Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

See the 'Star of India,' decades after it was nabbed in a heist [NYC]
https://www.livescience.com ^ | JUNE 11, 2021 | By Mindy Weisberger - Senior Writer

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education; History; Travel
KEYWORDS: allankuhn; aluminium; aluminiumoxide; aluminum; aluminumoxide; bluestarsapphire; chromium; corundum; godsgravesglyphs; heist; iron; jackmurphy; magnesium; murfthesurf; sapphire; srilanka; starofindia; startrekiv; titanium; undead; vanadium
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 5,461-5,468 next last
To: null and void

My days are quite long enough.

Make them one minute longer and I will sick the dwarves on you to have them sing you the song of their people...


61 posted on 06/16/2021 8:05:10 PM PDT by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Dead Corpse

Click on the link.

Welcome to my world.


62 posted on 06/16/2021 9:24:57 PM PDT by null and void (When you put bad people in charge expect bad things to happen, often in a spectacular and sudden way)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Dead Corpse; dakine; GOPJ; fanfan; ColdOne; Cyber Liberty; null and void; Tax-chick; Anoreth; ...

I iz ur god! Bring mousies!

63 posted on 06/17/2021 2:12:57 AM PDT by Tax-chick (I found that yelling at my screen did not effect the change I sought.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

64 posted on 06/17/2021 2:36:54 AM PDT by null and void (When you put bad people in charge expect bad things to happen, often in a spectacular and sudden way)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: null and void

LOL, excellent!

And good morning.

My lower limbs and extremities are not happy with me, after three days of camp with two more to go. I’ll give them some pills and sympathy this morning, but once I put my shoes on, they’ll have to shut up until 5:00 p.m.


65 posted on 06/17/2021 2:39:38 AM PDT by Tax-chick (I found that yelling at my screen did not effect the change I sought.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

As well they should..


66 posted on 06/17/2021 2:41:19 AM PDT by null and void (When you put bad people in charge expect bad things to happen, often in a spectacular and sudden way)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: null and void

They’re just like the kids, always going on like they have a really hard time in life.

“Some people’s feet and legs have to work 12-hour shifts in an Amazon warehouse, and you’re complaining about a few days of camp? Shaddup.”


67 posted on 06/17/2021 2:48:53 AM PDT by Tax-chick (I found that yelling at my screen did not effect the change I sought.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: HKMk23

We’re always here for you, HK. We miss you when you disappear for such long periods.


68 posted on 06/17/2021 3:12:33 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Good morning.


69 posted on 06/17/2021 3:16:30 AM PDT by Tax-chick (I found that yelling at my screen did not effect the change I sought.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

A particularly fluffy specimen this morning for our new digs! Excellent choice!

Good morning.

Another day in paradise! And a Friday Eve to boot!


70 posted on 06/17/2021 3:22:20 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: null and void

Good one, Nully!

:o]


71 posted on 06/17/2021 3:23:10 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

I’m so sorry about your feet and legs. I have a Conair footbath if you’d like me to DarkFax it to you.


72 posted on 06/17/2021 3:24:37 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

I put my ankle brace on and told my lower half to shut up for the day.


73 posted on 06/17/2021 4:36:53 AM PDT by Tax-chick (I found that yelling at my screen did not effect the change I sought.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick
That’s right. Everyone has to work or at least look cute or tell jokes.

I guess there's no room for me, then.

Unless there's no requirement that the jokes be funny.

74 posted on 06/17/2021 5:04:56 AM PDT by ArGee (This is a tagline. This is only a tagline. Had it been a post, it would have been told to look up.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick; Monkey Face; NicknamedBob; null and void; no-to-illegals; Silentgypsy; ColdOne; ...

Good morning. Happy Friday Eve!


75 posted on 06/17/2021 5:06:28 AM PDT by ArGee (This is a tagline. This is only a tagline. Had it been a post, it would have been told to look up.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Hang in there! Prayers are going up for you! ;o]


76 posted on 06/17/2021 5:16:30 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

In our family, it’s a tradition to laugh the hardest at the unfunny jokes, so forewarned is forearmed. ;o]


77 posted on 06/17/2021 5:17:50 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Thanks Face !!


78 posted on 06/17/2021 5:18:06 AM PDT by no-to-illegals ( Liberals, leftists, Rinos, moslems, illegals, lamestream media. All want America to fail and die )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

Good happy Friday Eve morning! I hope your day is a good one!


79 posted on 06/17/2021 5:18:31 AM PDT by Monkey Face ( ~~ Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth. ~~ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Thank you !!!


80 posted on 06/17/2021 5:18:36 AM PDT by no-to-illegals ( Liberals, leftists, Rinos, moslems, illegals, lamestream media. All want America to fail and die )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 5,461-5,468 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson