Amber Jewelry Blog...

Tuesday 22nd May 2012 01:36:56 AM •

Reference: Museums: Science

What is amber?

A common misconception with Amber is that it is tree sap; it is actually fossilised resin from ancient forests. The tree resin is exuded for a number of reasons such as protection for an injury to the tree, protection against biological or insect attack etc. The resin has then hardened and been preserved in the earths crust. Although Amber is regarded as a gem it is actually an organic substance that does not have the organic matter replaced by minerals. Pieces of amber are not cold and hard like most other gems. I have seen it described as 'organic plastic' to try and describe its weight and texture. Whilst I understand this description I think it takes away from the mystery and romance of this gem. Amber is also sometimes known as Succinite.

What are the different colours?

The huge variety of colours and the uniqueness of every piece is partly what makes this gem so popular. There are over 250 identified shades. The differing shades are due to the kind of tree the resin came from, the inclusions, the age of the amber and also the area in the world it comes from. Although amber deposits can be found all over the world there are only approximately 20 where it can be commercially mined.

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What are Inclusions in Amber

Inclusions are small objects which become embedded in the resin prior to it hardening and are part of what makes this gem truly fascinating. It was the very inclusion of a mosquito in a piece of amber that started the fictional theme park 'Jurassic Park' and it was at this point that Amber became more popular and fascinating to a wider audience in modern day. Because of this tree resin it means that anyone can own something that is millions of years old. This is part of its charm and romance.

A variety of small animals have been caught in these resin 'traps' such as fleas, ticks, millipedes and mosquitoes as well as items like seeds, roots, spores and Lichen. What I personally find the most fascinating are the ones that got away! Pieces of amber have been found with animal paw prints and have, on rare occasions, contained a few hairs or feathers from animals that have fled from its sticky clutches. All of these inclusions have enabled scientists to build an accurate picture of some of the plants and animals these forest contained and build more accurate pictures of earth in those times.

Amber From the Baltic.

The class of organic gemstones is quite small, but includes some unusual varieties which are important in the gem trade, including pearl, coral, ivory and amber. All the organic gems are rather unusual, but none more than amber. Amber is the fossilized hardened resin of the pine tree, Pinus succinifera, formed mainly in the Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period, about 50 million years ago. Amber has been used since prehistoric times for jewelry, amulets and religious objects. The most prized pieces contain inclusions of insects or plants or pyrites.

Yellow, orange and brown are the most common colors for amber, though rare blue amber is found in the Dominican Republic. The term "amber" has entered the English language as the color that is halfway between yellow and orange. The clarity of natural amber ranges from transparent to opaque. Most pieces have bubbles or inclusions. When polished amber has a resinous luster.

Unlike most gemstones, amber is amorphous rather than crystalline. It is fairly soft, with a rating of 2-2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. While it is durable enough to have survived for millions of years, it is sensitive to acids, caustic solutions, gasoline, alcohol and perfume. It will burn if ignited by a match, releasing an incense-like odor.

One of the most unique characteristics of amber is that it is exceptionally light. It has a density or specific gravity of only 1.05 to 1.09. Amber is so light that it will float in salt water. Amber's low density makes it difficult to imitate with glass or plastic, which have much higher densities. By way of comparison, the total volume of a 5 carat piece of amber is 2.5 times the volume of a 5 carat piece of zircon (one of the denser gem materials).
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What has Amber been used for?

Currently Amber is enjoying a resurgence in its popularity as a gem that can make truly unique and beautiful jewelry, but has had many varied uses in the past.

The Romans used it in coins amongst other things.
A variety of religious objects including rosaries.
Amber attracts lint with static electricity when rubbed.
In the past it is thought to protect the wearer from kidnapping and aging and keep evil spirits away.
Cure for a variety of conditions such as headaches and rheumatic pain and enhance fertility.
Amber brings the wearer good luck in a variety of situations from going to war to getting married.
Often used as grave goods for a variety of reasons.
Thrown into fires to release aromatic fragrances.

Amber has always been popular and its use can be traced back to Neolithic times. The uniqueness of the gem has inspired different cultures throughout history to marvel, wonder and sometimes kill for it. We have always loved Amber and so it was only fitting that the first web site we set-up was to sell Amber Jewelry. The article is drawn from many years of reading about amber to satisfy our curiosity. My sister and I hope this will be the first of many articles on this fascinating topic. Please visit our site http://newamberjewelry.com/home to see if you agree with us regarding the diversity of this gem.

