Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

Smooth pearls in the shape of orbs and ovals are usually created by bivalves, like mussels, in pearl farms. As with all gems, the less blemishes they have, the more valuable they are. (Chip Clark, Smithsonian)

The True Story Behind How Pearls Are Made

Learn about how mollusks create these shiny gems and how that biological process could change as Earth’s waters warm

Latest

Top Discoveries at the National Museum of Natural History in 2024

Newly Described Fossil From Wyoming Sheds Light on When Frogs and Toads Lost Their Teeth

Categories
Archive