"Squeezing Diamonds to Create Super-Hard 'Super-Diamonds': A Breakthrough in Material Science"

Physicists have used quantum-accurate molecular-dynamics simulations to discover a way to transform diamonds into an even harder material, known as the eight-atom body-centred cubic (BC8) phase, which is 30% more resistant to compression than diamonds. This unusual structure has only been observed in silicon and germanium on Earth, but it is believed to exist in highly-pressurized environments inside exoplanets. However, attempts to synthesize the BC8 phase have been unsuccessful due to the narrow high-pressure, high-temperature conditions required for its formation.