The jewels nabbed in the Louvre heist may still be at large, but scientists have just closed the case on another gemstone mystery: what gives rare ammolite gems their rainbow shimmer.
Ammolite comes from the fossilized shells of extinct squidlike critters called ammonites. Scientists knew the secret to the fossils’ flamboyant appearance lay somewhere in their layers of nacre, or mother-of-pearl. But not all ammonite fossils boast brilliant colors — nor do pearly nautilus or pale abalone shells with similar nacre layers.
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