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[Piecake]

Consider this your daily reminder that the solar system is even more awesomely bonkers than you realized: 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' solid 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. In a study published this week in the journal Nature Astrophysics, researchers say they were able to produce this "diamond rain" using fancy plastic and high-powered lasers.

The results will be useful not just for understanding the outer gas giants but for improving the process of making diamonds. Most lab-grown stones are produced via a blasting process, but Kraus and Gericke suggest that using lasers may make production cleaner and easier to control. Those stones can then be used for semiconductors, drill bits and solar panels, not to mention instruments that mimic the conditions inside the very gas planets that inspired this research.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...on-uranus-and-neptune/?utm_term=.23e874d32d9f

 

[Omadahl]

You know what's neat? I just told my five year old about this and she wants to know how big the diamonds are. Curiosity is a beautiful thing.

 

[theWB27]

Pretty awesome. Bet there's a metal or some substance that absorbs light and dispels energy at a rate that could completely change the way we live.

 

[yunbuns]

 

[cirrhosis]

Finally, a reason to fund space programs!

 

[Disxo]

Thats really neat, Imagine the pressures involved, damn, but...Diamonds are pretty common, news at 11.

 

[rekameohs]

 

[hitme]

 

[Night Angel]

Finally, a reason to fund space programs!

De Beers buying SpaceX.

 

[Lightning_Roller]

Could you imagine going there and sucking up a few hundred of those? You'll make some mad money with that.

 

[frontovik]

That will get the corporations scrambling for space.

 

[Stinkles]

Mmmm. DeBeers.

That will get the corporations scrambling for space.

Except that diamonds are a relatively common and worthless stone whose value is completely arbitrary and supported by basically a single corporation. Not to be that guy, but DeBeers is evil and Diamonds are not precious. They are useful in some industrial applications and otherwise an irrational thing that causes tremendous harm.

 

[Jonnax]

De Beers gonna buy up the planets.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Uranus is a girl's best friend.

 

[Lovely Salsa]

Time to buy a spaceship and fly to Neptune to get some diamonds

Im gonna be rich

 

[Kthulhu]

Finally, a reason to fund space programs!

Diamonds are actually worthless. The reason they cost so much is due to the De Beers diamond cartel artificially restricting supply.

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

 

[Forward]

Scarcity.

 

[Epcott]

That is amazing, I love science.

I also love the thought of diamonds all over "your anus" jokes that'll no doubt pop up... (womp womp).

I wonder if that would mean more advanced efforts to go, explore, and eventually mine them for the resource (sooner than later)? Oh wait, cartels and cost/time of travel. /sadface

 

[Morat]

This was part of the plot to several Asimovand Clarke novels,.

 

[rekameohs]

Mmmm. DeBeers.

De Beers becoming a galactic corporate empire like Weyland-Yutani is probably the most obvious prediction of the future.

 

[Woorloog]

I thought this was known? Or was this merely speculated before?

Could you imagine going there and sucking up a few hundred of those? You'll make some mad money with that.

Nah, not cost-effective. Even if it were profitable, the profit margin would likely be so small it would not be really worth it.
Artificial diamonds are cheaper, or would be, if not for the cartels that keep diamond prices high.

 

[Blizzard]

I'm very disappointed to read "rains diamonds" in the title and then discover they form in the ocean and then sink lower in the ocean "like rain".

I mean, I guess technically rain can sink in the ocean, but that's super boring!

 

[caramac]

 

[smokeandmirrors]

You know what's neat? I just told my five year old about this and she wants to know how big the diamonds are. Curiosity is a beautiful thing.

Hell yea. Keep up the good work with sparking that curiosity.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

I'm very disappointed to read "rains diamonds" in the title and then discover they form in the ocean and then sink lower in the ocean "like rain".

I mean, I guess technically rain can sink in the ocean, but that's super boring!

 

[Sunster]

kids get their arms cut off so people can have diamonds here.

 

[HStallion]

Yeah the only problem with mining those Neptunian diamonds is the giant diamond kraken's that live in the oceans the size of a small city.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Literally my first fucking thought when I saw the thread title

 

[Guy.brush]

Oh honey this ring...it is beautiful, otherworldly!

Yes my dear, it is made with diamonds from uranus.

 

[WaterAstro]

It's funny making this statement when there are so many diamonds on Earth, but we don't know about it because diamond companies manipulate media to make us think it's precious when there are a lot of them out there.

Forgot our solar system. Do people know there is a star that is determined to actually be one giant diamond?

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Uranus is a girl's best friend.

You could literally pull a diamond out of Uranus.

 

[Koomaster]

Seems not like a good business venture to go and get them though. In order to pay for spacecraft/fuel/time/etc you'd have to bring back a shitload of diamonds - and then you what, flood the market with them making them worthless.

 

[Lightning_Roller]

Oh honey this ring...it is beautiful, otherworldly!

Yes my dear, it is made with diamonds from uranus.

*snickers* Pun.....

 

[Slayven]

But are they jewelry grade?

 

[uncredited male]

Those aren't diamonds baby.

 

[BlizzKrut]

That's fucking awesome, man I love space.

 

[TheJoRu]

Dammit, came here to post this. Glad this picture is here, anyway.

 

[Blizzard]

I guess you've got me there.

 

[disappeared]

♫ ~"Diamonds from Uraaanusss.."~ ♫

 

[Fantastapotamus]

Getting there would just devalue diamonds to the point of being worthless.
Economy ruins everything

 

[Woorloog]

Getting there would just devalue diamonds to the point of being worthless.
Economy ruins everything

The only thing keeping diamond price high are cartels and artificial scarcity. They're not that valuable really.

And them being really worthless (more worthless than they'd be even without artificial scarcity) would be a boon, for that would allow diamond use for all sorts of things they're good for but can't be used as it is.

 

[Shalashaska]

I went to a Planetarium a couple weeks ago and they mentioned that this was a possibility, pretty cool to read this.

 

[SRG01]

Remember, once upon a time, aluminum was absurdly expensive too.

 

[nicolasacmf]

Next thing we know, we'll be hearing about how it rains Bitcoin on Uranus and Neptune.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

The only thing keeping diamond price high are cartels and artificial scarcity. They're not that valuable really.

And them being really worthless (more worthless than they'd be even without artificial scarcity) would be a boon, for that would allow diamond use for all sorts of things they're good for but can't be used as it is.

Good point
DeBeers wouldn't be pleases tho

(Fuck DeBeers)

 

[Woorloog]

Remember, once upon a time, aluminum was absurdly expensive too.

Aluminium is still relatively expensive due to power required for its refining. IIRC, aluminium ore gets shipped to places where electricity is cheap, even quite long distances.

 

[disappeared]

Next thing we know, we'll be hearing about how it rains Bitcoin on Uranus and Neptune.

"...and thus, mine fair lady, did I *pluck!* oh such a fine coin from deep within the depths of Uranus. Yea, verily."

 

[Windam]

Uranus is a girl's best friend.

Underappreciated post.

 

[Ernest]

Diamonds aren't really that rare/valuable here on Earth - it's just that all the diamond mines are owned by a couple people who got together, forming a monopoly, making diamonds seem valuable to better line their pockets.