Can you answer this True or False Question: After killing a dangerous enemy, you can hide the body by turning it into a diamond?
Yeah, we mystery writers pose the strangest questions.
The answer to this mind-bending query is true.
Well, sort of. Before turning the body into a diamond, you’d first have to cremate it. That might open a whole passel of questions when you approached the manager of the crematorium with a murder victim.
But it is true that cremains can be turned into diamonds.
Diamonds are made of 100% carbon. About 18% of the human body contains carbon. When a body is cremated, the carbon remains in the ashes. Researchers have figured out how to extract carbon from cremains to use in their diamond-making machines.
Sales people are marketing these gems as a unique way to honor a deceased loved one. Customers can send the cremated remains of their parent, spouse, or pet to one of these companies and receive a diamond in return. The diamond can even be made in any color.
Last time I looked, the cost for a single 1/2 carat diamond ran between $6,000 and $8,000. Large diamonds (over 1 carat) like the one Kim’s cousin Tiffany wore in The Blue Diamond begin at $20,000.
Want to learn more? (Don’t worry; we won’t tell.) Check out the links below.