Quartz sphere with Thorite inclusion - image 1

Quartz sphere with Thorite inclusion

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A beautiful quartz sphere that is completely transparent and colorless with the exception of a pair of small brownish "apparitions" in the center. I picked this up at a carving warehouse in China after it had been cut, because of the unusual patterns within. After some work in the lab, it was determined that these inclusions are radiation patterns hiding a radioactive crystal within that emitted radiation which caused smoky quartz color, and also some curving artifacts that are pressure fractures from the radiation within the quartz (all perfectly and safely contained!), but that you can actually see within. The fracture patterns here reflect the physics within, a physical example of invisible forces altering the environment within the crystal in a way that our eyes can see! RAMAN analysis determined that within the black "cloud" of smoky quartz are single small crystals of Thorite hidden by these "radiation halos". While you cannot see the thorite, we know it is there; and it is just a fascinating talking piece.