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 ...
I always have to remind the Epic Fail brothers about the sidewalk.
I’ve peeled and cut up and boiled and mashed 12 lbs. of potatoes which were not purchased by me. When it’s cool, I’ll freeze it, and there can be potato soup and stuff at some point.
I want to cook. Potato soup is my favorite soup, with split pea with ham coming in next and then cream of tomato coming in last. If you could Darkfax me some, I could heat it in the microwave. ;o]
I need to make tomato sauce, too.
I’m really tired of living the way I am, with everything in boxes or waiting to be in boxes, stacked up in various piles around the place. I think I’ll also consider packing more clothes this week.
I’ll see how I feel when I get done at the pain clinic tomorrow. I’m also seriously thinking about selling the Tracker, now. I just need to line up a ride home from church and once that’s done, I can sell the vehicle and either bum a ride to Walmart or get delivery, though I don’t like the delivery fee. Still, it’s do-able.
There’s a card from NC in the mail today!! :o])
Oh, good! I’ve been busy for a few days and haven’t sent more, but there will be voluminous reports from our vacation, if not sooner.
You’ll get a letter this week, hopefully before you leave. It was mailed Saturday, so here’s hoping!
I love cards and letters!! :o])
I got a letter today, just a few minutes ago. It’s postmarked Saturday. What’s up with that, USPS?
WHAT??? You got it today??? What IS up, USPS? Blimey!
I think I’ll save it until after nap. Frank is crying over doing math, which is super annoying.
Well, either the mail hasn’t come, meaning Adam is taking a day off, or he’s taking a day off and the Substitute forgot to put it in my mailbox, or put it in my neighbor’s. I’ll watch for the truck until it’s time to call it a day, and if it doesn’t show up, I’ll go first thing in the morning.
It was almost a USPS success!
It actually was, as I said in the FReepmail!
We’ll see how it works out in the next week!
And now, I’m off to La-La Land. Because I can!
Tomorrow. ;o]
Well good all around!
I finished the tomato sauce. Once it gets sausage in it, it can be spaghetti sauce.
What a sweet little face!
Good morning. Did you sleep well?
I think I did but I’m not sure. I need to go take my shower in a bit and pretend I’m normal. BWA-HA-HA-hahahahaha!
It’s supposed to be 105° today, and I’d love to go out an just sit in it.
Speaking of outside, I heard some noises that sounded like they were in the living room, and thinking the ghost was back, I went to investigate. It was Chuck, getting rid of Smedley’s suckers and cleaning out the rain gutter over the entrance. (They’re only over the doors, not around the entire building.) He made a mess on the sidewalk that the Lawn Guy cleaned, but at least I have a view that isn’t obstructed by suckers.
Good morning! I slept pretty well, thanks. Jake was out. Now he’s in and whiny because there has been thunder and lightning. Shannon wants to go out anyway.
I’m glad you’ve been rescued from Smedley before you disappeared into his clutches and suckers!
Good morning. It appears to be Wednesday.
Happy Humph Day!
It seems to be Wednesday here, too. What a funny space-time continuum. It rained on Shannon, and it was all my fault.
I have to go to Walmart before I go to the pain clinic, and then I have a couple of stops after that before I can come home and fold up. Unngh.
I’m sorry Shannon’s Universe rained on her. Some days, life is just not fair!
And it appears to be Wednesday here, as well. I wonder why?
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