Professor Chris Yakymchuk of the University of Waterloo became one of the pioneers in studying the geology of ruby formation. During one of their research trips to&nbsp; Greenland, which is known for large deposits of rubies, Yakymchuk and his team found a sample of ruby that contained graphite.&nbsp;Graphite is a mineral made of pure carbon which was <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/news/media/some-worlds-oldest-rubies-linked-early-life">examined and found to be a remnant of early life</a>. In fact, it was found in rocks older than 2.5 billion years ago. Looking back, this was a time when oxygen was not yet abundant, implying that only microorganisms and algae were alive.&nbsp;​Studying the conditions necessary for ruby formation, the research team also found out that graphite does not only relate the gemstone to ancient life but was also a necessary factor for the ruby to exist by changing the chemistry of the rocks surrounding it. Image credit: University of Waterloo#ruby #graphite #carbon #gemstone #ancientlife #chemistry #geology