Scientists are engineering tiny imperfections called nitrogen-vacancy centers into diamonds to create quantum sensors that detect magnetic fields, temperature changes, and electrical signals at room temperature, opening applications in medicine and navigation.
The technology could enable doctors to map brain activity non-invasively and allow submarines and autonomous vehicles to navigate without GPS satellites, while IonQ and Element Six, a De Beers subsidiary, announced breakthroughs in mass-producing quantum-grade diamond films in September 2025.
The shift offers a potential lifeline for the struggling diamond industry as lab-grown jewelry stones have plummeted up to 96% since 2018, with "technology diamonds" valued for engineered defects rather than clarity.
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