Find diamonds in meteorites that fall to Earth

A meteorite can exist from the time of formation of the solar system that falls to Earth and explodes, creating countless large pieces of diamond.

Meteors fall to Earth containing diamonds

Meteors fell into the Earth's atmosphere and exploded in the Nubian desert, Sudan in 2008. This is the first meteorite to be discovered and monitored before falling to Earth. It was named Almahata Sitta.

Diamond beads in space.(Photo: NASA)

According to the BBC, people discovered diamonds in debris recovered. This is the largest diamond-containing meteor ever and does not form in the usual way.

Previously, diamonds in space were thought to form when asteroids collided with each other. The force of collisions forces carbon atoms together to produce diamonds. However, in this way it is not possible to create large diamonds like in Almahata Sitta.

Now scientists are studying two theories about this diamond formation. The first hypothesis is that carbon atoms gradually settle themselves in a dilute atmosphere in space, creating diamonds.

The second, more reliable hypothesis, is that these diamonds were created in the heart of a ' planetestimal ', an intermediate object between an asteroid and a real planet.

This planetestimal must exist at the same time as the formation of the solar system, for some reason it is destroyed and Almahata Sitta is a remnant.

A piece of Almahata Sitta meteorite (black).(Photo: NASA)