Rubies, often imagined as sparkling treasures in tales like “The Wizard of Oz” and pirate lore, serve a deeper purpose beyond mere decoration. They provide scientists with insights into the natural world. The Earth and Planetary Sciences Gallery at Harvard\u2019s Museum of Natural History is showcasing a variety of rubies from polished to raw states. These specimens are part of Harvard\u2019s extensive Mineralogical and Geological Museum collection, which boasts over 300,000 mineral samples.<\/p>\n
Rachel Gnieski, collections manager at the museum, explained the exhibit’s intent to display both finished gemstones and their raw crystal forms. Rubies have diverse material uses; their hardness makes them suitable for industrial abrasives, and the chromium within them emits red light, making rubies essential for lasers used in medical, communication, and scientific fields. Raquel Alonso-Perez, curator of the museum, highlighted the technological significance of these gems beyond their gemological value.<\/p>\n
Alonso-Perez finds gems particularly intriguing because of their purity, which provides valuable insights for geochemistry and traceability studies. Her research focuses on gemology, and she also presides over Boston\u2019s chapter of the Women\u2019s Jewelry Association. She emphasized the importance of understanding a gemstone\u2019s origin and distinguishing natural stones from synthetics. These fundamental questions about origins and composition are central to gemological science.<\/p>\n
Rubies’ color offers insights into mineral compositions that vary by location, but Alonso-Perez noted that color is just part of understanding ruby formation. Burmese rubies, known for their rarity and deep red hue, are influenced by the Himalayan geological environment, affecting their chromium levels. This results in their unique color and composition.<\/p>\n
The surrounding material of mined rubies also tells a story. Rubies form in two types of environments: metamorphic rocks like marble or gneiss, and igneous rocks from cooled magma. These formations reveal the earth’s history and offer clues about its processes. Alonso-Perez compared a mineral\u2019s chemistry to a fingerprint, providing unique geological insights, and noted that combining chemical analysis with machine learning enhances understanding of where and how these minerals formed.<\/p>\n
The ruby exhibit will remain at the Museum of Natural History until at least the year’s end, with a new gem set to be featured in the following year, according to Gnieski.<\/p>\n