Undermines· strongYDIH-E011
Daulton et al. 2010: no nanodiamonds found; lonsdaleite identification disputed
- what the source states
- Transmission-electron-microscopy and electron-diffraction re-examination found no nanodiamonds in the tested Younger Dryas sediments and concluded that particles previously identified as impact-diagnostic hexagonal diamond (lonsdaleite) were misidentified — consistent instead with aggregates of graphene/graphane-family sheets.
- what we infer
- A direct, specialist-level challenge to the identification itself, aimed at the diagnostically crucial form. Later proponent reports at other sites keep the existence question open; the shock-diagnostic lonsdaleite call has never been independently confirmed.
- limitations
- Tested specific sediments; proponents argue other sites and preparations still show diamonds, so the negative does not automatically generalize.