Turn Peanut Butter into Diamonds
Welcome back!
From rags to riches, and peanut butter to diamonds — scientists have developed a technique that harnesses pressures higher than those found at the centre of the earth, turning peanut butter into diamonds.
Edinburgh University experts say the feat is achieved by squeezing the paste between the tips of two diamonds creating a ’stiletto heel effect’. Using the same method, they can also turn oxygen into red crystals. Photo Lisa.lightfoot
“Pressure can cause extraordinary changes in all kinds of materials and can create completely novel materials.” said Professor Malcolm McMahon, based at the Centre for Science and Extreme Conditions at Edinburgh University.
“We are currently developing techniques that will create pressures of up to five million atmospheres, much higher than the pressure at the centre of the earth, to find the holy grail of high-pressure physics, the metallic phase of hydrogen, reports BBC News UK.
“If we manage to make metallic hydrogen, the next step will be to make enough to study it in real detail, which would mean using much larger diamond anvils, about the size of your thumb, to squeeze it.”
He added, “Obviously large gem-quality diamonds would be extremely expensive, so we are looking at ways to make them artificially.
“Many carbon containing materials can be converted into diamonds including peanut butter.”
Free demonstrations take place at Royal Society exhibition in London from July 2nd through July 5th.
I don’t know what’s on your grocery list, but I’m going to be buying myself a truckload of peanut butter! Yo, Skippyyyy!
Tags:bizarre diamond diamonds gems gemstones odd peanut butter science unusual weird
I find it great but the fact is they have been creating weapons powered by crystals and I guess they are looking for alternative methods to create more powerful crystals I think thats how they discovered it ..
A little gift.
http://lyndawalldez.blogspot.com/2007/06/im-rockin-girl-blogger.html
Interesting Amanda, thanks for the info.
Wow, thanks Lynda! How sweet of you
Nice! I love this story, it was one of my first news limericks. Love the blog! Famed you on BTF!
_Elisabeth
That’s wild Elisabeth! We must have some very similar interests. I had thought of posting on that cheese carving myself! But I was distracted by so many stories that day, I forgot about it. I love what you did with it!
Wow, thanks Elisabeth! Much appreciated
This is an amazing discovery!Turning peanut butter into diamonds is really a wonderful news.
I love it!! its frustrating to think of how useful diamonds are, but because there shiny no one can afford them in industry. I wonder how far they’ve come since you wrote this?
Nice Article
Nothing has been in the media that I’m aware of since this came out Pinoy, so I think it might be safe to say that the program was not entirely a large success
Thats a shame, i was hoping i could use this article to get out of ever buying diamonds for my girlfriend!!
Wherever you heard that is wack!! Diamonds are made from compressed CARBON not PB!! And even if they were made from PEANUT BUTTER you would need about 100 million pounds of pressure or rock to compress it under, over century’s.. so good luck with that one.
a little disapointed really,, wasnt the kind of help i was looking for
This is a very interesting article I must say. However judging by its date of (almost two years ago) I am going to say that this new technology sadly failed. It would have been nice to quit my day job as a Chicago web designer and simply convert peanut butter into diamonds. There is still room for hopeful thanking!
letscounthedays’s last blog post..Japanese Web Design