Diamonds are nearly 1,000 times harder than quartz and 150 times harder than corundum, their closest counterpart.
When a small diamond crystal is sandwiched between two steel plates, it can easily cut through metal without showing any significant deformation.
This unparalleled strength has driven scientists to seek ways to create synthetic diamonds, since natural ones are quite rare.
The first synthetic diamonds, produced in 1880, are housed in the British Museum.
However, the method used by the Englishman Hennay to create them remains a mystery.
Remarkable progress came from Soviet specialists, who proudly announced at the XXII Party Congress:
— The government task has been accomplished! Synthetic Soviet diamonds have been created!
That meant yet another major natural mystery had been unraveled, and Soviet science had solved a problem that scientists from many countries had struggled with for decades without success.
