The world’s heaviest ruby went on public display for the first time
this week at the Natural History Museum in London. It is being held above
by Cally Oldershaw, the museum’s gemologist. The gemstone, named the Appalachian
Star Ruby by its finder, is 28.6 millimetres high and weighs 139.43 carats
(27.89 grams). This is just a fraction more than the Rosser Reeves Ruby
from Sri Lanka, on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington
DC, and which is valued at around $25 million. The Appalachian ruby was
found by Wayne Messer in his native North Carolina and kept in a small private
display until this week. When the stone is held up to the light, it displays
a perfect six-pointed star.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features

Humans
Dating over 50 is probably on the rise – but we know little about it
News

What to read this week: the excellent Beyond Belief by Helen Pearson
Culture

Life
David Attenborough is one of a kind, for better or worse
Leader

Comment
Less nostalgia, more pain: scientists study 1763 Eurovision songs
Regulars
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Red-light therapy does have health benefits but not the ones you think
2
Man destined for Alzheimer's may have been saved by accidental therapy
3
Woman in cancer remission without treatment in highly unusual case
4
Extinct relative of koalas discovered in Western Australia
5
We have figured out a new way to send messages into the past
6
Hantavirus: Where has the deadly cruise ship outbreak come from?
7
A lost ancient script reveals how writing as we know it really began
8
Exercise helps fight cancer – and we may finally know why
9
An unorthodox version of quantum theory could reveal what reality is
10
Is consciousness more fundamental to reality than quantum physics?