this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2026
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[–] glimse@lemmy.world 74 points 3 days ago (6 children)

Probably not because it's extremely useless for 99% of people lol

Does the average person know that a stalagmite is mostly calcium carbonate?

[–] lagoon8622@sh.itjust.works 25 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Well no, why would they remember that? They've got to remember the chemical formula for one or two quartzes

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago

I need that brain space for the Windows XP activation code

[–] Fermion@feddit.nl 7 points 3 days ago
[–] concerned@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I knew both! AuDHD for the win.

Umm...what were we talking about again?

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Maps, I think? Or ships. Possibly trains...

[–] concerned@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I swear it was neutron stars.

[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (2 children)

What if life were to evolve on a neutron star?

[–] __Lost__@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Read Flux by Peter F Hamilton if you want to find out.

[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I was thinking of Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward. I'll add Flux to my reading list. I enjoyed the one, so I'll probably enjoy the other.

Thanks for the suggestion

[–] concerned@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

Gamma-based life. Worlds full of hulk strength insectoids.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Just like how their government works, or what climate change is.

Like, people aren't actually dumb, but 1% of their attention on anything that they aren't paid to do can sure give that appearance.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Or that tooth plaque is calcium phosphate?

I think you mean tooth enamel, not plaque

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

Say it ain't so!

[–] nylo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 days ago

does that mean you could use a chunk of a stalagmite as a tums in a pinch? (I think that's what tums is maybe its a different calcium)

[–] im_fine_sandy@nord.pub 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Maybe people do know that?

Drinking / tap water here comes from a limestone aquifer. Tap ware and shower screens and toilets develop a calcium carbonate build up that needs to be chemically removed.

I think anyone who's been in a cave and heard how stalagmites form would remember that it's calcium carbonate.

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I learned about it in school and have seen them in a caves but still had to look it up for the bit.

How about this...does the average person know that the transport latency of Dante audio is around 150 microseconds?

[–] im_fine_sandy@nord.pub 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] glimse@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

That's ok, I don't expect anyone outside of my industry to know that

[–] bedwyr@piefed.ca 1 points 3 days ago

Sometimes it's salt petre.