Futureproof Extra: How are diamonds formed?

Diamond formation occurs when carbon deposits deep within the earth are subject to high temperatures and pressure.

But what are the specific environmental conditions needed to make this actually happen?

You’d think that by now we would have a pretty good grasp of how they form considering the value we place on them, but that’s not the case.

Until now that is.

Dr. Emma Tomlinson is an Associate Professor of Geology at Trinity College Dublin and part of a team from TCD and Queensland University of Technology who have been looking into this. She joins Jonathan to discuss.