Scientific Research Paper on Minerals and Crystals

Minerals and Healing Crystals
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Introduction
Minerals are inorganic solid materials with fixed chemical composition and regular atomic structure that occur naturally. Some of the physical characteristics are hardness, tenacity, specific gravity, and cleavage. Crystals are the natural state in which most minerals occur. The arrangement of atoms in order and distinctive interlocking pattern of these molecules forms the process of crystallization. Crystals grow, and the effect of temperature and chemical composition affects the variation of crystals. Chakra stones and gemstones are crystals used for medicinal purposes. In crystal healing, practitioner place crystals of various colors in the chakras, zones that correspond to the different chakra areas. Some scholars have labeled crystal healing pseudo-science while the treatment itself has seen an upsurge in alternative healthcare facilities in around the world. This paper examines the science behind crystal healing and presents an overview of common practice and beliefs in crystal healing.
Scientific evidence
Ancient and medieval civilizations had proper knowledge in the field of crystal healing. From the Mayans to early Egyptian civilizations. The use of crystal healing is also found in the ancient Greek mythologies. In the old Egypt, crystals were used for protection and health. The dead were buried with crystal to guide them in after life. Ancient Greek, used crushed hematite before war as protection. The term amethyst is derived from Greek word "not drunken" indicating the power of crystals in preventing drunkenness. In India, the 5000-year-old Indian texts detail the various use of crystals to treat ailments. Mayans, Aztecs, and Incans used crystals for balance in physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Research refers to crystal healing as pseudo-science. Thus, crystals are just rocks with no healing powers at all. Using Ockham’s razor theory crystal healing can be evaluated to delineate science from quasi-scientific claims.
For crystal healing to be scientific, it has to be backed by scientific evidence. That crystal healing present is a placebo effect or a self-full filling treatment is not scientific. In most cases, crystal healing usually takes place alongside another form of medication (Shermer, 2010). When a patient has been under medication, and they saw improvement after taking part in crystal healing, they assume it's the crystal healing effect. Proponents of crystal healing base their assumption on forms of esoteric energy or chakras. There is no scientific evidence that chakras relate to the anatomy and that the said chakras release any energy (Micke et al., 2010). Further physics state that only molten form ionic crystals conduct heat well. The alleged conduction of energy by solid crystals goes against this notion. In a study in 2001, French and his colleagues examined the effect of crystals, they found both fake and genuine crystals had the same effect on the participants (Micke et al., 2010).
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