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Chinese researchers have synthesized millimeter-sized pure hexagonal diamond — also known as lonsdaleite — for the first time, resolving a six-decade scientific controversy over whether this exotic carbon allotrope truly exists as a distinct material. The lab-created crystals, forged by crushing graphite at 200,000 times atmospheric pressure, measured roughly 114 gigapascals in hardness, slightly exceeding natural cubic diamond, and could find applications in cutting tools, quantum sensing, and thermal management.