(1)      Opal is a noncrystalline mineral that has been used as a gemstone in numerous cultures for thousands of years. Quantities of high-grade opal have been mined in diverse areas worldwide, including eastern Europe, Australia, and Mexico, as well as in the states of California, Nevada, and Idaho in the United States.

(2)      Some varieties of opal contain flashes of a wide spectrum of colors, while others do not. Those types of opal with tiny specks of iridescent color are called precious opal. Varieties without this iridescent coloration throughout are called common opal. It is the precious opal, with its rainbow-like assortment of colors dotting the stone that has been considered gemstone quality over the ages. Precious opal has numerous colors that serve as a background for the iridescent specks, the most valuable of which are black, white, and blue opal, as well as the reddish-brown stone known as fire opal.

(3)      In some cultures, precious opal is recognized not only as a gemstone of great attraction but also as an omen of bad luck. Much of the superstition surrounding opal is now believed to have arisen from the tendency of opal to dry out and crack. Opal is a hydrated mineral with a water content that ranges from 1 percent to 21 percent. The hardness of a particular opal depends upon its water content, which can vary and can be particularly low in dry climates. Throughout its long history, the negative superstition surrounding opal has been related to the tendency of opal to crack seemingly spontaneously, without any noticeable justification. A crack in an opal has been viewed as an indication that bad luck is on its way. In reality, though, a seemingly spontaneous crack in a stone is most likely due to a loss of essential water; it is less likely due to pure back luck.

(1)      Weighing a mere 30 to 50 pounds, the wolverine is small, dense, and muscular, yet pound for pound it is the strongest predator in the wilderness of Alaska and Canada. The wolverine belies its family identity, more resembling a small black bear than a member of the weasel family. It has thick, dark fur with golden highlights along its sides and across its broad, stout head and cropped ears.

(2)      Traditional legend has typecast the wolverine as a vicious and ravenous carnivore. The Eskimos called this creature (cavik) or "evil one" because of its habit of raiding caches of food. Even its genus name (Gulo) means glutton. However, these stereotypes are not altogether accurate. The wolverine does have a voracious appetite, but like most predators, its life is one of feast and famine. It gorges itself when it locates a ready supply of food and fasts for days on end until it makes its next find. Wolverines prefer fresh meat, but they are not efficient predators. Although they are quite capable of killing larger prey, they are rarely fortunate enough to get close enough to do so. The wolverine is too slow to catch fleet-footed big game, and it looks comical as it bounces along on its stubby legs. In fact, wolverines are primarily scavengers, eating the carrion of wolf kills`bones, pieces of frozen meat, and hide from moose and caribou. The teeth of wolverines are much stronger than those of feline or canine predators such as lynx or wolves, enabling wolverines to gnaw on frozen meat and thick hide without breaking their teeth. The wolverine has interlocking molars that look like pinking sheers with which it both sheers and grinds its frozen feast.

(3)      Its reputation for fierceness is also greatly exaggerated. In spite of its notoriety for bravado, the wolverine is incredibly reclusive around man. In fact, one might live a lifetime in wolverine country and never once catch a glimpse of this elusive creature. When confronted by a larger predator such as a bear, the wolverine will square off, raise its hackles, and let out a hissing roar that sounds like a small jet engine. Snarling and baring its teeth, it appears so menacing that even a grizzly bear is loathe to tangle with the much smaller rival, though its posturing is for the most part bluff.