If you're getting married, and your partner tells you that they want the biggest diamond you can find, they might live to regret it. As of 2011, we can confidently say that the biggest diamond we're aware of is five times the size of the entire Earth.
Situated around 4,000 light years from Earth, one of the stars that makes up the constellation of Serpens - a star named PSR J1719-1438 - has a curious companion; a comparatively tiny planet that circles around it in an intensely close orbit. Scientists believe that this is all that remains of what was once a companion star to PSR J1719-1438, which siphoned off all of its outer layers over millions of years leaving it as a tiny white dwarf. Now all that remains is an outer layer of oxygen, and its core of pure carbon, which we can tell from its mass is crystalline and almost certainly diamond. Getting close enough to mine it might be an issue - it's so close to the parent star that its year is only two hours long.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.