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 ...
It’s a little like Parchisi, but with marbles and usually a wooden board, these days. Some of the wooden boards on Etsy are priced at $60 to $160. That’s too much for me. So I got one on eBay for $43.
Like Chinese checkers or mancala? It’s been a long time!
Only four marbles per person in this game, and the object is to get all four of them from your holding area to your winner’s area. It can be hectic and (dare I say it?) aggravating. ;o]
Oh. I wonder if they have it at Your Local Game Store on the “Give this a try” shelf where you can play games in the store to see if you like them.
It’s worth it, I think! If they don’t have it, I’m sure they know of it and know where to get it.
Welp. James and Abbie won’t be coming for pizza tonight. He’s been having some stomach problems and the doctors want to run a procedure on him tomorrow that requires fasting, so I told him we could reschedule it for a day after I get moved in.
I’m hoping they don’t find anything to be concerned about.
Sorry to hear that! I hope he’ll be okay!
It may be gall bladder issues, since his mother and the entire female contingent of my family has had problems with it. I keep trying to alert everyone to health items for the days when I’m not here, so with luck, that will help them pinpoint the problem. Or at least eliminate gall bladder issues.
So I’ll be signing off for tonight. I’m slightly rattled.
I hope you have a good night and feel better tomorrow!
Thanks! You too!
I forgot to tell you that Friday evening, we were sitting here watching TV and PW was in the office, working when the tornado sirens started wailing. FS and I just sat here, doing what we were doing and she came out all panicky and wondered why we were “just sitting.”
Me: Which way is SW?
PW: (Pointed to kitchen corner.)
Me: That’s the direction tornados come from, so we’re safer here. Come and join us.
I don’t think she was happy that I didn’t flap when she expected me to. But ohwell! Get used to it!
As it turned out, the funnel cloud didn’t touch down, so all was well. We lived in MO for three years and I’d been through all that when FS was in his early teens. But tornados are rare here. It was on the heels of TS Pamela.
Good morning. Once you move to your new place, you could find out if there’s a tornado shelter nearby. County Emergency Services might know, or the police department.
There have to be tornado shelters for the elderly in senior housing, I’m sure. I’m not going to worry about it. I know how to shelter in place, so I’ll do the best I can, if there is a tornado. With all the old tree growth around here, I’d say that tornados in Dogpatch are as rare as hen’s teeth. Or frog hair. ;o]
Awww...
I’ve seen that pic and I love it!
Good morning. Did you sleep well?
I have a busy day ahead, but I wouldn’t be up now if I hadn’t been in so much pain. I wanted to sleep another hour. The stuff will get done, regardless.
Sharon sent me a bunch of texts lasts night, so I was awake longer than I wanted to be, but it was nice that she thought of me.
I was at a church meeting until almost 9:00, but it was a change of routine, at least. We’re working on improving the organization and advance planning for weddings and Quinceaneras, so we don’t get short-notice surprises. (Funerals, obviously, happen when they do.)
Good morning. Happy Humph Day!
Iz that a puppeh who identifies as a kitteh?
Could be the dad.
Good morning!
*tagline*
Yes, most things can be planned way ahead of time, but funerals? Not so much.
I need to go take a shower, but I’m hanging back a bit. I hate the idea of coming out of a warm bathroom into a cold house. but it is what it is, and I’m dressing in layers. Long about noon, I’ll go out and dust off FS’s VW, “Miles” as a surprise. He hinted that it needed to be done, so I’ll do it.
Maybe the activity will warm me up enough that the house will feel good.
Good luck on your planned activities! I need to arrange music.
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