DailyDirt: Contrary To Popular Belief, Diamonds Aren't Forever

Studies

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Tue, Aug 30th 2011 5:00pm — Michael Ho

There are plenty of good reasons why gold is a valuable element that has been used as money instead of other substances in nature. Diamonds might have been an interesting form of carbon to use in a monetary system, but diamonds don't actually last forever. Here are just a few quick links on diamonds.

Candle flames can create diamond particles very briefly, but the diamonds are burned away in the process. About 1.5 million diamond nanoparticles are created every second as a candle burns, actually. [url]
Diamond is thermodynamically unstable, but it was only recently discovered that it can actually lose mass slowly under UV light. Physicists found this out when they couldn't make a diamond-based UV laser that lasted for more than 10 minutes... [url]
Diamonds have a high index of refraction that makes them sparkle. But there are possibly other forms of carbon that could be more sparkly -- if only they could be synthesized. [url]
To discover more interesting science-related stuff, check out what's currently floating around the StumbleUpon universe. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

Filed Under: candle, diamond, nanoparticles, refraction, uv laser

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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 30 Aug 2011 @ 6:47pm

I Understand They�re No Good For Cutting Iron or Steel, Too
Not because the metal is harder than the diamond, but for another reason.
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dev, 30 Aug 2011 @ 6:49pm

congo
"they couldn't make a diamond-based UV laser that lasted for more than 10 minutes"

So the movie congo isn't factually accurate?
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abc gum, 30 Aug 2011 @ 7:11pm

Re: congo
Hollywood is well known for their lack of reality ... in their movies too.

Many websites discuss in great detail the egregious warping of physics to the point which boggles the mind. Who comes up with this crap?

I would pick Wanted as one of the worst. Curving bullets - omg.
What do you think is the worst?
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btr1701 (profile), 30 Aug 2011 @ 8:37pm

Diamond Planet
Can't believe this didn't make it into the article:

Astronomers Discover Planet Made of Diamond

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/us-planet-diamond-idUSTRE77O69A20110825
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2011 @ 6:02am

Re: I Understand They�re No Good For Cutting Iron or Steel, Too
Well, diamonds are very fragile? They ARE crystals, after all, so any blunt force will turn them to dust.

Just one hammer, and then so much diamond dust!
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MonkeyFracasJr (profile), 31 Aug 2011 @ 7:31am

Diamonds burn
They're nearly pure carbon after all.

http://www.chemicool.com/elements/carbon.html
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MAC, 31 Aug 2011 @ 10:39am

Diamonds are forever?
I guess that big diamod planet that they just discovered will be eaten away by the pulsar...
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MAC, 31 Aug 2011 @ 10:40am

Re: congo
If it was a UV laser...
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Michael Ho (profile), 31 Aug 2011 @ 12:15pm

Re: Diamond Planet
I almost put that story in...
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6, 31 Aug 2011 @ 3:10pm

" But there are possibly other forms of carbon that could be more sparkly -- if only they could be synthesized."

What's that you say? If only there was someone who would and could and did invent a method of synthesizing them? I don't suppose you'd be willing to reward someone who did such a thing with a document granting them exclusive use of that invention for oh, say, 20 years or so, would you?
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