Did you know that there may be planets so precious that they are almost entirely composed of diamonds?
One of the most fascinating examples is 55 Cancri e, a planet about 40 light years away from us of the “Super Earth” type.
It is a planet composed of about one third carbon, probably originating in a similar way to Earth, with a mixture of rock and metal.
However, due to its proximity to its star, it experiences very high surface temperatures of around 2100° and very high pressures, such that the carbon of which it is composed would be mostly crystallised and compressed into diamond form.
It is even estimated that the planet could contain up to three times the amount of diamonds ever mined on Earth. Unfortunately, however, the extreme temperatures and pressures on the planet's surface would make it an incredibly hostile environment for any form of life, even of an exploratory nature.
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