Cairngorm, (also called Scottish topaz or smoky quartz), a smoky, yellow-brown variety of quartz. It is named for the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland. The stone is highly prized in Scotland and is used for various ornamental purposes. Its value depends on transparency and shading. The mineral has been found in Great Britain, Siberia, Spain, and Switzerland, and near Pikes Peak, Colorado.
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How incomplete is the fossil record?
At best, fossilization is a long and tricky process that mineralizes an occasional Tyrannosaurus rex or other extraordinary find. How has that affected our chances at charting a model of life itself?
The Ultimate Fossil Quiz
When you think about fossils, you probably picture the big-money stuff: T-Rex skeletons, perfectly preserved mammoths and the like. Compared to them, the vast majority of fossils are relatively tiny and seemingly insignificant.
