A recent study published in Nature Communications suggests that the planet Mercury could have a layer of diamonds located hundreds of miles beneath its surface.
Dr. Yanhao Lin, a co-author of the study from the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research in Beijing, shared with Phys.org, “Many years ago, I noticed that Mercury’s extremely high carbon content might have significant implications. It made me realize that something special probably happened within its interior.”
The study draws on data from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, which orbited Mercury for several years. The spacecraft identified a high concentration of carbon on Mercury’s surface. According to the study, this carbon is the remnant of graphite that once floated to the planet’s crust.
Researchers believe that Mercury’s magma ocean and core were once rich in carbon. As the planet cooled, this carbon eventually formed a graphite crust. Over time, the study suggests, the conditions might have been right for some of this carbon to transform into diamonds.
