How are diamonds made, and has anyone ever created life in the lab?

We explore the curious questions that science can answer

Carbon emission: a sparkle that takes millions of years to achieve (Getty/iStock)

How are diamonds made?

A synthetic diamond is made from graphite under high temperatures and pressures. It differs from a natural diamond in size, shape and the number of impurities. It is made specifically for industry.

Natural diamonds, by contrast, are made over millions of years from carbon sources in the Earth. But they, too, were made using high temperatures and pressures.