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This celestial body is one of the extreme ones: Mercury is not only the closest planet to the Sun, but also smaller, denser and older than all the other representatives of our home system! Bathed in blindingly bright sunlight, for many generations it was almost impossible to observe this planetary curiosity directly from Earth. Moreover, extreme solar radiation prevented almost all research visits - it was not until Messenger entered Mercury's orbit in 2011 that the planet could be studied in detail for the first time over a long period of time. Since then, we have also learned that water ice and organic molecules lie dormant at Mercury's north pole - but that's not all! New findings allow us to make the exciting conclusion that there is literally a treasure hidden deep inside the planet: a layer of pure diamond 18 kilometers thick! But that's not all: another study concludes that there are hidden glaciers beneath the planet's surface, in which life could even develop! #TheSimplySpaceRU