What is Amber?

Nov. 15, 2024

Scientists recently discovered amber for the first time in Antarctica, which adds to growing evidence that temperate rainforests existed on every continent during the mid-Cretaceous period.

About Amber:

It is a fossil tree resinthat has achieved a stable state through loss of volatile constituents and chemical change after burial in the ground.
Amber has been found throughout the world, but the largest and most significant deposits occur along the shores of the Baltic Seain sands 40 to 60 million years old.
Amber occurs as irregular nodules, rods, or droplike shapes in all shades of yellow with nuances of orange, brown, and, rarely, red.
Milky-white opaquevarieties are called bone amber.
The turbidity of some amber is caused by inclusions of many minute air bubbles.
Many hundreds of species of fossil insects and plants are found as inclusions.
Deeply coloured translucent to transparent amber is prized as gem material.
Ornamental carved objects, beads, rosaries, cigarette holders, and pipe mouthpieces are made from amber.
Amberoid, or “pressed amber,” is produced by fusing together small pieces of amber under pressure. Parallel bands, or flow structure, in amberoid help to distinguish it from natural amber.