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Why doesn't gold tarnish? A simple answer might be that it's a so-called "noble metal"—its atoms don't like to chemically react with others. But a more complex answer also answers *why* gold atoms are so unreactive. Some of it is due to special relativity, and some is due to a phenomenon called reconstruction.
Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vTm5pQrbrNpylnuwLf6y9s5ZcL_VMudbX8U4QjldO5yXOuy-14ay4T2ABHjkH8SVsRoM9bS8MiKkraa/pub
Not sure how they got through the video without saying "Hexagons are the bestagons."
Hexagons bestagons
Hexagons are the bestagons
This video will summon all CPG Grey fans, if not the man himself.
Aluminum tarnishes to a dull grey/white, and the layer of aluminum oxide on the surface is harder than the aluminum itself, so it's tarnish is actually a protective coating!
Obviously the awnser is the bestagon, after all, hexagon is also strongagon.
CGP Grey needs to do more videos. I miss his stuff. And yes, hexagons are the bestagons.
Arise now, ye tarnished.
23 seconds in and Hank has asked why gold is almost more inert than any other metal and I'm thinking "is it the same reason mercury is liquid?" and then he says "special relativity" and I'm like "it IS the same reason as mercury!" I learned about mercury being liquid because of relativity from SciShow, so I like that you guys explain things well enough that viewers can apply learnings from one video to another! Will keep watching because of course, but just wanted to let you know : D
I think we've all seen the bestagon is a hexagon
It's always the bestagons
When we got married my spouse and I chose to wear two plain gold bands for our wedding rings. I didn’t want a diamond or any other gem stone. After 50 years, our marriage is still very happy, I still don’t want any diamonds, and our plain gold wedding bands are shiny and beautiful. The PERFECT symbol of what marriage means to us. ❤
Love the Simone reference
Hank you get me going in the most scientific way possible
They knew exactly what the hex they were doing.
It's all about the hexagons baby.
Relativity gets the headlines, but the hexagonal surface reconstruction is the real discovery here. It's remarkable we only learned this in 2026. Controlling those hexagons could unlock gold as a catalyst, which is the exciting part.
Hank: The real secret it turns out is hexagons. Me:So they really are the best-agons.
I think it was another SciShow episode that told me mercury has such a low melting temperature because of special relativity.
Hexagons are the Best-agons