A quadrillion tons of diamonds are beneath Earth's surface

A quadrillion tons of diamonds are beneath Earth’s surface Today’s Video of the Day from the American Chemical Society describes how seismic waves were used to locate trillions of tons of diamonds deep below Earth’s surface.

Scientists at MIT estimate that a quadrillion tons of diamonds are located about 100 miles deep in the Earth. This figure, which is one thousand times more than one trillion, is mind boggling.

Seismic waves move through various materials at different speeds, depending on how rigid the material is. 

Using sound waves to make measurements, the MIT team discovered that seismic waves were moving much faster at about 90 to 150 miles below the Earth’s surface.

The experts matched the speed of the sound waves to the density of diamonds. Compared to other rocks, sound travels through diamonds twice as fast. Scientists discover tons of diamond’ beneath Earth’s surface By analysing seismic activity – the way that sound waves travel through the planet – scientists may have found the mother lode.

Video Credit: ACS 

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer