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SLAC Experiment Proves It Rains Diamonds On Uranus and Neptune (cosmosmagazine.com)
The Washington Post reports:
On Uranus and Neptune, scientists forecast rain storms of solid diamonds. The gems form in the hydrocarbon-rich oceans of slush that swath the gas giants' sold cores. Scientists have long speculated that the extreme pressures in this region might split those molecules into atoms of hydrogen and carbon, the latter of which then crystallize to form diamonds. These diamonds were thought to sink like rain through the ocean until they hit the solid core. But no one could prove that this would really work -- until now.
Cosmos reports: The Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument at SLAC gives scientists the tools to investigate the extremely hot, dense matter at the centers of stars and giant planets... A team led by Dominik Kraus from the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf research centre in Germany subjected plastic to shockwaves by exposing it to the intense energy produced by SLAC's X-ray free-electron laser, known as the Linac Coherent Light Source. The experiment caused almost all the carbon atoms in the plastic to combine into diamond-like structures a few nanometers wide... Astronomers think that the forces at work deep in the frozen mantles of Uranus and Neptune are likely so powerful that each of the diamonds formed could weigh millions of carats. It is also possible that the solid cores of both planets are coated with a thick diamond outer layer.
The experiment also suggests an easier (and cleaner) way to produce diamonds in a lab, which can then be used for semiconductors, drill bits and solar panels.
Cosmos reports: The Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument at SLAC gives scientists the tools to investigate the extremely hot, dense matter at the centers of stars and giant planets... A team led by Dominik Kraus from the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf research centre in Germany subjected plastic to shockwaves by exposing it to the intense energy produced by SLAC's X-ray free-electron laser, known as the Linac Coherent Light Source. The experiment caused almost all the carbon atoms in the plastic to combine into diamond-like structures a few nanometers wide... Astronomers think that the forces at work deep in the frozen mantles of Uranus and Neptune are likely so powerful that each of the diamonds formed could weigh millions of carats. It is also possible that the solid cores of both planets are coated with a thick diamond outer layer.
The experiment also suggests an easier (and cleaner) way to produce diamonds in a lab, which can then be used for semiconductors, drill bits and solar panels.
This experiment shows that it is *possible* for diamonds to form under conditions that are *believed* to exist in gas giants. No direct evidence of such diamonds is actually observed, let alone "proof" that they exist. I'm not trying to cast doubt on the results, I just think we need to be careful about using the proper terminology.
They're already intrinsically worthless or nearly so. Lab made diamonds are going to be indistinguishable from natural ones to any casual observer (and probably many trained ones as well) and far less expensive. The only thing keeping diamond mining afloat is their use a gemstone and a clever bit of marketing by the diamond companies to convince stupid young men that they need to fork over thousands of dollars for something that can be made for a few dollars in a lab.
Auther C. Clarke speculated in "2061 (Space Odyssey Book 3)" that the core of Jupiter might a diamond the size of Earth.
Hell, it was stupid before they could be made in a lab. If they were serious about starting a life together, they'd both rather he put the money towards a down payment on a house.
The only thing keeping diamond mining afloat is their use a gemstone and a clever bit of marketing by the diamond companies to convince stupid young men that they need to fork over thousands of dollars for something that can be made for a few dollars in a lab.
Check out this submission about how a YouTuber is being sued by Brilliant Earth Jewelry for proving that their Canadian-certified diamonds are untrackable and may be blood diamonds from Africa. A fascinating story.
> clever bit of marketing by the diamond companies to convince stupid young men that they need to fork over thousands of dollars for something that can be made for a few dollars in a lab.
The "stupid young men" may be the ones buying those diamonds, but ultimately when it comes down to it, it's not them who decide they "need" them.
That one's easy. Let me explain.
Diamonds are formed when a pretty and dumb young blonde with a D-cup chest asks her fiancé for a ring. The fiancé knows she's asking for a diamond ring and the psychological pressure turns his next six or seven paychecks into a shiny rock.
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Want to know the real value of diamonds? Try to sell one.
These stupid young men understand that the only thing that matters is passing along their jeans to the most desirable, genetically perfect mate and diamonds are a means to that end. It's kind of like saying that a male peacock's tail feathers are useless because they don't help it catch food. Irrevelevant, it's even more important - it gets them the most genetically desirable mate. Food is secondary.
These stupid young men understand that the only thing that matters is passing along their jeans to the most desirable, genetically perfect mate and diamonds are a means to that end.
I don't know what the hell diamonds have to do with it, I just drop off my old jeans at Goodwill or some similar store if I want to pass them on to someone else.
Atmospheric temperature at the visible surface is -218C. Temperature at the icy rock core is 5100C. Inbetween it is possible there are altitudes where temperature and pressure are enough for water to form:
Uranus and especially Neptune likely have a vast ocean of ammonia solution (not too far from industrial strength household cleaner). It's water, Jim, but not as we know it..
They're called ice planets, but that's the astronomical definition of ice, which doesn't mean frozen water or even solid, but anything made of compound molecules. Hydrogen/helium = gas, compound molecules = ice, anything else = metal. Diamonds here count as metal to astronomers. Thus the largely gaseous and partially liquid ice giants have metal cores in astronomy speak.
Who the heck is Auther C. Clarke? Read your affiliate links before posting at least please.
Being an Arthur myself, I have observed that it's a simple name that a lot of people have problems spelling. I have seen Auther, Athor, Artur, Authur, Ator, and countless other variations.
It's so bad that I'm contemplating naming my firstborn Cholmondeley so he won't have to deal with this.
Problems being that it's not terribly clear who or what is a "genetically perfect mate".
For instance, the question of whether she'll even FIT in my jeans if I give them to her has got to be up there.
And never mind whether my jeans are still in style or not. Or will be next year, after I pass them along to her....
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
Lab made diamonds are going to be indistinguishable from natural ones to any casual observer (and probably many trained ones as well) and far less expensive.
Not "are going". Just "are".
As of 2017, lab-grown diamonds aren't used for science only anymore.
You can actually buy rings containing lab-grown diamonds.
And indeed, lab grown diamonds' chemical structure is literally the same as mined diamonds' - in both case it's the same exact dense crystal of carbon atoms - and thus they have virtually the same chemico-physical properties.
Only the small variations present in the diamonfs (like imperfections, extra doping elements, etc.) aren't exactly the same in both types.
And the latter is actually *better controlled* in lab diamonds - meaning you can have a better choice of colors provoked by controlled amounts of impurities.
And they are already an order of magnitude cheaper.
The only thing keeping diamond mining afloat is their use a gemstone and a clever bit of marketing by the diamond companies to convince stupid young men that they need to fork over thousands of dollars for something that can be made for a few dollars in a lab.
Plus tight control of the market by a monopoly, so that the mined variety can be made artificially scarce and valued at an abnormal price.
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
The above poster is correct. Women want the diamonds because it is part of a mating ritual. If you made the diamonds worthless, they'd want something else similarly expensive or hard to get.
Jared Diamond does a pretty good job of explaining this in "The Third Chimpanzee". Worth a read.
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