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Mathematician Theorizes a Crystal As Beautiful As A Diamond

Roland Piquepaille writes "Why are diamonds so shiny and beautiful? A Japanese mathematician says it's because of their unique crystal structure and two key properties, called 'maximal symmetry' and 'strong isotropic property.' According to the American Mathematical Society (AMS), he found that out of all the crystals that are possible to construct mathematically, just one shares these two properties with the diamond. So far, his K4 crystal exists only as a mathematical object. And nobody knows if it exists — or if it can be synthesized."

4 of 302 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by ScaryMonkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    A Japanese mathematician has been found dead in his laboratory. Police say they suspect the killers to be jewelry-wearing silhouettes.

  2. that's great by circletimessquare · · Score: 5, Funny

    just as the price of diamonds are threatened by artificial sources, questions about funding evil regimes, and anger at diehard debeers monopolies, promising that men can give women what they want for only $10 someday, this mathematician a**hole comes along with a totally new need-to-have impossible-to-obtain subtance that guys must fork over big bucks for

    curse you, mathematics!

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    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  3. That's not right by Profane+MuthaFucka · · Score: 5, Funny

    The reason diamonds are so beautiful is that every one of them represents gallons and gallons of blood and broken bones laying in the bottom of a diamond mine. Nothing is quite as shiny as pure human misery.

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    Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
  4. Re:I'm sure... by ultranova · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because of all the dirt surrounding the diamond industry, I will never buy one, and when/if I propose to my girlfriend she's getting a ring with any gem other than a diamond. (And not because I'm some cheap-ass.)

    Why give a gem ring at all ? Give a simple ring, made of gold, with inscription inside, which comes visible and glows red when heated in fire.

    Yes, buy a wedding ring from Mordor Jewelers, Inc., and you'll never have to worry about your significant other abandonging you ! Guaranteed to be less evil than DeBeers.

    Mordor Jewelers Wedding Ring - because she's your precioussss !

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    Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.