/sci/ - Science & Math

what actual uses does gold have?
apart from psychological constructs like 'my precious' 'ooo shiny'.
it has uses as a very thin protective coating of electrical connection, maybe cosmic ray shielding, but that's a tiny amount. dental use has far been superseded by ceramics and polymer, and is today mainly an indicator of rap stars poor oral hygiene through youth..... which apparently makes them better than us.
so say the aliens come and take all of the world's gold away tonight what would be the real problem for humans coping without gold tomorrow. (apart from (they) will be pissed off)