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)
==================================================================
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 ...
Leaving at 7:00, which is soon. I’m about to put my boots on, after which my feet aren’t allowed to complain until I get home!
Yes, that is soon. I’ll wish you a good day then, and maybe I’ll see you when you get back! Or not. One of us might be distracted or in bed, with or without a cat!
Congrats on the new job, ArGee!
:)
Happy Friday!
Kitteh doesn’t look ready for it.
Ready or not, here Friday comes!
Thanks, Moose! It’s still for the gubmint, but they have managed what they were looking for. They have all the money to spend right now.
Hiya, Mooseie!
How are things these days?
Καλή Παρασκευή!
Kitteh doesn’t look ready for anything, but Friday’s here, whether we’re ready or not!
Хорошая пятница
Good day to you ‘Face. :)
Things aren’t too bad at the moment, thanks.
I trust ‘Face is in fine fettle this day? :)
Have just been in one of those “Mother of all Boredom” meetings.
The rain system that flooded Germany and London missed us by inches. It appeared in the Atlantic and headed east as if it was on a mission...most odd. Almost propelled.
I just caught a glimpse of that while I was surfing the news, and it reminded me of the rains and flooding of about 25-30 years ago which they suffered. It may have been longer ago, but it was devastating.
The rain does that here, being propelled. It’s called “flash flooding.” Evil thing, that.
I’m doing OK, thanks!
Awwww....
Hey, y’all
Hi, there!
How’re you doing?
Good afternoon, world.
It is, isn’t it? Almost quitting time on your side of the coast. Um... Rockies.
I’m fighting hard to stay awake, after the almost three-hour interruption I got in my sleep last night, thanks to my Favorite Daughter. Unngh.
I’m going to try and hang in for another hour but I may not make it!
D’afternoon, epople. Home from the range, where the heat index was well over 100. Last time I looked at the forecast, the chance of rain was over 50% between now and bedtime.
Tomorrow, I have to be there at 10:00, and I’ll get home a little after 5:00.
I thought the phrase was “home *on* the range.”
Anyway, glad you survived the heat index. Good luck with the rain. Maybe knocking some of that humididididity out of the air will help with tomorrow.
It hasn’t rained yet. If it does, we’ll be steaming in the oven tomorrow.
What kind of rodent is used for hamburger?
A dead one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.