The new alchemists

Scientists around the world are now racing to harness the power of yet another of nature's forces - the force of high pressure. They are playing God, manipulating matter, squeezing atoms under conditions similar to those within the earth's core, and creating entirely new substances.

These new alchemists have made extraordinary discoveries at the fringes of a strange new frontier. They have subjected ordinary beach sand to tons of pressure to shed light on the extinction of the dinosaurs. They have learned that everyday gases such as hydrogen and oxygen become exotic dense metals with mysterious properties lying deep inside large planets.

And they have used high pressure to transform almost any carbon-rich material, from road tar to peanut butter, into the most prized of gems - diamonds.

Spanning centuries of top-notch science, bitter rivalry, outright fraud, and self-delusion, The New Alchemists is a compelling narrative centered around the brilliant, often eccentric, and controversial pioneers of high-pressure research. This vivid blend of dramatic personal stories and extraordinary scientific advances - and devastating failures - sheds light on an explosive new field that will be making tomorrow's headlines and changing our world.