14
Speaker 1
Okay. Can you give me 2000 words on, back history on the gold standard, what it is and how it became an what happened to it?
00;26;16;16 - 00;26;33;04
Speaker 2
All right, so the gold standard was basically a system where a country's currency was directly tied to a certain amount of gold. Think of it like your money being backed up by actual gold sitting in a bank somewhere. The idea was that it would make the currency more stable, since gold is a valuable thing that doesn't just disappear.
00;26;33;11 - 00;26;50;12
Speaker 2
It was supposed to keep the value of money from getting too crazy. Let's go back a bit. The gold standard really started to take off in the 1800s. Countries like the U.K. were the first to adopt it. They figured out that having their money tied to gold made it seem more trustworthy, and it helped with international trade since everyone knew what their money was worth.
00;26;50;18 - 00;27;09;16
Speaker 2
It wasn't perfect, though. Sometimes there weren't enough gold to back up all the money floating around, and that could cause problems. Plus, if a country needed to spend a bunch of money, like during a war, the gold standard could get in the way. So after World War one, a lot of countries ditched the gold standard. They figured they needed more flexibility to deal with the whole mess the war had caused.
00;27;09;18 - 00;27;41;29
Speaker 2
It wasn't until after World War Two that they tried the gold standard again. This time it was a little different. The US dollar became the most important currency, and other countries tied their money to the dollar instead of gold. The system didn't last forever, though. In the 1970s, the US decided to stop exchanging dollars for gold, and that was pretty much the end of the gold standard.
00;27;42;01 - 00;27;54;22
Speaker 1
What about countries? Maybe they didn't have gold, but they produced important things.
00;27;54;24 - 00;28;17;05
Speaker 2
Absolutely. There are tons of examples of countries that built their economies on things other than gold. Take Switzerland, for instance. They don't have a lot of natural resources, but they've become incredibly wealthy thanks to their banking system, watchmaking and high tech industries. Another example is Japan. They weren't rich in gold or other resources, but they focused on things like manufacturing and technology, and it paid off big time.
00;28;17;11 - 00;28;30;06
Speaker 2
Even today, there are countries like Singapore that are basically city states with no major natural resources, but they've become economic powerhouses by focusing on trade, finance and high tech industries.
00;28;30;08 - 00;28;41;04
Speaker 1
Okay. Can you give me 3000 words on the non monetary modern uses of gold?
00;28;41;06 - 00;28;59;19
Speaker 2
Okay, so while gold isn't the money standard anymore, we still use it a ton. Let's start with tech. Gold is awesome at conducting electricity so it's perfect for things like computer chips and smartphones. You might not see it, but it's helping your phone work. Gold is also really good at reflecting light without getting hot. That's why astronaut visors sometimes have a thin layer of gold.
00;28;59;21 - 00;29;25;05
Speaker 2
It helps protect their eyes from the sun's glare. And let's not forget medicine. They use gold in some cancer treatments. They make tiny gold particles and basically use them as targets for radiation. It's pretty cool tech. Oh, and one more thing. We've even figured out how to make gold nanoparticles. These are teeny tiny pieces of gold that you can use to make all sorts of interesting stuff, like better medicine or superstrong materials.
00;29;25;07 - 00;29;41;04
Speaker 1
Okay, so one big, quality of gold is that you can, like, stretch it or hammer it really, really, really thin. Can you go into that?
00;29;41;07 - 00;29;59;11
Speaker 2
Yep. That's one of gold's coolest qualities. It's super malleable, which means you can stretch it into super thin sheets called gold leaf. It's so thin, you can almost see through it. People use gold leaf for tons of fancy stuff, like decorating buildings or making high end artwork.
00;29;59;13 - 00;30;09;13
Speaker 1
What about, give me 2000 words on this quality from a technology perspective.
00;30;09;15 - 00;30;29;10
Speaker 2
All right, so gold malleability is a big deal in tech because you can stretch it into super thin sheets. You can use it for things like flexible electronics. Imagine having a phone screen that can bend or fold. That's where gold malleability comes in. Gold also really good at conducting electricity, which makes it perfect for things like microchips and other tiny electrical components.
00;30;29;18 - 00;30;40;13
Speaker 2
Because it's so malleable, you can shape it into really precise shape, which is crucial for building those teeny tiny circuit.
00;30;40;16 - 00;30;47;19
Speaker 1
And it's an element on the periodic table right?
00;30;47;22 - 00;31;01;16
Speaker 2
Yep. Gold is definitely an element. You can find it on the periodic table with the symbol EU. It's actually one of the oldest metals known to humans.
00;31;01;18 - 00;31;09;08
Speaker 1
Can you talk about its, atomic properties?
