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The most colorful gemstones on Earth - Jeff Dekofsky

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TEDEd Animation

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In November 1986, Australian miners climbed Lunatic Hill and bored 20 meters into the Earth. They were rewarded with a fist-sized, record breaking gemstone, which they named the Hailey’s Comet opal. Thanks to a characteristic called “play of color,” no two opals look the same. So what causes these vibrant displays? Jeff Dekofsky digs into the rock’s shimmering, dancing displays of light.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Jeff Dekofsky
  • Director Ivana Bošnjak, Thomas Johnson Volda
  • Narrator Jack Cutmore-Scott
  • Sound Designer Spencer Ward
  • Music Salil Bhayani
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

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