At IFLScience, we often like to talk about the Mantelpiece Of Dreams, a line-up of rare geological trinkets we’d like to shine down on us as we sit on the sofa (were it not for, you know, ethics). London Natural History Museum’s Professor Paul Barrett said he’d like a triceratops skull (nice), our own Eleanor Higgs dreams of a megalodon tooth , but for me? I’ve always been partial to ammolite . The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

This is a gemstone that stands out among other precious stones, being built upon the tissues of a once-living animal. They are rare fossilized ammonite shells that can range in color from fairly muted to a dazzlingly vivid display of greens, blues, oranges, and yellows. As for what makes th

See Full Page