Why not visit 55 Cancri e? It's a mere 40 light years away from Earth, completely orbits its sun in a blisteringly quick 18 hours and its surface temperature can reach a pleasant 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit. Oh, did I mention that scientists believe that at least a third of the planet is made of diamonds?
Discovered back in 2011 when it crossed in front of its star, 55 Cancri e is packing some serious booty. It's roughly twice the size of Earth, but estimates put its mass at roughly eight times that of our planet. The mass estimate, when checked against the planet's radius and orbital difference, have allowed a team of astronomers to determine its chemical make up with the aid of computer modeling tools. Their best guess? It's mostly made of bling. Previously, scientists believed the planet contained substantial amounts of super-heated water.
"The surface of this planet is likely covered in graphite and diamond rather than water and granite," explained Yale researcher, Nikku Madhusudhan. "Science fiction has dreamed of diamond planets for many years, so it's amazing that we finally have evidence of its existence in the real universe. It's the first time we know of such an exotic planet that we think was born mostly of carbon-which really makes this a fundamental game-changer in our understanding of what's possible in planetary chemistry."
This isn't the first "diamond planet" astronomers have come across, but it's the first time one has been observed in a solar system similar to our own. The system's sun, 55 Cancri A, is actually visible to the naked eye and can be seen in the constellation of Cancer. According to Madhusudhan, the discovery of the planet's jeweled interior challenges commonly held assumptions about the composition of Earth-like planets.
Now if only we could get there. Then jewelry prices would come way down.
They wouldn't. Diamonds are actually already extremely common on Earth. The perception that they're rare and therefore should be valuable is partially because that was true in the 19th century when mining and (Can't think of the word for it...searching for mineral deposits) weren't good enough to mine a significant amount of diamond. But they are now. Once diamonds started to become really common, the largest of the diamond companies banded together and created De Beers Jewelers, forming a monopoly over the diamond market and allowing them to control the prices. Then they went and advertised diamonds as being rare and very valuable, when in reality, they're almost worthless.
Funfact: Despite being based in the US, Rhodes, Beit, and Rothschild (The founders of De Beers) refused to set food on US soil for fear of being arrested as soon as their plane touched down because of how blatantly illegal what they were doing was. They also had a few more controversies surrounding them, like refusing to help the WW2 war effort (Which isn't supposed to be optional)
So, if we ever managed to efficiently mine it somehow that bring the value of the diamond down tremendously right? I guess traditional engagement rings would be pretty cheap then!
They wouldn't. Diamonds are actually already extremely common on Earth. The perception that they're rare and therefore should be valuable is partially because that was true in the 19th century when mining and (Can't think of the word for it...searching for mineral deposits) weren't good enough to mine a significant amount of diamond. But they are now. Once diamonds started to become really common, the largest of the diamond companies banded together and created De Beers Jewelers, forming a monopoly over the diamond market and allowing them to control the prices. Then they went and advertised diamonds as being rare and very valuable, when in reality, they're almost worthless.
Funfact: Despite being based in the US, Rhodes, Beit, and Rothschild (The founders of De Beers) refused to set food on US soil for fear of being arrested as soon as their plane touched down because of how blatantly illegal what they were doing was. They also had a few more controversies surrounding them, like refusing to help the WW2 war effort (Which isn't supposed to be optional)
Did you just happen to know all that??? 'Cause wow.
Fappy: So, if we ever managed to efficiently mine it somehow that bring the value of the diamond down tremendously right? I guess traditional engagement rings would be pretty cheap then!
Fappy: So, if we ever managed to efficiently mine it somehow that bring the value of the diamond down tremendously right? I guess traditional engagement rings would be pretty cheap then!
They wouldn't. Diamonds are actually already extremely common on Earth. The perception that they're rare and therefore should be valuable is partially because that was true in the 19th century when mining and (Can't think of the word for it...searching for mineral deposits) weren't good enough to mine a significant amount of diamond. But they are now. Once diamonds started to become really common, the largest of the diamond companies banded together and created De Beers Jewelers, forming a monopoly over the diamond market and allowing them to control the prices. Then they went and advertised diamonds as being rare and very valuable, when in reality, they're almost worthless.
