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 ...
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That’s your daughter-in-law’s son? Maybe he’ll come around.
We had a thunderstorm 11-ish last night and also beeping from some beeber DP had in the room. After the third time, I asked, “Are you have a work emergency?” and when he said, “No,” I said, “I can take that beeber downstairs for you, if you would like,” but he went grumble grumble and did it himself.
I expect the beeber was telling us about the weather, which duh, we could hear it already.
Yes, DiL’s son. Only child, taught by a pro, never brought a gift for anyone, including the hosts, both of whom are working to make enough money to afford house payments, etc., and this guy, in his 20’s didn’t thank anyone for anything.
That storm would be the same one we had earlier in the day, and it poured buckets, with quite the sound and light show. Of course, we have fog again today. I feel almost like I’m back in the Bay Area, or a colder San Diego.
Kitteh is wondering why we have weathers.
Good morning. I hope you slept well after the thunderstorms went through!
My brain has gray lint this morning, which is never a good sign, so unless it lifts at some point, my thinking processes will be less than stellar. As long as I just sit here, I’ll be OK. Organizational skills are non-existent and in fact, it almost hurts to think.
:o|
I sympathize with the gray lint thing. I didn’t sleep very well, but that was my decision, I guess. I’ve just eaten breakfast, and now I’ll wait for cognition to kick in. No point in starting the day doing stupid stuff!
Good morning. Happy Friday Eve!
I won’t be working tomorrow so it’s sort of a Friday, right?
Young ArGee had some friends over on Sunday. Yesterday one of those friends tested positive for COVID. That person is fully vaccinated and had just received his booster. Ah, well, we’re praying our daughter doesn’t get sick.
It seems my office, which still has people coming on premises to work, has become a super spreader. What a way to end the year.
Here's to hoping and praying that all can remain healthy into the new year...
Why should you be any different? ;o])
Happy Friday Eve, and I hope everyone stays well!
I would like to vacuum, but Jake is asleep in the bedroom, and Shannon is asleep in the dragon room. We live for the cats, we die for the cats.
DP is sighing in the sunroom. If I jump in front of a bus, tell them it was the sighing that did it.
Jake and Shannon suggest catball, which would be great if they didn’t already have the good spots.
I find it hard to believe that sighing could ever be that bad!
You’ll just have to take my word for it.
Oh, crikey.
Here’s hoping your daughter has a strong immune system.
My own FD is feeling poorly this morning, but it could be the flu or a cold. Both of which “Omicron” seems to mimic.
Well, nudge one of them aside with thanks and tell them it was a great suggestion!
Trust her...she’s a mother
I suppose that I must... lol
Shannon got up.
Go out with a bang!
That seems to be what Mayor Putz has said.
Most New Yorkers (New Yorkians) don’t care how he goes out, as long as he goes.
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