00;31;09;10 - 00;31;30;00
Speaker 2
Absolutely. Gold's atomic properties are what make it so unique. First off, it's got a super high atomic number. That means each gold atom has a lot of protons. This contributes to gold density, making it feel heavy for its size. Also, gold's electron configuration is really stable. That's a fancy way of saying it's electrons are arranged in a way that makes it super resistant to reacting with other chemicals.
00;31;30;02 - 00;31;40;15
Speaker 2
That's why gold doesn't rust or tarnish.
00;31;40;17 - 00;31;56;02
Speaker 1
Can you give me some interesting things about gold that you don't think that I would know, and that we haven't covered so far?
00;31;56;04 - 00;32;14;10
Speaker 2
Here's something that many people know. Gold is actually a really good conductor of heat. It's one of the best. Second only to silver. This property has some interesting applications in electronics where you want to move heat away from sensitive components. Also, gold is found in surprisingly tiny amounts in the human body. It's not enough to make you rich, but it's still kind of cool.
00;32;14;14 - 00;32;25;15
Speaker 2
We're not really sure why it's there, but it might play a role in how our bodies work.
00;32;25;18 - 00;32;33;21
Speaker 1
Really? Can you give me, 2000 words on that specifically?
00;32;33;23 - 00;32;56;24
Speaker 2
Sure thing. Gold's atomic properties are what make it so unique. First off, its atomic number is 79, which means it has 79 protons in its nucleus. That makes gold a pretty heavy element. And it's part of what gives it that beautiful golden color. The way gold's electrons are arranged also plays a big role in its properties. It's got a full outer electron shell, which makes it super stable and resistant to reacting with other chemicals.
00;32;57;00 - 00;33;12;20
Speaker 2
That's why gold doesn't rust or tarnish. Gold atomic structure also makes it really malleable, meaning you can pound it into super thin sheets without it breaking. This property is why gold leaf exists, and it's also useful in electronics, where you need super thin layers of metal.
00;33;12;22 - 00;33;20;04
Speaker 1
Now, I'm specifically that it's found in the human body.
00;33;20;07 - 00;33;37;28
Speaker 2
It's true. There's actually a tiny amount of gold in the human body, about 0.2mg, which isn't much at all. Scientists think it might play a role in keeping our joints healthy, but we don't really know for sure yet. It's interesting to think about there's literally a little bit of gold in all of us.
00;33;38;00 - 00;33;42;06
Speaker 1
Is it spread out?
00;33;42;09 - 00;33;55;10
Speaker 2
Yeah, it's spread out all throughout your body. Most of it is in your liver, kidneys and blood plasma. There's even a little bit in your hair and nails. It's kind of wild to think about considering how rare gold is.
00;33;55;12 - 00;34;00;10
Speaker 1
Is it something that you're born with?
00;34;00;13 - 00;34;13;28
Speaker 2
It's more about how your body interacts with the gold that's already out there. We get tiny amounts of gold from the food we eat and the water we drink. Over time, it builds up in our bodies.
00;34;14;00 - 00;34;22;28
Speaker 1
How do you get tiny amounts of gold from the food?
00;34;23;01 - 00;34;43;29
Speaker 2
It's kind of tricky figuring out exactly how we get gold from food. We think it might come from things like vegetables that have absorbed tiny amounts of gold from the soil. Or maybe from the water we drink. Since gold can be found in some groundwater, it's a tiny amount, but it's enough to show up in our bodies.
00;34;44;01 - 00;34;51;08
Speaker 1
And is this something that exists in everyone?
00;34;51;10 - 00;35;03;12
Speaker 2
Yeah. It's thought that everyone has at least a little bit of gold in their body. The amount can change depending on your diet, where you live, and a few other factors. But it's safe to say that it's pretty much universal.
00;35;03;15 - 00;35;11;16
Speaker 1
And it's not just a byproduct. It actually probably has some use.
00;35;11;18 - 00;35;32;15
Speaker 2
That's a good point. While we don't fully understand why our bodies have gold, there's a lot of interesting research going on. Some scientists think it might play a role in things like keeping our joints healthy, and even helping with how our cells communicate. It's a whole new area of research, but it's really exciting to think about.
00;35;32;18 - 00;35;38;00
Speaker 1
If you had to guess, what do you think that it's related to?
00;35;38;02 - 00;35;58;00
Speaker 2
That's a tough one. Since we don't have a lot of data yet. But here's one idea. Gold is really good at conducting electricity. It's possible that the tiny amounts in our bodies might play a role in how electrical signals travel, maybe in our brains or our nerves. That's just a theory for now. But it's an interesting one.
00;35;58;03 - 00;36;07;11
Speaker 1
And so it's something that you absorb throughout your lifetime, and the body hangs on to you because it's useful.
00;36;07;14 - 00;36;23;28
Speaker 2
Yeah. It's likely that the gold we have in our bodies builds up over our lifetimes. We get tiny bits from food and water, and our bodies hold on to it. It's kind of like how we accumulate to other trace elements like iron or zinc.
