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‘Healing’ crystals are having a pandemic moment. But science says they’re just pretty stones. Amanda McCracken © The Washington Post/iStock When my friend, a massage therapist, learned I was pregnant last winter, he gifted me a stunning large, clear piece of quartz he had bought during a recent crystal-foraging trip to Brazil. I welcomed the gift and the positive protective energy my friend said he could feel with his hands. I even placed it on the dinner table the night of my induction. It couldn’t hurt, could it? Although the market for diamonds has seen a decline during the pandemic, “near-gemstones” (crystals and minerals) have maintained their appeal among consumers, making it a $1 billion business. Even classy art giants Sotheby’s and Christie’s have joined the mom-and-pop incense-burning shops in selling crystals. Katy Perry claims her rose quartz helps her attract men, and Adele swears crystals decrease her anxiety onstage. Accord

United statesSmithsonian institutionDistrict of columbiaGwyneth paltrowMachu picchuKaty perryThomas planteStuart vysePhil stevensMarisa galvezPeter heaneySanta clara universityPennsylvania state universityStanford university school of medicineClemson universityUniversity of buffalo