Mercury to Gold? Startup Marathon Fusion Says Lab-Made Gold Could Be Possible Through Nuclear Fusion
Changing one element to another seemed beyond human imagination. Nuclear science has been part of some of humanity’s most significant developments. While nuclear technology is often associated with energy production, a Silicon Valley startup is now bringing it into the world of commodities with a claim that sounds almost like alchemy: producing gold from mercury. The company, Marathon Fusion, has brought fresh attention to the idea of making gold in a laboratory. While lab-grown diamonds have already entered the jewelry market, producing gold presents a very different scientific and commercial challenge. The market is already familiar with lab-grown diamonds, which are created by replicating the conditions needed for diamond formation. However, the possibility of making gold raises a different question: if a precious metal can be produced in a laboratory, could it eventually become cheaper? Gold’s value is linked not only to its demand and rarity but also to the cost and effort in...