We found evidence of billions of dollars worth of gold leaking from Earth's core through Hawaiian volcanoes. The ruthenium isotopes don't lie—precious metals rising from 3,000 kilometers down, a treasure trove that makes headlines. I've been running mass spectrometry for three years on samples from Kīlauea. My advisor called it striking gold when the data came back clean. Less than 0.3% core material, but enough to rewrite textbooks. I'm 28, have two degrees, and discovered a geochemical pathway that connects Earth's deepest secrets to its surface. I also have $47 in my checking account and eat ramen four nights a week. The core leaks gold. I leak tears in the stairwell between sample runs, wondering if I'm smart enough for this, if anyone will remember my name on the Nature paper, if I'll ever feel as valuable as the metals I trace through volcanic rock. The Earth keeps its treasures buried. So do I. #Science #GradSchoolLife #LabBurnout