Due to the immense pressure and temperature on Uranus and Neptune, the methane that makes up these planets can, theoretically, turn into diamond rain. Under intense pressure, the bonds in a methane molecule break down, releasing the carbon atom within. These newly-freed carbon atoms stick to one another and get squeezed together into crystalline patterns, some of which are diamonds. These drop down through the layers of the mantle, where the hotter temperatures vaporise them and send them back to the upper layer to repeat the process anew. Read full article here
Research
Researcher uses AI to make texts that are thousands of years old readable
The Gilgamesh Epic, the oldest work of world literature, has been brought back to life by LMU researchers in the Electronic Babylonian Literature project. Using their new Fragmentarium tool, they have discovered hundreds of manuscripts, including the most recent tablet of the Gilgamesh Epic which dates from 130 BC – thousands of years after the earliest known version. This shows how highly valued the Epic was, even at a late period. With the public release of the Fragmentarium, anyone can now explore the thousands of cuneiform fragments and explore the ancient Babylonian literature. Read full article here
Merv
March 12, 2023
