Now here is some good news for the ladies…! Diamonds will no longer remain a jewel for the super rich if this research turns out to be as fruitful as it seems.

Some scientists at the Edinburg University have turned peanut butter into diamonds by a technique that harnesses pressures higher than those found at the core of the Earth.

As we all know that diamonds are nothing but a solid crystalline form of carbon that is created due to the immense pressure found near the center of the Earth. Since diamond is found in fewer quantities and the excavation cost is very high, the jewel is pretty expensive. However, if researchers are really able to develop diamonds from peanut butter then they will surely be made as common as peanuts.

Experts at the Edinburg University say that the feat is made possible by squeezing the paste between the tips of two diamonds creating a “stiletto heel effect”. With the same technique the scientists can also turn oxygen into red crystals.

Pressure can cause extraordinary changes in all kinds of materials and can also convert simple materials into extraordinary novel materials. Scientists are currently working on the technology and are developing some means by which they can create pressures up to five million atmospheres. Once they achieve this they will be able to convert hydrogen into crystals.

This technique will give birth to some more “Kohinoors” and that too without a bulky price tag. Researchers have also stated that not only peanut butter but many carbon containing materials can be converted to diamonds if they are kept under high pressure conditions.

This research has some more applications than just converting peanut butter into diamonds. Researchers say that the same technique can be used to test pharmaceuticals under high-pressure conditions. This testing can unveil a whole new generation of medication that will be better suited to hotter climates.

All the results will be detailed and exhibited at the Royal Society Exhibition which shows from 2 July to 5 July 2007.

Via: BBC