Adventure Science Center - Current program listings for the science museum and the Sudekum Planetarium, along with information on hours and admission fees. Nashville, Tennessee.
Agropolis-Museum - Science Center dealing with topics such as food, nutrition, agriculture, with a historical approach on a worldwide scale. Montpellier, France.
American Museum of Science and Energy - The largest exhibition of energy related exhibits in the United States. Includes live demonstrations, videos, hands-on exhibits and special events. Located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Arizona Science Center - Planetarium, hands-on learning exhibits and IMAX theatre. Phoenix, Arizona.
Audubon Nature Institute - Public show schedule and information. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution - Features exhibits devoted to geology, natural history, social history, and antiquities/archaeology. Includes a virtual museum, membership details, and a history of the organization. Located in the UK.
Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute - Focusing on marine biology, the technology of underwater exploration and deep-ocean ecology. Includes details of exhibits, calendar of events, educational programs, membership and volunteer information, and contacts. Located in Pembroke.
Buffalo Museum of Science - Natural science museum with permanent, traveling and hands-on exhibits from anthropology, botany, geology, entomology, and zoology. Site has directions, hours, contact information and a calendar of events.
California Science Center - Museum and exhibits profile, IMAX schedule, and calendar of upcoming events for the interactive learning facility. Located in Los Angeles.
Canada Science and Technology Museum - Features educational activities, online exhibits, and museum events. Located in Ontario, Ottawa.
Discovery Place - Charolette, North Carolina. Hands-on science museum. Information on exhibits, hours, admission, and a virtual tour.
Eli Whitney Museum - Includes historical resource about the inventor of the cotton gin and the technique of mass producing military firearms. New Haven, Connecticut.
Experimentarium - Science centre includes 300 exhibits concentrating on nature and technology, the environment, and health. Located in Denmark.
Fernbank Science Center - Atlanta, Georgia. Visitor information, planetarium schedule, special programs, resources for teachers and students.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History - Includes an Omni Theater, four core exhibit galleries, a special exhibit hall, outdoor excavations, the Noble Planetarium, and special programs for children.
Goudreau Museum of Mathematics in Art and Science - New York museum featuring exhibits of math applications in art and science, special programs, and a museum library.
Great Lakes Science Center - Offers more than 340 interactive science exhibits and a six story tall Omnimax theater. Includes a visitor's guide, a calendar of events and a schedule. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
Imagination Station Science Museum - Features hands on science exhibits for the family. Located in Wilson.
Impression 5 Science Center - General information on the Lansing, Michigan hands-on science and technology center.
Lawrence Hall of Science - Public science museum and research center for K-12 education at the University of California, Berkeley. LHS offers hands-on science exhibits, discovery laboratories, computer labs, planetarium shows, after-school classes and summer camps, family workshops, special events, school programs and teacher education.
Liberty Science Center - Science museum in New Jersey. Explore LSC's three themed floors: Environment, Health, and Invention, featuring dozens of exciting hands-on exhibits.
Liebig-Museum Giessen - Overall description, history, opening hours and entrance fees of the museum dedicated to the chemist Justus Liebig.
Long Island Science Center - Provide a hands-on learning experience to people of all ages through discovery, exhibits, and activities centered around mathematics, science, and technology. Includes floor plan. Located in Riverhead, New York.
Marian Koshland Science Museum - Features state-of-the-art exhibitions highlighting the science behind today’s headlines and affecting daily lives. Plan a visit or explore the exhibits online, including virtual interactive activities. Located in Washington, DC.
Miami Museum of Science & Planetarium - Showcases interactive exhibitions on science, multi-media technology and sports. Includes Space Transit Planetarium and Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center.
Mid America Science Museum - Offers interactive exhibits that explore such subjects as perception, energy, sound, light and gravity. Visitors can fly a hot-air balloon, generate electricity, see a laser light show or walk along nature trails. Includes brief history of museum, hours, admission rates and directions. Located in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Museum of Life and Science - Durham, North Carolina. Information on facilities and educational programs.
Museum of Science - Features a revolving schedule of Imax films, temporary exhibitions and planetarium shows. Includes a visitor's guide, membership details, volunteer opportunities and educator tools. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Museum of Science & History - Features interactive exhibits, special events, and the Alexander Brest Planetarium. Includes hours, fees, daily programs, member benefits and directions. Located in Jacksonville, Florida.
Museum of Science and Industry - Features a coal mine, a U-505 submarine, intelligent LEGO bricks, and travel through virtual reality. Includes a visitor's guide, membership details, educational programs and volunteer opportunities. Located in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Museum of Science and Industry - Tampa, Florida. Offering 450 exhibits, live science demonstrations, and an IMAX theatre.
Museum of the History of Science, University of Oxford - British museum exhibiting the history of science. Online exhibits include "The Noble Dane: Images of Tycho Brahe" and "The Geometry of War, 1500-1750".
National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation - Features the global environment and frontier, life sciences and humans, technological revolution and the future, and information science. Includes visitor's guide. Located in Tokyo, Japan. [Japanese and English]