Funfact: Despite being based in the US, Rhodes, Beit, and Rothschild (The founders of De Beers) refused to set food on US soil for fear of being arrested as soon as their plane touched down because of how blatantly illegal what they were doing was. They also had a few more controversies surrounding them, like refusing to help the WW2 war effort (Which isn't supposed to be optional)
Did you just happen to know all that??? 'Cause wow.
I was thinking that was common knowledge. I wonder if there is a planet out there made of gold. gold looks better than diamonds anyway.
well seeing how abundant diamonds are on Earth and the industry just marks them up...the hypothetical scenario of mass mining the planet would just incredibly cut down the prices maybe? lol idk
Spoiler: Click to 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
Did you just happen to know all that??? 'Cause wow.
lol a friend of mine worked in a jewelry shop, sold a lotta the stuff, told me something similar about the industry...pretty crazy stuff
Fappy: So, if we ever managed to efficiently mine it somehow that bring the value of the diamond down tremendously right? I guess traditional engagement rings would be pretty cheap then!
Spoiler: Click to ViewPGJsb2NrcXVvdGU+PHA+PGEgaHJlZj0nL2ZvcnVtcy9qdW1wLzcuMzkwOTIzLjE1NzIxMDE3Jz48c3Ryb25nPktvcGlrYXRzdTo8L3N0cm9uZz48YnIgLz48L2E+PC9wPgo8cD5UaGV5IHdvdWxkbid0LiBEaWFtb25kcyBhcmUgYWN0dWFsbHkgYWxyZWFkeSBleHRyZW1lbHkgY29tbW9uIG9uIEVhcnRoLiBUaGUgcGVyY2VwdGlvbiB0aGF0IHRoZXkncmUgcmFyZSBhbmQgdGhlcmVmb3JlIHNob3VsZCBiZSB2YWx1YWJsZSBpcyBwYXJ0aWFsbHkgYmVjYXVzZSB0aGF0IHdhcyB0cnVlIGluIHRoZSAxOXRoIGNlbnR1cnkgd2hlbiBtaW5pbmcgYW5kIChDYW4ndCB0aGluayBvZiB0aGUgd29yZCBmb3IgaXQuLi5zZWFyY2hpbmcgZm9yIG1pbmVyYWwgZGVwb3NpdHMpIHdlcmVuJ3QgZ29vZCBlbm91Z2ggdG8gbWluZSBhIHNpZ25pZmljYW50IGFtb3VudCBvZiBkaWFtb25kLiBCdXQgdGhleSBhcmUgbm93LiBPbmNlIGRpYW1vbmRzIHN0YXJ0ZWQgdG8gYmVjb21lIHJlYWxseSBjb21tb24sIHRoZSBsYXJnZXN0IG9mIHRoZSBkaWFtb25kIGNvbXBhbmllcyBiYW5kZWQgdG9nZXRoZXIgYW5kIGNyZWF0ZWQgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5kZWJlZXJzLmNvLnVrLz9yZWdpb249dHJ1ZSIgdGl0bGU9IiIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiPkRlIEJlZXJzIEpld2VsZXJzPC9hPiwgZm9ybWluZyBhIG1vbm9wb2x5IG92ZXIgdGhlIGRpYW1vbmQgbWFya2V0IGFuZCBhbGxvd2luZyB0aGVtIHRvIGNvbnRyb2wgdGhlIHByaWNlcy4gVGhlbiB0aGV5IHdlbnQgYW5kIGFkdmVydGlzZWQgZGlhbW9uZHMgYXMgYmVpbmcgcmFyZSBhbmQgdmVyeSB2YWx1YWJsZSwgd2hlbiBpbiByZWFsaXR5LCB0aGV5J3JlIGFsbW9zdCB3b3J0aGxlc3MuPC9wPgo8cD5GdW5mYWN0OiBEZXNwaXRlIGJlaW5nIGJhc2VkIGluIHRoZSBVUywgUmhvZGVzLCBCZWl0LCBhbmQgUm90aHNjaGlsZCAoVGhlIGZvdW5kZXJzIG9mIERlIEJlZXJzKSByZWZ1c2VkIHRvIHNldCBmb29kIG9uIFVTIHNvaWwgZm9yIGZlYXIgb2YgYmVpbmcgYXJyZXN0ZWQgYXMgc29vbiBhcyB0aGVpciBwbGFuZSB0b3VjaGVkIGRvd24gYmVjYXVzZSBvZiBob3cgYmxhdGFudGx5IGlsbGVnYWwgd2hhdCB0aGV5IHdlcmUgZG9pbmcgd2FzLiBUaGV5IGFsc28gaGFkIGEgZmV3IG1vcmUgY29udHJvdmVyc2llcyBzdXJyb3VuZGluZyB0aGVtLCBsaWtlIHJlZnVzaW5nIHRvIGhlbHAgdGhlIFdXMiB3YXIgZWZmb3J0IChXaGljaCBpc24ndCBzdXBwb3NlZCB0byBiZSBvcHRpb25hbCk8L3A+PC9ibG9ja3F1b3RlPg==
Did you just happen to know all that??? 'Cause wow.
