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Mexican alchemy?
A method of producing synthetic diamonds using tequila - Mexico's favourite alcoholic drink - has been discovered, scientists there say.
Not from The Onion. I thank Michael Makowsky for the pointer.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on November 13, 2008 at 02:31 PM in Food and Drink | Permalink
Comments
Does it involve drinking the tequila?
Posted by: Tom Hanna at Nov 13, 2008 2:42:17 PM
Maybe it involves wormholes.
Posted by: Andrew at Nov 13, 2008 3:34:46 PM
If experimenting with tequila is the standard, it looks like I worked as a Mexican scientist for most of my college career. Who knew?
Posted by: Tim Stonesifer at Nov 13, 2008 4:12:21 PM
Latins love alchemy. Just read "100 Years of Solitude".
Posted by: MC at Nov 13, 2008 4:24:30 PM
Does Henry Paulson know about this?
Posted by: at Nov 13, 2008 5:54:36 PM
"The scientists found that even the cheapest of tequila brands, averaging at $3 a bottle, are good enough to make diamonds."
Meanwhile, other scientists found that even the cheapest of tequila brands, averaging at $3 a bottle, are good enough to get drunk. Very drunk.
Posted by: at Nov 13, 2008 5:58:21 PM
If experimenting with tequila is the standard, it looks like I worked as a Mexican scientist for most of my college career.
We are all Mexican scientists now.
Posted by: at Nov 13, 2008 5:59:39 PM
I don't want to give away any proprietary information or anything, but I think I have the procedure down.
Step 1: Go to Vegas.
Step 2: Drink a bottle of tequila.
Step 3: Wake up before the chick you don't know who is sleeping in your bed.
Step 4: Pry the ring off her finger.
Voila!
Posted by: Paul at Nov 13, 2008 9:12:22 PM
According to what is public so far, it's not "alchemy", nor "Mexican science" (with "experimenting with tequila" being the standard)...It's just applied science...c'mon people...I thought this blog was a little bit more serious...
Posted by: carlos at Nov 13, 2008 9:26:00 PM
This is awesome. Any links on the actual procedure? Will any alcoholic beverage do?
Posted by: Steve at Nov 13, 2008 9:56:29 PM
Brilliant Paul!
PS Doesn't a cubic zirconia have the same chemical structure as a diamond,
but is just man-made? They look the same as diamonds, anyway.
Posted by: pants at Nov 13, 2008 10:33:15 PM
No, a cubic zirconia is not the same as a diamond. Diamonds=carbon, Zirconia=Zn02. It is however possible to create synthetic diamonds, but I think it is actually more expensive to produce them than to use the (actually abundant) naturally occuring diamonds.
Posted by: Alex at Nov 13, 2008 10:53:53 PM
@Tyler
"tequila - Mexico's favourite alcoholic drink"
Uh, not true. Beer is Mexico's favorite drink at 51.8 liters/person/year. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_beer_consumption_per_capita
Posted by: Dave Barnes at Nov 14, 2008 10:25:23 AM
Man, first we take their tortilla corn to burn for fuel, and now you're telling me we can synthesize industrial diamond film from their booze.
Are we *trying* to start a riot?
Posted by: Obsequiosity at Nov 15, 2008 11:04:00 PM
You can buy and gain very cheap holic money.
Posted by: holic money at Jan 1, 2009 8:54:53 PM
Bvlgari Jewelry
Replica Bvlgari Jewelry
Bvlgari Replica Jewelry
Gucci Jewelry
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Posted by: aion kina at Mar 17, 2009 11:20:44 PM
Posted by: Magnetic Assemblies at Apr 22, 2009 10:46:58 PM
it is not a secret at all.
Posted by: aure at May 13, 2009 4:43:23 AM
Is it realistic?
Posted by: bluce at May 13, 2009 4:44:15 AM
New technology is always given us surprising and life way changing.
Posted by: aure at May 13, 2009 4:44:47 AM
