# Diamond melting research under extreme pressure > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/diamond-melting-research-under-extreme-pressure > Updated: 2026-08-15T15:51:26.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. Physicists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of Rochester have conducted research into how diamond melts under extreme pressure and temperature. Using the OMEGA laser facility, the team subjected diamond to conditions mimicking the interiors of ice giants like Uranus and Neptune, with pressures reaching up to 1.8 terapascals. The experiments revealed that diamond maintains its cubic crystal structure until the moment it melts into a disordered state, rather than transitioning into the previously predicted BC8 carbon phase. This finding addresses a 20-year discrepancy between theoretical simulations and experimental observations regarding melting temperatures. Researchers noted that the diamond likely remains ‘trapped’ in its structure because it lacks the time to undergo a phase change when exposed to a single shock wave. This breakthrough is expected to assist in modeling planetary interiors and could potentially triple energy gain in laser-driven nuclear fusion experiments. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-15: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory resolves diamond melting mystery Scientists have resolved a 20-year mystery regarding diamond melting under extreme pressure, a discovery that could triple energy gains in laser-driven nuclear fusion. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lawrence-livermore-national-laboratory-resolves-diamond-melting-mystery ### 2026-08-15: Physicists discover unexpected diamond melting behavior under extreme pressure Physicists have discovered that diamonds melt without transitioning into the predicted BC8 crystal phase, even under extreme pressures and temperatures found in ice giants like Neptune. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/physicists-discover-unexpected-diamond-melting-behavior-under-extreme-pressure --- Cite as: Diamond melting research under extreme pressure. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/diamond-melting-research-under-extreme-pressure