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 ...
First, TC, they are very recognizable. She crouches and then she collapses (somewhat gently) to her left side and is tense and shaking. Today after about 30 seconds of that she relaxed a lot and did some paddling with all 4 limbs for about 1:30 and then she was fine.
Face, I think she knows something is happening that she doesn’t like. And I know she doesn’t like having to be bathed afterward (today more because she was lying on the ground than because she messed herself) but otherwise she takes it as a fact of life.
We won’t medicate her for such infrequent seizures. Most vets would tell you that every other month is a good outcome when medicated and the meds would change her personality. So since they’re already about as good as the meds can get her we’ll just deal. That may change.
W00t! Good job!
That’s sensible about the meds. It also seems to be working for now.
From the time I was 10 to the time I was 14, I had a friend who had seizures. I don’t know if she was medicated or not but when she was 14, she seized coming out of a church function, and fell into the path of a sprinkler. The combination of the cold water and the seizure caused a heart attack and she passed away on the spot.
So, whenever I learn of an animal or hooman having seizures, I’m in “first responder” mode, even if it’s only mentally. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.
For the most part the prognosis is good unless the seizures start happening more frequently or more aggressively. Right now the biggest concern is if one goes on for a long time (5 min or more) as her temperature is elevated when her body is expending all that energy. A long seizure is an emergency.
Yes, increasing in frequency and duration are both things to be concerned about. I’ll just keep her in my prayers, along with you and Mrs ArGee.
Thanks, that’s informative!
G00d job!
Prices are up about 75% at the bread outlet. Still cheaper than retail.
I went to make a sandwich and my bread was moldy. That hasn’t happened in a long while, so it must have been old when it was delivered. Prices are up all over here. The cost of living keeps going up, but fixed incomes don’t factor that in.
They’re always way behind the rising costs.
It’s been pouring down rain here for the last hour or more. I was wondering why I felt so awful. So, another day is being spent doing nothing much.
I see Harry Reid died. He’ll probably have to be corkscrewed into his grave he was so crooked. Attorney for the Mob, back in the day.
Mrs. ArGee just went to take the pup out for her second walk of the day. The pup was uninterested - even for a treat. She came and sat on the bed. Mrs. ArGee had to carry her back to the door.
The seizure appears to have made her afraid of the great outdoors. Or something.
It’s been raining on and off here. I bought half a tank of gas for Patrick. No word on the van, but DP was able to get my ankle pills from the pharmacy. The price went up to 8 cents.
That is not surprising. She may now associate the outdoors with the thing that makes her go all wobbly inside and lie down, only to get up and need a bath. As time passes, she may recall the feeling as being distasteful with each event, and do whatever she can to resist it. Like going outside.
Poor floofy. She’s confused for sure.
My prescriptions won’t go up, but I have to take a document down to Walgreen’s to get reimbursement for prescriptions I paid over $150 for when I should have been charged under $10.
With the car requiring an influx of cash, I need all I can get.
I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already.
And whatheheck? I haven’t even made my bed!
I was reading to Kathleen. We came down in time to see a hawk chase all the songbirds from the feeder. She sat on the fence for a few minutes to see if they would come back and be eaten, and then she flew back to the woods.
Sounds like the hawk was looking for an easy snack.
I pulled all the papers from the top file drawer, sorting those to be shredded from those to be put back for one reason or another. The pile to replace is almost as high as the pile it’s replacing. Nah...about half the height, I think. Still, I need to make sure I have my oil vial ready when I start to shred. It looks like about two white garbage bags full. Some things are never-ending.
While I was at it, I began to assemble the things for the new-to-me vehicle, so I can keep a running tally of costs associated with getting it on the road. Probably not as much as I think, though.
(Now the sun is blazing in the window, and once again, I have the urge to do something dangerous for me and get the curtains up to stop the glare. Maybe I should just wait for FS to show up and have him do the hard stuff...)
This Bidenflation is outRAGEous.
Between the spitting up (which I have learned is called ictal vomiting) and the actual seizure she actually growled and started to run today, but then it hit. She didn’t run far. But I think she knew it was coming for her and said “no.”
Poor thing. Yes, she is aware of what’s happening and doesn’t want any part of it. Bless her little doggie heart.
I can’t do much but keep her (and you) in my prayers, but please know they are heartfelt, and if it is His will, she will improve.
We had more rain. It’s dark, but still too early to go to bed, darnit.
I’m at that same point again, but text messages with FD about her loss yesterday. Crikey.
My response? “See my tagline.”
Only one text from FS today, and it wasn’t about the car because the weather was too ugly for him to work on it. It’s not sheltered.
My youngest grandson, Sam, is making points backwards with G-Ma. Which is OK. I have a Plan.
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