Posted on 08/25/2017 6:57:33 PM PDT by Loyalist
Researchers say they were able to produce 'diamond rain' using fancy plastic and high-powered lasers to recreate the intense conditions of the planets
....
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalpost.com ...
I thought they renamed it Urectum.
No way I’m going digging in Uranus for diamonds.
The market for synthetic gem diamonds is very small.
That's the post of the night (in my opinion)
Well played!
If there is diamond rain on Uranus and Neptune, maybe there’s diamond hail too.
A bunch of diamonds would probably pay for the trip there and back.
Yes...I love that song. The Byrds did a beautiful job (but the backing tracks were The Wrecking Crew).
Judy Collins has a beautiful voice and is still singing.
I did not realize how lucky.
“Up in Xanadu diamonds fell like rain.
Citizen Kane was king. Poor citizen Kane.”
Uranus must be one tight sphincter to produce all those diamonds. Now if they can just borrow one of Saturn’s rings to put it on.
*thinking maybe I should X out of this reply - NAH its Friday night*
The greatest thing about marriage is how you grow with it, all the stuff you learn, the deep *feeling* experience of all the emotions that it engenders; and how you change internally through the intensely personal interaction that it causes you to experience.
I think it’s one of the most deep and enlightening experiences that most humans can have, possibly only rivaled by the experience of parenting and raising a child.
Homer: "Aarrrgh!!!" and runs away.
Alternate Marge: "Oh look, it's raining"
Lucy in the sky with diamonds. Who knew?
It’s up! Uranus!
So, global warming is a long term good for DeBeers.
(Snicker, snicker)
“It rains solid diamonds on Uranus and Neptune”
Something, something, , coal chute.
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