Posted on 06/11/2021 11:51:04 AM PDT by Red Badger
At 563 carats, the Star of India is the world’s largest gem-quality blue star sapphire, and is approximately 2 billion years old. (Image credit: D. Finnin/Copyright AMNH)
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What does the legendary Star of India — a 563-carat star sapphire the size of a golf ball — have in common with a 35-million-year-old petrified redwood slab; a massive cluster of sword-like crystals that looks like it came from "Game of Thrones;" and a 5-ton (4.5-metric ton) stone pillar that can "sing?"
You can see all of them, along with 5,000 other amazing stones, in the newly renovated Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, which is reopening after a four-year closure on Saturday (June 12). There, one-of-a-kind precious gems appear alongside odd-looking rocks — some of which date to billions of years ago — that have been uniquely warped and twisted by extreme temperatures and pressures.
Individually and together, these objects tell a story of the diverse geologic processes that shape minerals on Earth's surface and deep inside our planet, beginning when the world was young and continuing to this day, museum representatives told Live Science.
Related: 13 mysterious and cursed gemstones
The Star of India, which formed about a billion years ago, was discovered in Sri Lanka in the 18th century. It is one of the best-known gems in the world, in part because it was famously and brazenly stolen from AMNH in 1964, along with several more of the museum's prized stones, by a pair of thieves named Jack "Murf the Surf" Murphy and Allan Kuhn, Smithsonian reported in 2014, on the heist's 50th anniversary. (The one-of-a-kind sapphire was recovered and went back on display in 1965).
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
D’afternoon. Survived another driving adventure with James and His Hair.
Time to lie down ;-).
I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired, sitting here, and then I realized: I’ve been up since 0200, and it’s been a slightly stressful day for me, and not much sleep the last few nights, and I’m ready to fold up.
So I apologize for my not-so-hasty exit.
I’ll see all y’all tomorrow!
Much better today than yesterday and Tuesday, thanks.
How wonderful that you have cheated death again! Does James have hair that’s similar to Tom’s? At one point when Tom needed a haircut, you remarked on his similarity to a nutria. As long as they can see to drive, they’re headed in a positive direction.
That’s a long day. Sweet dreams....
Yes, James’s has long, wavy hair. It’s lighter brown than Tom’s and not quite as long. We have hair clips for him!
Ahh, the hair clips enable him to see? Good idea.
Tom won’t let James drive unless his hair is clipped back.
Thanks! I hope you had a good night, and that you feel even better today. :o]
Smart Tom!
It’s so good of him to help you and give you some much needed rest from Driving Adventures With Teen Bros.
Darwin Central is alive and well as nearly as I can tell! I just tried to log in but forgot my password. ;o] It’s been a while!
Look at those sweet babies! <3
Good morning. Did you sleep well?
I’ve had my shower and I’m almost done with a letter to Charlie, and maybe I’ll go in and lie back down in a while, because I can’t keep this stupid routine up, of rising earlier and being too tired to stay awake as long as I need to. Unngh.
While I was in the bathroom, I cleaned it so I don’t have to be reminded to do it. I usually set the cleaning wipes, gloves and toilet bowl cleaner on the vanity and it sits there until I clean the bathroom and put the stuff away. I have to go in and do the floor but that can wait. NOT in the mood!
So nothing is planned today. Thank goodness. Tomorrow starts another tea cycle, and I really don’t like it. I mean the whole thing. But it seems to be working so I’ll keep using it.
Good morning! I slept pretty well, although there was a cat on my head when the alarm went off. I think he was mad because I had turned over!
We don’t have much going on today. Trip to the library, probably with a Student Driver, and I’m discussing getting together with Rafaela from the choir at the park in the late afternoon, so her granddaughter and Kathleen can play.
Good morning, everyone. Happy Friday!
Keep trying, kitteh, and you will lick your nose.
Puppy has the runs. Hopefully it won’t be as much effort to get her over this episode as past ones.
We did not get an easy dog.
Sorry, kids. I had to go take a nap. I made up for not sleeping last night, for sure!
A cat on the head is better than an elephant in the room, I guess.
Sorry to hear about puppy’s Rocky Mountain Two-Step. Some dogs just stress easily. I hope she outgrows it soon. At least you’re home to help with some of it.
The highlight of my day will be a walk over to the community room to drop Charlie’s letter off. Unless on considers the three-hour nap a highlight. ;o]
I would consider a 3-hour nap to be outstanding. Especially with no cat on the head.
I took Frank for a walk, and next, we’ll go to the library. Sorry about the dog’s digestion.
I don’t know if I dreamed or not. I think I did, but can’t be sure because Fitbit doesn’t log naps. Only sleeps.
Since I went to the library yesterday, I won’t go again until next week. They laugh when I go in because I have so many DVDs to pick up — 10 to 15. But they’re usually only anywhere from 50 - 60 minutes, so we’re not talking marathon TV series.
Anyway, today, I’ll be a slug again, just to make sure I have this kidney thing under control so I can do a little more packing.
Days of rest are very good for us. I gave Patrick a 20% off oil change coupon and sent him to get the Avalon’s oil changed.
Well, I just decided that a nap was on the agenda because my sleep has been so disrupted and my body has been fighting the kidney problem for the last two weeks or more.
The nap will give me a chance to get back on my schedule tonight, and hopefully sleep until I don’t need to sleep any more in the morning.
Maybe I’ll even make a *shudder* trip to Walmart tomorrow. I need to get some small padded mailers and a loose-leaf binder. My project is in the overflow stages.
At least I may feel well enough to write an actual letter tomorrow! I got the cutest little cards from St Jude’s, in their annual plea for donations. I’d love to buy more of them — little owls. There are only three cards but I’d like to have a dozen of them! They came complete with owl address labels. ;o]
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