Step 1: Understanding hardness.
Hardness is a measure of how resistant a material is to deformation, scratching, or indentation.
Step 2: Diamond's unique structure.
Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring material because of its unique crystal structure. Each carbon atom in diamond is covalently bonded to four other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement, which gives it exceptional strength and hardness.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Thus, diamond is the hardest material.