Scientists Crush Diamond to Solve a 20-Year Mystery

Topic: Physics

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory used powerful lasers to compress diamond to extreme pressures. They found that diamond melts in a way that's different from most materials, and their results match computer simulations.

Diamond is known for its hardness and beauty, but it also has important uses in science. Scientists think diamonds might form deep inside ice giant planets like Neptune and Uranus. To understand how diamond behaves under extreme conditions, researchers have been trying to measure its melting point at high pressures. However, their results have been inconsistent with computer simulations.

A new study published in Nature Physics may finally resolve this problem. Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) used powerful lasers to compress tiny diamond samples to temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun and pressures higher than the center of Neptune and Uranus. They were able to measure the atomic structure, temperature, density, and optical reflectivity of the compressed diamond.

The results settle two long-standing discrepancies in diamond research. The researchers found that diamond becomes denser when it melts, which is unusual among most materials. This means that diamond would float in liquid carbon at high pressures. They also confirmed a proposed intermediate phase in diamond's melting process.

Why It Matters

This discovery could help scientists improve models of planetary interiors and potentially lead to breakthroughs in inertial confinement fusion, which could provide a new source of clean energy.

Key Facts

• Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory used powerful lasers to compress diamond to extreme pressures (three times greater than Earth's core).
• The study was published in Nature Physics on August 13, 2026.
• The researchers found that diamond melts in a way that's different from most materials and confirmed a proposed intermediate phase in diamond's melting process.
• The results match computer simulations based on quantum mechanics.
• The discovery could help scientists improve models of planetary interiors and potentially lead to breakthroughs in inertial confinement fusion.

Key Terms

Inertial Confinement Fusion

A method for achieving nuclear fusion using powerful lasers to compress tiny fuel capsules.

Quantum Mechanics

A branch of physics that studies the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level.

Implications

This discovery could help scientists improve models of planetary interiors and potentially lead to breakthroughs in inertial confinement fusion, which could provide a new source of clean energy.