Universe Puzzle No. 3

As with last week’s Universe Puzzle, something that cannot be answered by five minutes spent googling, a puzzle that requires you to cudgel your brains a bit, and do some lateral thinking.

Which is the ‘odd one out’? And why?

aragonite, diamond, ice, olivine

This is a puzzle on a “Universal” topic – astronomy and astronomers; space, satellites, missions, and astronauts; planets, moons, telescopes, and so on.

So “ice” is certainly one answer (it’s the only one-syllable word), but not, perhaps, the best answer!

If you think the answer to this puzzle is a cline, rather than a single choice, then try this:

What is the best order to arrange these four in? And why?

Of course, the order they are already in is OK (alphabetical); but is it the best?

aragonite, diamond, ice, olivine

There are no prizes for the first correct answer – there may not even be just one correct answer! – posted as a comment (the judge’s decision – mine! – will be final!), but I do hope that you’ll have lots of fun.

Post your guesses in the comments section, and check back on Wednesday at this same post to find the answer. Good luck!

Update: Answer now posted below

Odd one out: aragonite

This is the only one not yet found beyond the Earth. It’s also the only one which is definitely the result of biological processes (although it can be produced by non-biological ones too).

Cline: there are several good answers, and it is difficult to choose among them.

For example: aragonite, diamond, ice, olivine … found on Earth only, found on Earth and in meteorites only, found/detected in the solar system only, only one detected beyond the solar system.

Check back next week for another Universe Puzzle!