Saw this video about gold, it’s chemical structure and malleability. I still don’t understand why gold is worth anything at all……
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It’s pretty, easy to work, relatively uncommon and does not tarnish. Lots of things are only valuable because they’re pretty. Because it can be relatively easily found in native (chemically pure) form and easily worked using stone tools thanks to how soft it is, it was very likely one of the very first metals ever worked by man and has thus likely been a symbol of excess resources (wealth) and the power that comes with controlling those excess resources for longer than man has even had language. That sort of cultural impact on the perception of the value of gold cannot be ignored.
These days it’s also used in electronics and similar applications where it’s ductility, corrosion resistance, thermal and electrical properties are useful. Pure utility does not support the current price, though. It’s mostly valuable because people think it’s valuable, which makes it valuable.
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