There is very little science behind any chart that purports to link specific mood ring colors to corresponding human moods. . . even though the basic material powering the 1970s holdover jewelry fad - temperature sensitive thermotropic liquid crystals - is still being used by NASA to help clarify telescopic views of the heavens.

The association of heat-sensitive color changes shown by the crystals of a mood ring to different emotions is more of an unscientific inference, much like a 2010 study that applied the same basic principles to an analysis of the social media network Twitter. Post-doctoral students at Northeastern University set up categories of "happy" words (love, paradise, diamond) and "sad" words (funeral, rape, suicide) and then used a bank of computers to monitor the frequency of use of these words within tweets. The overall results were then displayed in mood ring-like color graph form, with Sunday proving to be the happiest Twitter user day and Hawaii the most cheerful state.

The group responsible for the Twitter mood study feels that their methods can eventually be perfected into a science. Although the principles governing mood ring color analysis never got that far, they remain an entertaining jewelry diversion. One of the best strategies when it comes to mood ring color analysis is for the wearer themselves, after purchasing the jewelry, to monitor and record how the liquid crystals react to their particular feelings and emotions.

In general, each mood ring color can have both positive and negative interpretations. For example, the color red might indicate that the wearer is experiencing either passion or anger. What's more, there is no regulated standard when it comes to mood ring color charts. Various vendors and individuals put forth their own interpretations.