永恒的钻石到底有多长久?

要不是火山活动，我们将永远无法见到钻石。火山活动将其从深层地幔带到了地表，因而我们可以得到他们。科学家认为，钻石形成过程贯穿整个地球发展史。很多钻石的年龄是33亿年，年轻点的也有10亿年。

You walk into a fancy party. What is the oldest thing there? No, not your in-laws, or even your grandparents. It will be a diamond someone is wearing.
你步入一个盛大的派对，你能看见的最老的事物是什么？不是你的老丈人也不是你的祖父母，而是某人佩戴的钻石首饰。

Diamond Formation 钻石的形成

It's not completely clear how natural diamonds are formed, and although it is known they are made from carbon, scientists are not sure how carbon gets to the extreme depths at which diamonds are made.
自然界中钻石的形成过程还没有完全被人类理解，尽管科学已经揭示其主要成分是碳，但是科学家依然无法解释碳是怎么样达到钻石形成所需要得地下深度的。

Diamonds are formed very deep in the earth. The optimum depth for their formation is about 120 miles beneath the surface, in the molten mantle.
钻石形成于深层地面。最适宜其形成的环境是120英里深的熔岩地幔层。

The temperature and pressure necessary for diamonds to crystalize are mind boggling: the temperature must be over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pressure must be at least 690,000 pounds per square inch. To put that pressure in perspective, a 150 pound person exerts only about 3 pounds per square inch.
钻石形成所需的温度和压力令人吃惊：温度必须达到华氏2000度，压力必须达到至少690000磅每平方英尺。这是个什么概念呢？150磅的人给地面的压力仅为3磅每平方英尺。

Temperature And Pressure 温度和压力

We would never know about diamonds were it not for volcanic activity, for that's what delivers diamonds from deep inside the earth to where we can get to them.
要不是火山活动，我们将永远无法见到钻石。火山活动将其从深层地幔带到了地表，因而我们可以得到他们。

Theoretically diamonds can remain diamonds only at high temperature and pressure. In theory, at atmospheric pressure and lower temperature chemical changes are liable to take place that change diamond into graphite, similar to the stuff pencil leads are made of.
理论上讲，要保持钻石的状态必须保持其形成的温度和压力——高温高压。大气常温常压状态理论上会让钻石变成和铅笔芯一样的结构。

Diamond's Age 钻石的年龄

However, it has been calculated that even if this change were to take place it would take over ten billion years to happen.
然而，钻石变成铅状态至少需要100亿年。

Now back to the diamond's age. Scientists think diamonds may have been forming throughout earth's history.
现在来说说钻石的年龄。科学家认为，钻石形成过程贯穿整个地球发展史。

Many have been found that are three-point-three billion years old. And the young ones are a mere one billion years old.
很多钻石的年龄是33亿年，年轻点的也有10亿年。