7 Golden Trivia Nuggets
Gold has been prized for thousands of years—for its beauty, rarity, and enduring value. But beyond its sparkle, gold has some truly surprising facts hidden beneath the surface. Here are some glittering nuggets of trivia that just might amaze you.
1. All the Gold Ever Mined Would Fit in a Cube
If you took every ounce of gold ever mined in human history—estimated at around 210,000 metric tons—it would fit inside a cube measuring about 25 meters on each side. That’s roughly the height of a 7-story building.
2. Gold Is Actually Edible
Yes, you can eat gold! Gold is biologically inert, which means it passes through your body without being absorbed. Edible gold is used in luxury desserts, cocktails, and even sushi. It’s typically labeled as E175 on food packaging.
3. Olympic Gold Medals Aren’t Solid Gold
Despite the name, modern Olympic gold medals are mostly silver. The last time the medals were made of solid gold was in 1912. Today’s gold medals are over 90% silver and only plated with about 6 grams of gold.
4. There’s Gold in Your Body
An average adult human body contains about 0.2 milligrams of gold, mainly in the blood. It’s believed that gold helps maintain joint health and communication between cells, although its exact biological function is still not fully understood. It is present in such a microscopic amount that if you were able to extract it, you’d barely collect a speck.
5. Gold Is Found in Oceans—but You Can’t Get It
The world’s oceans contain an estimated 20 million tons of gold dissolved in water. But the concentration is so low—just a few parts per trillion—that it’s not economically feasible to extract it… at least, not yet.
6. Gold Is One of the Most Malleable Materials on Earth
One gram of gold can be beaten into a sheet one square meter in size. That’s why it’s been used for intricate gilding and delicate artwork for centuries.
7. Space Is Full of Gold
When neutron stars collide, they release vast amounts of energy—along with precious metals like gold and platinum. Some scientists believe that the gold on Earth originally came from these ancient cosmic collisions.