Amber

Amber is a light and fragile substance, a special form of carbonaceous mineral, sometimes ranked among minerals. At other times, it is classified as an organogenic sedimentary rock because it is a fossilized resin of some trees, a mineralized Tertiary coniferous resin, most often around 50 million years old (however, amber of up to 320 million years is known, ie from Paleozoic Carboniferous). The most common amber color is golden yellow, but varieties are completely transparent, red, coffee and white. Interestingly, the amber has still not been artificially produced even though its chemical composition and the expected process of formation are well known. Amber is of organic origin and has an amorphous structure. Its composition varies depending on the tree from which it comes, although all amber species contain terpenes or components that are common to hardened resins. If the amber is rubbed with wool, a negative charge of static electricity is generated. He described this characteristic of amber as early as the 6th century BC .. The production of jewelry and ornamental objects from amber has a long tradition since people have been processing them since the Stone Age. Amber jewelry and amulets were used by people in other cultures (ancient Greece, Rome, Maya and Inca civilizations), believed in their power and often used as a talisman or remedy. Amber also serves as a medium, preserving organisms (especially invertebrates) from past geological periods in fantastic detail. The oldest preserved amber with preserved insects comes from the Mesozoic Triassic period and is about 230 million years old.