A turquoise-encrusted mask of Xiuhtecuhtli, Aztec fire god, symbolises renewal and is showcased at the British Museum.

Real pearls appear to glow from within. Their lustrous appearance comes from light waves reflected off their inner surface layers. Ranging in colour from white with a touch of blush, as in Japan’s ...

A survey by the University of Tokyo and The Nippon Foundation from April 24 to June 9 has uncovered a vast deposit of rare earth metals worth an estimated $26.3 billion near Minami-Torishima Island.