Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Pencil 'Lead' Mightier than Diamonds?

Posted by timothy on from the rapidograph-triumphs dept.

GuardianBob420 writes "Space Daily is reporting that a team of researchers has used a combination of extreme pressure and irradiation to alter the molecular structure of graphite -- resulting in a previously unobserved super-hard form of the stuff. From the article: 'The graphite that resulted from our experiment was so hard that when we released the pressure we saw that it had actually cracked the diamond anvil.'"

13 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Lasts longer than diamonds? by Mac73117 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does this mean deBeers will offer graphite engagement rings?

    Ducks...

    1. Re:Lasts longer than diamonds? by Canar · · Score: 2, Funny

      Okay, sir, come through the carbon detector... Oh, no, sorry, wait, you'll have to take off your head first.

      Yup. They're gonna ban carbon on international flights. That'll help the airline industry.

  2. Re:old adage by dar · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think you mean the pencil is mightier than the sword.

    --
    My other Slashdot ID is much lower.
  3. Hey, this is great! by dacarr · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now instead of a diamond ring, I just have to get her a number -9e-62 pencil! Now if I can only figure out where to get one....

    --
    This sig no verb.
  4. Forget super-hard pencils by DogBarf · · Score: 2, Funny

    I want that diamond anvil!

  5. pen, pencil or sword? bazooka! by Tumbleweed · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you're rich enough to have a record collection,
    I'll bring my bazooka round for inspection.

    C30 C60 C90 go
    see-three-oh see-six-oh
    C30 C60 C90 go
    see-ninety-go
    three-oh six-oh nine-oh
    GO!

    - Bow Wow Wow

    -1, Offtopic, I know, I know. C'mon, moderators, give it your best shot, I can take it! :)

  6. AT LAST! by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I now have a response to all those people who called me a pencil-dick!

  7. Re:Imagine bycicles made of this by borgboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Imagine a popular geek writer penning a novel about an era when nanotech is rampant and carbon crystals are ubiquitous.

    Imagine reading that novel.

    Imagine

    --
    meh.
  8. Cool!! by chriso11 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now I can get some mechanical pencil lead that won't break all the time. Or even smudge!

    --
    No, I don't trust in god. He'll have to pay up front, like everybody else.
  9. Re:Pencil Lead by MoxFulder · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's spelled p e d a n t i c, you nitwit! </pedantic>

    --
    My bicyles
  10. Re:Imagine bycicles made of this by Tackhead · · Score: 2, Funny
    > Imagine computer cases that dont bend and break. Ever.

    Horrible. How the fuck would you mod them?

    > Or very lightweight airplanes.
    >Imagine taller skyscrapers.

    There's a very sick joke in there about what happens when an irresistable force meets an immovable object, and I'm going straight to hell for even hinting at it.

  11. Re:What does this prove? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even more impressive is that fact that he replied to himself, calling the first guy an idiot but looking like he called himself an idiot. Then there's you, who didn't notice this.

    Whee! This spiral ride is fun!

  12. Re:Imagine bycicles made of this by FooAtWFU · · Score: 2, Funny

    Get real. This is Slashdot. Watch us imagine a Beowulf cluster of the stuff. :)

    --
    The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.