Mercury may contain a 10-mile-thick diamond layer beneath its surface

10 articles · Updated · The Brighter Side of News · May 9

Using NASA MESSENGER data and lab simulations, researchers estimate a 14.9-18.3km diamond-rich zone near Mercury's core-mantle boundary, according to a Nature Communications study.
They say carbon became concentrated as Mercury's molten core crystallised, making diamond more stable than graphite under pressures of about 5.38 to 5.77 gigapascals.
The proposed layer could help explain Mercury's carbon history and affect heat flow and magnetic-field generation, though current interior models cannot yet confirm it unambiguously.

What if it's not diamonds? What other exotic material could be hiding deep inside the planet Mercury?

With BepiColombo arriving in November, what key data will finally confirm or shatter Mercury's diamond planet theory?