lol a friend of mine worked in a jewelry shop, sold a lotta the stuff, told me something similar about the industry...pretty crazy stuff
It's news to me. The most I've ever heard about diamond anything was in a documentary about blood diamonds and illegal mining in Africa.
Fappy: So, if we ever managed to efficiently mine it somehow that bring the value of the diamond down tremendously right? I guess traditional engagement rings would be pretty cheap then!
How in the world do you people think this would LOWER the price of diamonds? Did you miss the whole "40 light years away from Earth" part? The cost of having to go there, set up a means to mine the diamonds, then send them back to earth would be so astronomically (hehe) large that the diamonds would have to cost hundreds of times what they do now.
Also as previously mentioned, the diamond trade is monopolized and corrupt.
DIAMONDS! DIAMONDS EVERYWHERE! WE GOT DIAMONDS PEOPLE! :D
WE NEED TO FUND SPACE SHIPS TO MINE THE SHIT OUT OF THAT PLANET! GOING TRILLIONS OF MILES FOR A PLANET OF DIAMONDS, AND DUMPING THEM ALL INTO THE EARTHS MARKETS CAN ONLY BE PROFITABLE!
Fappy: So, if we ever managed to efficiently mine it somehow that bring the value of the diamond down tremendously right? I guess traditional engagement rings would be pretty cheap then!
^ This XD And dammit your avatar is really cute to me for some reason >.<
A few people have talked about the value of diamonds in relation to this, but the value of diamonds is kept at an artificial high by conglomerates controlling the supply. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeBeers
Astronomers Discover Planet Made Out of Diamond
"55 Cancri e" is a girl's best friend.
Why not visit 55 Cancri e? It's a mere 40 light years away from Earth, completely orbits its sun in a blisteringly quick 18 hours and its surface temperature can reach a pleasant 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit. Oh, did I mention that scientists believe that at least a third of the planet is made of diamonds?
Discovered back in 2011 when it crossed in front of its star, 55 Cancri e is packing some serious booty. It's roughly twice the size of Earth, but estimates put its mass at roughly eight times that of our planet. The mass estimate, when checked against the planet's radius and orbital difference, have allowed a team of astronomers to determine its chemical make up with the aid of computer modeling tools. Their best guess? It's mostly made of bling. Previously, scientists believed the planet contained substantial amounts of super-heated water.
"The surface of this planet is likely covered in graphite and diamond rather than water and granite," explained Yale researcher, Nikku Madhusudhan. "Science fiction has dreamed of diamond planets for many years, so it's amazing that we finally have evidence of its existence in the real universe. It's the first time we know of such an exotic planet that we think was born mostly of carbon-which really makes this a fundamental game-changer in our understanding of what's possible in planetary chemistry."
This isn't the first "diamond planet" astronomers have come across, but it's the first time one has been observed in a solar system similar to our own. The system's sun, 55 Cancri A, is actually visible to the naked eye and can be seen in the constellation of Cancer. According to Madhusudhan, the discovery of the planet's jeweled interior challenges commonly held assumptions about the composition of Earth-like planets.
Source: Yale News
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