Nanodiamonds

Physicists have levitated nanoscale diamonds, hit them with lasers to make them flash and spun them at an incredible 1.2 billion rpm. The experiments aren’t just about creating the “world’s smallest disco” but could help the study of quantum physics.

While there are already clothing materials that help keep wearers cool simply by allowing heat to escape, an experimental new fabric coating goes a step further. Utilizing a whole bunch of nanodiamonds, it actually draws heat away from the body.

Scientists have turned plastic into diamonds. Using high-powered lasers, the team zapped samples of common PET plastic, which produces intense heat and pressure to form tiny diamonds that may naturally rain down on planets like Uranus and Neptune.

A new method converts carbon from a variety of sources straight into useful forms such as graphene or diamond. The technique uses a “flash” of electricity to heat the carbon, converting it into a final form determined by the length of the flash.

"Broken nanodiamonds are forever," or so says a team of scientists at Argonne National Laboratory. By combining broken nanodiamonds with molybdenum disulfide layers, they've produced a self-generating, very-low-friction dry lubricant with hundreds of applications that lasts practically forever.

Researchers have found that adding nanodiamonds to laundry detergent doubles its effectiveness in cold water.

Nanotechnology promises to revolutionize practically every area of human endeavor. Already products containing nanoparticles are lining supermarket shelves, but the big question is, are they safe?