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Mercury has a layer of diamonds 17 kilometers thick, according to scientists.

The planet Mercury, known for its dull gray surface due to its excess of carbon, may hide a brilliant surprise in its depths. Recent research suggests the existence of a layer of diamonds up to 17 kilometers thick in the rocky interior of the planet.

According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, this layer of diamonds could help explain some of Mercury’s intriguing features. Yanhao Lin, co-author of the study, commented that the planet’s high carbon content has always suggested the possibility of something special inside.

These diamonds, formed in the ocean of magma, would have sunk and accumulated at the boundary between the core and the mantle, forming a layer of jewels approximately 480 kilometers below the surface. This discovery could also help explain Mercury’s magnetic field, since diamond, being a good conductor of heat, could cause significant temperature variations by stirring up the liquid in the planet’s core.

In addition, the research suggests that other terrestrial planets with similar composition and sizes could also have diamond layers formed under extreme conditions of heat and pressure.