Scientists Finally Solve the Mystery of Why Gold Never Tarnishes

Gold has preserved its distinctive shine in jewellery, coins and historical objects for centuries, resisting the surface damage that quickly changes metals such as iron, copper and silver. Scientists traditionally attributed this durability mainly to gold’s weak chemical interaction with oxygen.

New research from Tulane University reveals another powerful defence. Computer simulations indicate that atoms on common gold surfaces rearrange themselves into patterns that make oxygen reactions up to a trillion times slower.