Spirit Artist has granted Big Ideas Learning, LLC/Larson Texts, Inc. permission to use the painting “Abstract II” in a middle school math textbook to be published in 2010. The companies lead author, Roland Larson, is trying to include things that will be visually interesting to middle school math students and will include a photo of this painting in an activity about triangles in art.

Scientists at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C. have discovered a way to make bigger and better diamonds. The method is called chemical vapor deposition. It utilizes low pressure that allows the diamonds to be grown more rapidly and have minimal defects, as well as growing larger than before. Man made diamonds at their best.

Opals have been found on Mars.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to own one?  Talk about the Wow factor.  Instead of saying it’s a Peruvian opal, you could say it’s a Martian opal direct from outer space.  I don’t foresee these being available in the near future, but you never know.

I wonder what the gem lore will be for the Martian opal?  Any ideas?