Scientists have finally made an elusive meteorite diamond, predicted to be 50% harder than Earth diamonds

Scientists have created the first significant samples of lonsdaleite, a hexagonal diamond found in meteorites predicted to be 58% harder than Earth diamonds. Using a diamond anvil cell, researchers compressed graphite under extreme pressure (200,000 atmospheres) and heat (2,552°F) to produce tiny disks with a unique two-layer carbon structure. While still containing some impurities, the breakthrough could eventually lead to superior industrial applications in drilling, electronics, and quantum technologies within the next decade.