National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci - Milano, Italia - Diversified technical and scientific museum in Milan, Italy. Collections, exhibits, and Web resources about technology and the history of technology. Also, both museum and Web site feature material about the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci.
National Space Centre - Features hands-on interactive exhibits, real rockets, and a Space Theatre. Located in Leicester.
Natural Science Center of Greensboro - Features hands-on exhibits, zoo, and planetarium. Includes hours, upcoming events, admission, membership details and directions. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina.
New York Hall of Science - Exhibits, often interactive, on sound, light, atoms, microbes, AIDS, astronomy. Includes a science playground. Considered one of the top ten science museums in the country.
Omniplex Science Museum - Offers a diverse collection of interactive and historic exhibits and programs. Located in Oklahoma City.
Ontario Science Centre - Outstanding online science and technology educational resources and fascinating real exhibits. Located in Toronto.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry - Portland, Oregon museum includes online science resources for teachers, students, and everyone interested in science.
Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center - Part aquarium and part laboratory, the center showcases scientific explorations of the marine world by researchers based at the Oregon State University, Newport.
Pacific Science Center - Detailed information on shows and events. Located in Seattle.
Philippine Science Centrum - First hands-on, interactive science museum in the Philippines. Includes services and contact information. Located in Manila.
Rochester Museum & Science Center - Features over 1.2 million regional history, anthropology, natural sciences, and archives objects, planetarium and nature center. Includes programs and events, membership and volunteer details, hours, admission and directions. Located in Rochester, New York.
Science Center of Iowa - Features interactive exhibits, programs and a planetarium. Permanent exhibits include Hubble space telescope display and the Foucault Pendulum. Includes details of exhibits, programs, events calendar, hours, admission and location.
Science East Science Centre - Features fun and educational interactive science exhibits for children and adults. Located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Science Museum - London museum and library of science. Exhibitions cover all areas of science and technology. Includes online exhibits and a learning area.
Science Museum of Minnesota - Features dinosaurs, an Omnitheater, school programs, Mississippi Riverfront parks, and hands-on exhibits. Located in Saint Paul.
Science Museum of Virginia - Learning tools, educational resources for kids and grown-ups with links to museums in Richmond and around Virginia.
Science Museums of Corunna - About exhibits, activities and publications of the first public Science Centre of Spain, in Corunna. It includes three places: Planetarium, Domus or House of Man and Aquarium Finisterrae.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Features 23 main exhibition galleries, each displaying major artifacts from the Museum's collection. Includes an overview of the collection, news and events, a visitor's guide, membership details and volunteer roles. Located in Washington, DC.
Techniquest - Science Discovery Centre has 160 interactive exhibits. With planetarium, science theatre and a discovery room, covering topics from fossils to forensic science. Located in Cardiff.
The Bradbury Science Museum - The history of Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project, as well as over 40 interactive exhibits within five galleries at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
The Children's Museum - Information on exhibits, programs and special events. Located in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Exploratorium - Hands-on museum of science, art, and human perception in San Francisco. Site provides interactive online exhibits and exhibitions, activities, science news, and publications, general information about the museum. Locatde in San Francisco, California.
The Franklin Institute Science Museum - Take a virtual tour or find out about events, exhibits, and membership. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Imaginarium - Alaskan hands on science discovery center. Located in Anchorage.
The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science - Features planetarium, interactive exhibits. Includes hours, fees, membership, upcoming exhibits, educational programs, volunteer opportunities, directions. Located in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Museum of Discovery and Science - Hands on science and technology exhibits, live animal presentations and an Imax 3D theater. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester - Virtual exhibits on everything from locomotives and aircrafts, to photography and nuclear power.
The National Museum of Science and Industry - Consisting of the Science Museum, London, the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford, and the National Railway Museum, York.
The National Museum of Science and Technology - Features over 500,000 artifacts, archival records and documents, drawings, images and books. Includes details of the exhibits and a visitor's guide. Located in Stockholm, Sweden. [Swedish and English]
The New Detroit Science Center - Features visitor information, programs, educational activities, theaters, stages, and exhibits. Located in Michigan.
The Radome, Museum of Telecommunications - Features a gigantic cone-shaped antenna which weighs 340 tons, interactive activities, shows and displays. Includes hours, rates and contact information. Located in France. French and English].
The Whipple Museum of the History of Science - Collections, exhibitions, publications. University of Cambridge, UK.
Virginia Living Museum - A combination wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, and botanical preserve in Newport News, Virginia.
Water Museum Barcelona - Aim is to present society with values associated with the culture of water and to promote the discovery of the universe of water as a vital resource. Includes details of exhibits, hours and a location map. [English, Catalan and Spanish]