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Diamonds Inside Your Body? - April.2000
The amazing uses of diamonds never cease. Business Week
reported that scientists believe that diamond coatings could one day be used to
build tiny micro-machines that zip through your blood stream dispensing drugs
throughout your body.
A team of researchers announced that they had fashioned a
one-square-millimeter mechanical drive out of a diamond. Scientists think that
diamond would work well on microscopic machines for two reasons. Since it is
made of carbon, it can be easily ingested or implanted or implanted inside the
human body. And it is so hard that diamond-coated machines last 10,000 times
longer than those made of silicon.
Sales Strong at Major Chains
Jewelers seem to be rolling with the economy. Recently, both Neiman
Marcus and Tiffany’s reported a large increase in sales. Neiman
Marcus experienced a 32% increase in sales which they attribute to a large
sale of luxury merchandise such as jewelry and diamonds. Sales climbed to $890.3
million from $789.2 million last year.
Tiffany’s earnings saw a 59% increase. Sales climbed to $559.8
million from $442.8 million. They say their increase was due to customers
purchasing more jewelry and expensive goods than they have in the past. Even
abroad Tiffany’s experienced sales increases.v | 
