What to know

• Scientists experimentally reproduced the diamond rain phenomenon by melting diamonds under extreme pressure and temperature in the laboratory.
• The experiment validates decades-old theories about exotic weather occurring deep inside ice giants Neptune and Uranus.
• This is the first time researchers have successfully mimicked the physical process believed to create diamond precipitation in these planetary interiors.

“Specifically, scientists have long believed that, at certain pressures and temperatures, it literally rains diamonds inside these planets. For the first time, scientists have mimicked the process they believe creates this phenomenon.”

Phys.org · Phys.org

Scientists (unnamed research team) Researchers