CAN YOU
GROW
DIAMONDS
IN THE LAB?
Most natural diamonds are billions of years old, but Chinese
researchers have shortened the process to a single week in the
laboratory. Their method uses a methane molecule to deposit
a carbon atom on a seed diamond. The growth rate is said to
be 0.007 millimeters per hour. Thus it takes only seven days
to produce a 1-carat gemstone with a purity comparable to a
natural diamond. The stones can be sold for jewelry but can
also be used in precision instruments such as lasers and radar
equipment. The price is only about one-sixth of that of a natural
diamond, which can cost up to $25,000 for a 1-carat stone.Brainteaser
Solution from the March 2020
issue: After the four ships left the
harbor at the same time and then
returned to port at varying intervals
(the fi rst every 4 weeks, the second
every 8, the third every 12, and the
fourth every 16), it took 48 weeks
for all four of the ships to return to
port simultaneously.The matchstick cat shown here is
walking toward the left side of the
page. Which two matches would
have to be moved so the cat looks
toward the right side of the page?
Guideline: The tail of the cat should
not be altered, so it will continue to
point diagonally upward.The solution will appear in the next issue, on stands May 8, 2020.