FollowA new study has suggested that alike trees diamonds also grow and possess ‘growth rings’ similar to those on tree trunks.
To add to more surprise, scientists have found that diamonds take millions of years to grow. They are often half as old as the Earth, scientists say.
According to the researchers who carried the study, diamonds develop deep underground at relatively high pressures and temperatures of over 1000 degrees Celsius. They consist of highly compressed carbon atoms.
The scientists say due to changes in temperature and composition, the chemical composition in the growth zones changes. This leads to the development of ‘rings’ in the diamond.
Researcher Daphne Wiggers de Vries investigated diamonds from Yakutia in Russia and show that in this region they formed in two important periods in the past: 1 billion years ago and 2 billion years ago.
Major changes took place in the Earth’s crust during both the periods. Tectonic plates in the region pushed together causing fluids rich in carbon to move enabling the diamonds to grow.
