Petrified Chemical Gardens

Chemical gardens are tubular structures that consist of inorganic precipitate membranes formed under far-from-equilibrium conditions. Their possible existence in natural geological settings complicates the differentiation between Earth’s earliest microfossils and abiotic as well search for life signatures on other planets. Here, we address question whether laboratory-grown chemical can withstand encapsulation a slowly forming matrix. We report high-temperature conditions which FeCl3-derived persist several months allowing surrounding silicate solution to solidify. This crystallization typically starts surface gardens, embeds them within spheroidal globules, finally spreads across entire system create rock-like sample with preserved garden complex inclusion. show initially solution-filled interior tube also undergoes solidification minor amounts iron present. The main matrix material is identified polycrystalline sodium hexahydrate. results be compared enigmatic mineral tubules some (e.g., agates), instances overgrowths quartz.