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Another World is Probable · Monday · 4 min

Turning Rock into Rubies

I’m a little bit pedantic and feel irritated whenever someone says something like, “Remember, pressure is what turns coal into diamonds.” Friends, it does not. Diamonds are pure carbon, whereas coal is carbon mixed with other elements like sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen. Also, their location is different. Diamonds are between 90 and 190 miles underground. Coal is much closer to the surface. In other words, no amount of pressure is going to turn coal into a diamond.I appreciate the sentiment. When we’re suffering, or life is stressful, it’s nice to believe it will mold us into something. That all the trouble won’t be for naught. I have good news for you – there are some examples where this does work scientifically.

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I’m a little bit pedantic and feel irritated whenever someone says something like, “Remember, pressure is what turns coal into diamonds.” Friends, it does not. Diamonds are pure carbon, whereas coal is carbon mixed with other elements like sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen. Also, their location is different. Diamonds are between 90 and 190 miles underground. Coal is much closer to the surface. In other words, no amount of pressure is going to turn coal into a diamond.I appreciate the sentiment. When we’re suffering, or life is stressful, it’s nice to believe it will mold us into something. That all the trouble won’t be for naught. I have good news for you – there are some examples where this does work scientifically.

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