Giant pink diamond

A Russian mining company has unearthed a massive pink diamond they believe could be the most expensive gem yet recovered by the group.

The 27.85 carat pink gem was recovered by Alrosa PJSC from the company’s alluvial mines in the northwest part of Yakutia, in Russia’s far east.

According to Alrosa, the pink gem is of jewellery quality with almost no defects. It measures 22.47 by 15.69 by 10.9 millimetres. Until the latest diamond was unearthed, the biggest pink gem recovered by Alrosa measured 3.86 carats.

“Experts of Alrosa are currently studying this gem to decide on whether to sell it as a raw diamond or cut it,” Evgeny Agureev, head of the United Selling Organisation of ALROSA, said in a news release.

“Big gems, especially of rare colours, traditionally enjoy high demand at auctions. Considering that no similar gems have been before in Alrosa’s history, we can say it will be the most expensive diamond of all time in Alrosa, if it is decided to cut the diamond in the company.”

“The unique characteristics of the diamond make it an extraordinary, rare stone of high value,” Agureev added.

Ancient coins worth £200,000 discovered

One man’s dreams came true when he found a hoard of 2,000-year-old Roman silver coins in Dorset. Fisherman and amateur historian Mike Smale was hunting for treasure with friends from the Southern Detectorists club when he found the coins worth £200,000.

The 600 rare Denarii were in a field in Bridport, so Mike and the farmer will legally split the money. Mike, from Plymouth, Devon, said: “It’s a great find, my biggest one, but I shan’t be giving metal detecting up, it’s great fun and I’m sticking with it.”

Some of the coins are extremely rare as they were minted in Roman general Mark Anthony’s short-lived reign when he was allied with Cleopatra, and can be worth up to £900 each.

Coin expert Dominic Chorney said: “Coin finds such as this are fascinating and are incredibly important in shedding light on the history of Roman Britain.

“Republican coins and those of Antony were issued before the Roman Invasion of Britain in AD43, and would have drifted over in the pockets of Roman soldiers and citizens alike.”

Art exhibit for dogs and cats

A pet food company in Singapore launched an interactive art exhibit pacifically curated for dogs, cats and their owners.

Pets and their owners had the opportunity to observe and interact with special pet-themed works of art at the “PAW-sitive: Interactive Art for Pets by Wellness” to celebrate the pet food brand’s 10th anniversary.

“This first-of-its-kind art exhibition is designed to create a positive art appreciation experience for pets as they make their way through the various art installations,” the brand said.

The exhibit includes a room designed to give dogs the illusion they were floating on a magic carpet through a sky full of toys and delicious meat snacks.

“As land animals, dogs are used to seeing things from the ground; this set-up allows them to explore a different perspective,” Wellness said.

During this magic-carpet ride, images of the dreams and fantasies of dogs, such as flying toys and chicken drumlets, were projected onto the wall and the song “A Whole New World” was played at a special frequency that is only audible by dogs for a full sensory experience.

For feline guests, a “Cat-ception” was installed so that cats could also enjoy and play inside a giant cat-shaped cat tree.

“The artist has created a giant cat, entered through the mouth, with the tongue leading into four themed rooms,” the pet food brand said. “Each contains items to pique the cat’s curiosity, from catnip to yarn. It’s interactive for cat parents too - the tail of the giant cat detaches into a wand that you can wave at your real fur kid as it exits the belly.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 21st, 2017