North America
Geographic facts, distances, and travel information about the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Written by Elena Rodriguez
Why Is Opal A Mineraloid?
Quick Fact Honestly, opal’s mineraloid status comes down to its watery silica mess (SiO2·nH2O). Water makes up anywhere from 3% to 21% of its weight—usually sits between 6% and 10%. More importantly?...
Can A US Citizen Live Permanently In The Philippines?
Quick Fact If you're a U.S. citizen married to a Filipino spouse, you can live permanently in the Philippines under Section 13(a) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Starting in 2026, this visa...
Which Forex Markets Are Open On Weekends?
Which forex markets are open on weekends? No major forex markets are open on weekends. Since 2025, the global forex market runs six days a week (Sunday 5:00 p.m. EST to Friday 4:00 p.m. EST), shutting...
Are Salt Diamonds Graphite And Coal Minerals?
No, salt diamonds, graphite, and coal are not the same mineral. Each has a completely different chemical makeup and formation story. Salt (halite) is sodium chloride, diamonds are pure carbon crystal...
Are Gold And Diamonds Natural Resources?
Quick Fact Gold is so scarce in Earth’s crust that you’d need to process more than a ton of rock to extract a single gram. Diamonds form under extreme pressure 140–190 km below the surface and re...
What Is The Science Behind Egg Drops?
The science behind egg drops comes down to physics, materials, and a little biological ingenuity. An egg’s curved shell handles pressure like a champ—up to 100 pounds when force hits evenly from top t...
Which Mineral Is The Most Important In Hormone Production?
Quick Fact Iodine is the most critical mineral for hormone production. The thyroid gland needs it to make thyroid hormones, which control metabolism, growth, and brain development. Since the body can’...
How Do You Test Physical Properties Of Minerals?
Quick Fact The Mohs hardness scale, used to test mineral toughness, rates diamond as the hardest at 10 and talc as the softest at 1. As of 2026, geologists still rely on this 200-year-old scale becaus...
Are The US And Canada Friends?
Yes, the U.S. and Canada are close friends and strategic partners. The U.S. and Canada share the world’s longest international border at 5,525 miles Those 5,525 miles of peaceful coexistence stretch...
What Is An Example Of A Native Mineral?
Quick Fact Native minerals are elements that occur in nature in their pure form. As of 2026, 33 minerals are recognized as native elements, including gold, silver, copper, sulfur, and platinum. These...