Rgr, Thomas. I thought I posted a follow up note, but for some reason it
isn't here. I meant elements, not diamonds (carbon) specifically. My
geologist friend, to this day, thinks that even gold is somehow formed
within the center of the earth.
  The discussion came about as a result from a previous lecturer (Heinz R.
Pagels) who had stated that anything we find here on earth can be found (in
recipe form) within red stars. That brought about a few questions, which
Hawkings later tried to shed light upon. He was not in total agreement with
Pagels, either.
  Diamonds are indeed created within the influence of supernova (both
according to Pagels, and Hawkings), though collecting them would be
problematic. One estimate I bore witness to indicated that some half-billion
metric tons of gold (for one) would be created by the supernova of a
particular red giant, but that the resulting collapse into a blue dwarf (I
think is how it went) would destroy the effort. The diamonds come from
systemic carbon elements of the surrounding area.
  I went back and found the tapes of this lecture series. The beginning of
Hawkings lecture is missing, though. :(
  Not my specialty, anyway.

Grim

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