Planet collisions create six-sided diamonds!
Recommended for Preparatory Grades
Scientists think that strange hexagonal diamonds were made nearly 4.5 billion years ago. This happened when an old dwarf planet in our solar system crashed into a big asteroid.
The collision happened soon after the dwarf planet was made. The research team analysed meteorites from the dwarf planet. Thus they proved the existence of this unique diamond.
The name for this diamond with six sides is “lonsdaleite.” By studying meteorites, the team was able to piece together evidence of how lonsdaleite was made.
Key facts!
- Experts say that the shape of the atoms in lonsdaleite is hexagonal.
- Thus it could make it harder than regular diamonds, which have a cubic shape.
- The results of this study prove beyond a doubt that lonsdaleite could be found in nature.
- Scientists also found the biggest lonsdaleite crystals that have ever been found.
- These crystals are up to a micron in size, which is a lot thinner than a human hair.
- The unusual structure of lonsdaleite could help change the way that ultra-hard minerals in mining are made.
- So, nature has given us a way to do something that we can try to copy in an industrial setting.
- Experts believe that we could come up with an industrial method that makes it easier for lonsdaleite to replace pre-shaped graphite parts.
- They think that lonsdaleite could be used to make small, very durable machine parts.
Australian National University shares interesting information on hexagonal diamonds.
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