Secret revealed as NASA discovers planet in our solar system is stuffed with diamonds

NASA has recently made a stunning discovery about Mercury, the smallest planet in our solar system, revealing that it may contain a vast layer of diamonds beneath its surface.

Using data from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, scientists have identified a potential 10-mile-thick diamond mantle beneath Mercury’s crust. This discovery is particularly exciting as it suggests that the planet may harbor significant riches beneath its surface.

“Mercury formed much closer to the sun, likely from a carbon-rich cloud of dust. As a consequence, Mercury contains less oxygen and more carbon than other planets, which led to the formation of a diamond layer,” Olivier Namur, an associate professor at KU Leuven, told Space.com.

“However, Earth’s core also contains carbon, and diamond formation in the Earth’s core has already been suggested by various researchers.”

The research team plans to further investigate the thermal effects of this diamond layer at the mantle-core boundary. They anticipate that new data from the BepiColombo mission, expected to arrive at Mercury in 2026, will enhance their understanding of the planet’s internal structure and evolution.

Other diamonds in our solar system

While this discovery is remarkable, it’s worth noting that Mercury is not the first celestial body to be associated with diamonds. In 2004, astronomers discovered a planet orbiting the star 55 Cancri, which is believed to be composed largely of diamond.

This exoplanet, is a “super-Earth” with twice the radius and eight times the mass of our planet. Its estimated value, based on its diamond composition, is theorised to be around $26.9 nonillion.