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Discussion thread: OPALS episode is published! (Patreon)

Published:
2026-10-01 03:28:13
Imported:
2026-10

Content

*This episode is published and ready to hear wherever you get podcasts. Let's talk about it.*

Where are my October babies at? Roll call in the comments.

Did you ever anticipate a Silification Geology episode? I mean before you sent in your excellent questions for Dr. Patrice Rey, the world expert on opals? Please enjoy our talk about opalized fossils, armored snails, geology, Mars, folklore, gem care, and weird underground bunkers -- and let me know below what you thought.

And watch out. Spooktober Creeptober is coming for you.

Rainbows for everyone,

Alison Dadward

Files

Silification Geology (OPALS) with Dr. Patrice Rey - alie ward

Gems of lightning and shadows. Rainbow fossils. Underground tunnel homes. Mysterious sedimentary origins. Aboriginal dreamtime stories. Armored snails. Questionable song lyrics. It's opals, folks. And world expert geophysicist and University of Sydney professor Dr. Patrice Rey is here to talk about

Comments

Michael Erchenbrecher

I listened as I mowed the church yard and thought the question of silicification was an interesting one as I steered around the old tombstones and thought about, well enough of that. I was wondering about the similarities between opal formation and flint and chert, but figured they were not similar or it would have been discussed.

Michelle D

Alie!!! I'm so excited for this! I was the one on Bluesky who sent the opal message. Bummed Elizabeth wasn't available but Patrice is amazing! Thank you Thank you Thank you

Amber

Omg I'm so excited. It's me, an October baby.

Anna Rose

Was so excited to hear my name!!! I was like “OMG ALIE WARD SAID MY NAME!

Elle Miller

so does anyone here know why it’s the october stone?

Molly Dugan

Heyy, my sister is an October baby, as are about half of my cousins lol. Gonna share this one far and wide!

Aron Wagner

At the end of WWII, when my British gran--barely 20-- left her home on the USAT Santa Paula to go reintroduce herself to the American GI she'd married the year before, her mother sent her off across the ocean with a lovely opal ring. It was the finest jewelry my great-grandmother owned, but she issued the stern instruction never to actually wear it because she thought it was bad luck to wear an opal if one wasn't born in October. My gran slipped it on once on the passage across the ocean, just to see how it looked. Late that night the engines stopped! It was a temporary stoppage, but my gran never wore that ring again. It was bad luck, she said! I don't buy it. I love the ring, but am still a little hesitant to wear it for fear I'll break it. I really appreciated the care tips in this episode. Many thanks!

Meg is Me

Thank you for the acknowledgement of the Australian Aboriginal's and Torres Strait Islanders and content warning of mentioning deceased people. Your show is so thoughtful, inclusive and feels like a safe space for all ❤️ Also whilst chatting to Australian Ologists would love you to consider a Dingo episode as their history is so awesome and really shows that dogs have been wonderful companions for such a long long time and even without influences of other cultures.

Euan Munro

Wait. Were you hearing Taylor Swift in a car dealership because you are replacing you old AF prius???

Cicindelidaemon

October baby here! I've always loved opals, and this episode just makes me love them more...the part about how the colors are related to the size and structure of the silica spheres - wow! Listeners might enjoy the story of Beverly the Bug, a cicada fossil in opal (full disclosure: my husband was a co-author on this, but it's so cool that I want to share): Arthropod entombment in weathering-formed opal: new horizons for recording life in rocks, Sci Rep 10, 10575. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67412-9

Kieran H

Maybe someone thought that opals looked kind of spooky? 😆

Kieran H

I loved this ologist’s accent so much

ScienceInTheArt

Fascinating episode. Especially for a materials scientist like myself. One question I had but did not have the opportunity to ask ahead of time was how the different sphere diameters were achieved. I am assuming they are subject to a coarsening phenomenon, so larger probably means longer times required. But it could also mean faster kinetics due to higher temperatures. The other more fundamental question is how the silica spheres form at all. Normally you get the "oil in water" effect when you have high interfacial energy causing the minor phase, in this case silica, to spheroidize to minimize its surface area.

Euan Munro

Oh I should have waited for the secret - panic over it was Pod Mom's car.

Julia Reichelt

What a lovely guest, and who knew opals were so interesting.. not me! But now I do!

Mother Chukar

Great ep! Wondering if you'd ever do one on Oregon agates, carnelian and chalcedony?

Zoe Boekbinder

Off topic but I’m really bummed by all the VRBO ads. They are owned by Expedia which is an official BDS target.

peach head

Waaaait Moonstone's not a real stone? Wikipedia says it's a mineral though? Maybe there's also synthetic and real ones?

Susan G

As an Australian I have always been very aware of opals but I knew so little about them... until now! This was absolutely fascinating.

Jennifer Wysokowski

Just-turned 60 years old October baby here! I love my opals.

Jeanette-o-saur

Geologist spelling question: should the title be silicification? I search silification to see if this was an unknown synonym but have not found any reference to it at all...😬 Also haven't finished the episode, so apologies if it's already addressed

Jeanette-o-saur

Moonstone is a vernacular name that's been applied to various creamy looking gems. So while it generally refers to a mineral of some kind, it's not a specific mineral.

Jeanette-o-saur

Gem names don't always align with strict mineralogy names because the focus is on aesthetics. Jade can be two totally different minerals (nephrite or jadeite). Meanwhile Ruby and Sapphire are both corundum, just in different colors