Every woman dreams of receiving a huge， sparkling and priceless diamond. Now scientists have discovered the largest diamond in the universe.
But it is well beyond the reach of the most love struck men—50 light years to be precise. Space scientists revealed that they had discovered a ten billion trillion① trillion carat gem. Measuring 2，500 miles across and weighing five million trillion trillion pounds， the rock was found on Valentine’s Day buried in the core of a white dwarf② star in the constellation③ Centaurus④. It’s the mother of all diamonds.
A jeweller loupe whose size is of the Sun would be used to grade this diamond called Lucy which is named after the Beatles’ song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The rock has sent a ripple of excitement to the scientific world.
The largest diamond found on earth was the 3，106 carat Cullinan. It was cut into nine major stones， including the 530-carat Star of Africa which now is a part of the Crown Jewels. Diamonds were first discovered in India more than 2，800 years ago. The Ancient Romans believed that the stones were splinters⑤ of stars that had tumbled to earth.
In Ancient Egypt， diamonds were symbols of eternity and were used in funeral rites. In the Middle Ages， men wore them to symbolize their courage and virility. In 1477， Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy， which has been a tradition of giving them as love tokens.
① trillionn. ［英］百万兆，一百万的三次幂，［美］万亿，兆，一千的四次幂，(常复数)无数
② dwarfadj. 矮小的，发育不全的
③ constellationn. 星座，星座区域［C］
④ Centaurusn. ［天］半人马座
⑤ splintersn. 裂片，碎片，刺
宇宙中的“超级大钻石”
每个女人都梦想着收到这样一颗钻研：闪闪发光的、价值连城。最大的钻石，科学家们在宇宙中发现了它。
对于绝大多数热恋中的男人来说，这颗钻石是怎么样也够不着的——因为，精确地说，它距地球有50光年的距离。宇宙科学家们透露，一重达1，046克拉重的宝石已经被他们发现了。这块石头是在情人节那天被发现的，直径达2，500英里，重5×1，042磅，藏在人马座一颗白矮星的中心。这是钻石之母。
要评价这颗钻石的等级，像太阳那么大的珠宝商专用放大镜得派上用场。这枚钻石令科学界兴奋不已，并用根据甲克虫乐队的歌曲《Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds》而被命名为Lucy。
重3106克拉的克利兰钻石是目前地球上发现的最大钻石了。它被分割成9块大钻石，其中包括重530克拉、现在是皇冠珠宝中一部分的“非洲之星”。2，800多年前，钻石首先在印度被发现。古代罗马人相信掉到地球上的星星的碎片便是这种石头。
钻石在古埃及被用于葬礼仪式，是永恒的标志。中世纪的男人们把佩戴钻石作为勇敢和刚强的象征。1477年，奥地利大公马克西米利安把一枚钻石戒指送给了玛利公主，从此赠送钻石作为爱情的象征这个传统便流传下来。
