FUN FACT!!!
DIAMOND RAIN IN NEPTUNE AND URANUS?
IS IT A FACT OR A BLUFF?
Deep within Neptune and Uranus, it rains diamonds—or so astronomers and physicists have suspected for nearly 40 years. The outer planets of our Solar System are hard to study, however. Only a single space mission, Voyager 2, has flown by to reveal some of their secrets, so diamond rain has remained only a hypothesis.
However, a researcher from Standford University modeled the conditions on Neptune inside their lab. They started by applying extreme heat and pressure to polystyrene. Then, they sent shockwaves through the material using a laser.
Using x-rays, they watched what happened. The elements that make up polystyrene split from each other. This resulted in carbon and hydrogen atoms. Under pressure, the carbon turned into diamonds before their eyes. Based on these findings, the researchers believe it’s likely that diamonds do indeed rain down on the planet Neptune.
DIAMOND RAIN IN NEPTUNE AND URANUS?
IS IT A FACT OR A BLUFF?
Deep within Neptune and Uranus, it rains diamonds—or so astronomers and physicists have suspected for nearly 40 years. The outer planets of our Solar System are hard to study, however. Only a single space mission, Voyager 2, has flown by to reveal some of their secrets, so diamond rain has remained only a hypothesis.
However, a researcher from Standford University modeled the conditions on Neptune inside their lab. They started by applying extreme heat and pressure to polystyrene. Then, they sent shockwaves through the material using a laser.
Using x-rays, they watched what happened. The elements that make up polystyrene split from each other. This resulted in carbon and hydrogen atoms. Under pressure, the carbon turned into diamonds before their eyes. Based on these findings, the researchers believe it’s likely that diamonds do indeed rain down on the planet Neptune.
| 116,000 mlx | |
| 17 | |
| 5 |