Skip to main content

Scientists re-create the ‘diamond rain’ effect from Neptune and Uranus

The kind of glittering “diamond rain” hypothesized as taking place on Neptune and Uranus has been replicated in a lab here on Earth. On the two icy giant planets, the phenomenon is thought to be the result of hydrogen and carbon mixing under high-pressure conditions. On Earth, scientists re-created the effect by creating shock waves in plastic using an intense optical laser.

The laser rapidly heated up the surface of the plastic, which caused it to expand and generate a shock wave. The team prompted the creation of two shock waves, with the second being the faster of the two. When the shockwaves overlapped, it resulted in pressure and temperature of 150 GPa and 5,000 K being produced. These are similar to the conditions found around 10,000 km into the interior of Neptune and Uranus.

Recommended Videos

The results turned almost every carbon atom in the plastic material into a tiny diamond, just a few nanometers wide. While that is considerably smaller than the diamonds theorized to fall on the icy planets in question, this represents the first time the effect has been demonstrated. Using short pulses of X-rays, the team were actually able to watch the diamonds being formed.

“Our experiments were able to directly measure hydrocarbon separation and diamond formation at planetary interior conditions for the first time,” Dominik Kraus, a scientist at Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, told Digital Trends. “Besides the pretty cool [images] of diamond precipitation inside ice giants, this is important for various reasons.”

These reasons including a better understanding of planetary interiors, which is crucial to our understanding of the solar system, as well as — with more immediate practicality — a new way of potentially making diamonds.

“Making diamonds, in the case of our experiment ‘nanodiamonds,’ from simple hydrocarbons like plastics may have interesting applications since nanodiamonds have a steadily growing range of use in medicine, electronics, and material science,” Kraus continued. “This may be another example of how physics that was motivated by trying to understand objects in the sky can lead to useful applications on our planet. Currently, most nanodiamonds for scientific and industrial applications are produced with explosives. High-energy lasers may be able to provide a more elegant and controllable method.”

A research paper describing the project was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more