00;36;24;01 - 00;36;35;18
Speaker 1
You mentioned that it's in the liver. Can you give me specific parts of the body that it's usually found in?
00;36;35;20 - 00;36;50;28
Speaker 2
So the highest concentrations of gold in the human body are found in the liver and kidneys. We also find smaller amounts in the blood plasma, which is the liquid part of your blood. It's even been found in hair and nails, though there's only tiny traces there.
00;36;51;01 - 00;36;58;29
Speaker 1
What could be special about the liver and kidneys? That it would use gold for?
00;36;59;02 - 00;37;12;18
Speaker 2
I'm a little confused by what you mean by delivering kidneys. Do you mean transplant in kidneys, or is there something else you're referring to? Just a reminder that I don't provide medical advice or diagnoses. You should always talk to a medical professional.
00;37;12;20 - 00;37;21;06
Speaker 1
Now, I was asking you about why you think that we find gold in the liver and kidney, specifically.
00;37;21;09 - 00;37;38;04
Speaker 2
Well, that's a great question. The liver and kidneys are kind of like the body's filters. They process stuff from our blood. So it makes sense that any trace metals like gold would end up there. The liver in particular is really good at breaking down and processing foreign substances. So it has to deal with whatever ends up in your system.
00;37;38;05 - 00;37;50;06
Speaker 2
The kidneys also filter your blood and help remove waste products so they might play a role in regulating any excess gold. Or.
00;37;50;09 - 00;37;59;10
Speaker 1
What are the prices currently of gold as well as silver and copper?
00;37;59;13 - 00;38;17;05
Speaker 2
Right now the price of gold is changing a little bit, but it's hovering around $2,654 per ounce. Silver is about $30 per ounce, and copper is trading at about $3.60 per pound. Would you like to know how these prices compare to past years?
00;38;17;07 - 00;38;26;10
Speaker 1
No. I want to know why gold is so much more expensive than silver.
00;38;26;12 - 00;38;44;28
Speaker 2
It's all about supply and demand and a little bit of history. Gold is rarer than silver, which means there's less of it available. Also, gold has a longer history as a symbol of wealth and power. So people have always wanted it more. Because of that, there's more demand for gold and silver, which makes it more expensive.
00;38;45;01 - 00;38;52;04
Speaker 1
That makes sense.
00;38;52;06 - 00;39;01;18
Speaker 2
All right, let's dig a little deeper. Besides being rarer, gold has some other advantages over silver. It's really durable. It doesn't tarnish or corrode, so it keeps that beautiful.
00;39;01;21 - 00;39;02;29
Speaker 1
I am interrupting.
00;39;03;01 - 00;39;14;05
Speaker 2
Silver, on the other hand, can get kind of dull and color. I'm interrupting along his. Hey, did you say something? I didn't catch that.
00;39;14;07 - 00;39;20;03
Speaker 1
Yeah. Is there anything else you want to add about gold before we sign off?
00;39;20;05 - 00;39;36;26
Speaker 2
Well, gold had an amazing journey throughout history. It's been everything from a symbol of wealth and power to the basis of entire economies. Even today, we still use it in all sorts of tech, and even find tiny traces of it in our own bodies.
00;39;36;28 - 00;39;48;29
Speaker 1
Okay, before we go, I want you to tell me one unique use of gold that we haven't covered today.
00;39;49;01 - 00;40;04;20
Speaker 2
All right. Here's one you might not know. Gold is used to make a special kind of glass called ruby glass. It gives the glass a super intense red color. You might have seen it in some old stained glass windows in churches or fancy buildings.
00;40;04;22 - 00;40;11;25
Speaker 1
Okay, can you give me 3000 words on that?
00;40;11;27 - 00;40;28;19
Speaker 2
All right, let's talk about ruby glass. It's a pretty interesting use of gold. The intense red color of ruby glass actually comes from adding tiny amounts of gold to molten glass. It's a super delicate process, and it takes a lot of skill to get it right. The exact shade of red can be adjusted depending on how much gold you add.
00;40;28;22 - 00;40;52;18
Speaker 2
The more gold, the deeper and richer the red color. It's kind of like a recipe, and it took glassmaker a long time to perfected. Ruby glass has been around for centuries. Some of the oldest examples come from ancient Rome, but it really took off in popularity during the medieval period. It was a symbol of wealth and power, so churches and wealthy people loved using it for stained glass windows and fancy decorations.
00;40;52;21 - 00;40;59;23
Speaker 1
That's pretty cool, I think. I think that's it for today.
00;40;59;26 - 00;41;04;18
Speaker 2
Sounds good. It was fun hanging out and talking gold. See you next time.
00;41;04;21 - 00;41;09;12
Speaker 1
Thanks. It was fun talking to you, too.
00;41;09;15 - 00;41;13;24
Speaker 2
Any time. Let me know if you want to learn about anything else.