Humans have treasured diamonds for their exquisite beauty and unrivaled hardness for thousands of years. Deep within the earth diamonds grow. Diamonds the size of footballs the size of watermelons - billions of tons of diamonds wait for eternity a hundred miles beyond our reach. Spanning centuries of ground-breaking science bitter rivalry outright fraud and self-delusion The Diamond Makers is a compelling narrative centered around the brilliant often eccentric and controversial pioneers of high pressure research. This vivid blend of dramatic personal stories and extraordinary scientific advances - and devastating failures - brings alive the quest to create diamond. Scientists have harnessed crushing pressures and scorching temperatures to transform almost any carbon-rich material from road tar to peanut butter into the most prized of gems. The book reveals the human dimensions of research - the competition bravery jealousy teamwork and greed that ultimately led to today's billion-dollar diamond synthesis industry. Language: English