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 ...
Only a couple more days! You can hang in there! Think about tiny kittens, breathe in, breathe out ...
Good morning. I slept okay, although Jake was around. As soon as it’s light, I’ll take a picture of his wound and email it to the vet. Maybe he’ll want to put in stitches.
Goodos Morningos. Happy Friday Eve!
We has made it again to Friday Eve. I have one more day to find out if I’ll be gainfully employed on Monday. My boss is freaking out a bit about what she’ll do if my religious exemption isn’t granted. And it’s even more stupid since I am a remote worker - I can’t infect anyone in NYC from up here. But, such is politics. Er - did I mean to say science? No, no I didn’t.
Anyway, I’m going to take a cue from kitteh and just shut my eyes and get on with it.
As a new comer, I am happy to just watch how the next destination is chosen...
Happy Thorsday! I have some sympathy for your boss, but oh, well. It’s super important that you not remotely infect someone, which totally happens.
Switched over to Pure Talk a few weeks ago... it just made sense for me to drop my monthly charge by about $60... I don't use the phone often... just there as a "good to have in a pinch" thing...
However, since my location is rural enough that I have to cellular connections at home, the use of WiFi calling is a must for me to be reachable/able-to-reach by voice call and/or text message...
Without the ability to use WiFi calling my phone is pretty much useless to me until I drive about 10 miles or so up to the state highway where I can get cellular service...
After about 6 or 7 calls to "technical support" over the past few weeks when I was out somewhere with cellular connectivity, yesterday I finally reached a technical support person that actually knew how to "enable" WiFi Calling for my account... It now actually works...
Thus, my feelings that it is indeed often the luck of the draw...
Good Luck getting the right support in your quest!
“Hidden”
In the end, you will accomplish all that is needed!
Still praying that your exemption will be granted...
Tiny kitten pictures are very therapeutic.
I found a healthcare plan I agree with, that actually covers Tier 3 drugs, which is a blessing. I’m just waiting on approval. The quiet hours of the morning are usually productive for me, so this is encouraging, what with the chaos of the move.
Next week, with luck, I’ll find a local bank for my DD, and begin to transfer the little bit that is left in one account and the other, working account that has seen me through this move.
I have other things to do today, like rearrange the USPS Dance of the Address Changes, and then spend some time relaxing. A thing I did none of yesterday. I sat here, in this chair except for the break to go update the information before taking possession of said apartment.
I’ve decided that the apartment seems small because FS’s house is so big. It will work, anyway.
Liberal mindedness is a mental disorder, even if it’s only defined in terms of logic. There is none.
Hopefully you’ll have the exemption and folks can worry about you later.
Thanks.
I was never a quitter so most times, I just need sleep and then it’s up and at’em the next day.
Some just fall into our laps, others we have to look for. ;o]
That’s excellent news! Moving is a real drag, but you’re getting through it, and you’ll be in your apartment - all to yourself regardless of the size - soon!
I just sent a snap of Jake’s rear to the vet. We’ll see what he says. Jake is indifferent: he just wants to stay out all night.
Getting ready for a James Driving Adventure. We’ll go out the turnpike to Marshville then back up 74, get some gas for Pat, and then go to Walmart for a few things.
Oorang is a she.
From today's pookie's toons...
I guess I’ve done what I can do until the FS comes home, and then we’ll go finish what I started yesterday.
Fatigue Disease is beginning to catch up with me, which is what I was afraid would happen, but it can’t be helped. The push will be on for Saturday, and with luck, I’ll be done by noon. I hope.
Then I can try to find clothing for Sunday and bedding for the floor until the sofa-sleeper arrives next week. At least I will have chairs and a table!
Tomorrow, I’ll be packing up the stuff in the VW room so I can take it to the new place.
My bad! My apologies, Oorang!
Any news from the vet?
I was just thinking that my life may get back to being somewhat normal by this time next week.
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