Synthetic diamond research examines organic molecular interactions under the microscope. “However, the common wisdom among TEM specialists was that organic molecules decompose quickly as you shine an electron beam on them. The findings open a new paradigm for understanding and controlling chemistry in the fields of electron lithography, surface engineering, and electron microscopy. Analysis of the nanodiamond conversion supports long-standing ideas that diamond formation in extraterrestrial meteorites and uranium-bearing carbonaceous sedimentary rocks may be driven by high-energy particle irradiation. Reference: “Rapid, low-temperature nanodiamond formation by electron-beam activation of adamantane C–H bonds” by Jiarui Fu, Takayuki Nakamuro and Eiichi Nakamura, 4 September 2025, Science.