atmospheric diamonds

[Saladman]

Possibly, anyway.

Discounting artificial diamonds for [reasons], there's possibly a niche job there for Traveller universe characters, collecting diamonds on high pressure but cold worlds like Uranus and Neptune.

[SSWarlock]

So a Vilani Scout name Lucille Gaanish exploring said planet could be considered "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

(any Beatles fans out there?)

[Traveller-61]

So a Vilani Scout name Lucille Gaanish exploring said planet could be considered "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

(any Beatles fans out there?)

"Groan"
Yes, there still are

DW

[Jame Rowe]

So a Vilani Scout name Lucille Gaanish exploring said planet could be considered "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

(any Beatles fans out there?)

"Groan"
Yes, there still are

DW

I join you on the "Groan" and will raise you a "Groooooaaaannnnnn."

And yes, I got the reference.

[steve98052]

That isn't likely to offer a practical way to mine diamonds. If the hypothesis in the article is correct, the diamonds appear at a point in the atmosphere where the pressure exceeds a half-million times Earth's atmospheric pressure -- and then they fall even deeper. At that pressure, pretty much any mining probe would be crushed, or at least rendered unable to return to the upper atmosphere.

Even if we assume that very advanced materials technology might allow construction of a mining probe capable of withstanding such pressure, it would be impractical, because the same materials technology would make high-quality manufactured diamonds much less expensive than mining them from gas giants.

[SSWarlock]

At least we don't have to worry about the diamonds damaging equipment during a fuel-skimming run. Right?

[Mithras]

"We are currently cruising at 5,000,000 feet, please fasten your seat belts we are about to fly through a diamond storm, there may be turbulence...and a hull puncture..."

[Condottiere]

"If any onboard are romantically involved, this may be an opportune moment to propose."