DESPITE SHIRLEY BASSEY’S refrain, belted out at the start of a James Bond film from 1971, diamonds may not be for ever. At least when it comes to natural ones. On May 4th Pandora became the first big ...

Atomic-scale order can be a problem for materials scientists, as illustrated by the mineral quartz. Quartz is a bad choice of material for a car windscreen, because it is difficult to shape and easily ...

Want to know how diamonds form? Discover the natural process behind these precious gems—from intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth’s mantle to the journey they take to the surface. Plus, ...