What if you place a whole bunch of similar crystals in a pile, with only 1 or 2 smooth rocks?
I’m willing to bet they will go after the smooth rocks and it’s about rarity, not crystals.
I’m willing to bet they will go after the smooth rocks and it’s about rarity, not crystals.
(an "euhedral" crystal is one with lots of obvious facets, an "anhedral" one is one that's been rounded down into a more pebble shape.)
The study had a harder question: "What properties of crystalline stones attracted them?". The abstract has this answer: "We found that transparency and geometric shape were the two attractors guiding chimpanzees."
Maybe this is scientific proof for the diamond industry.
Why? Crystals are pretty, rocks are not. We clearly prefer shiny colorful things to dull beige things, even if shiny things are abundant.
The most valued gems in Ancient Rome were the higher-quality varieties of noble opals and pearls, which are not transparent, but which show a variable play of colors, depending on the ambient light and on the angle of sight.