this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] DudeDudenson@lemmings.world 38 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Are you telling me they put them in front of actual rocks and let them lick them in finals?

[–] mitchty@lemmy.sdf.org 31 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Im sure it’s required. I got a geology buddy and he said this is pretty normal for identification of rocks. So I bet its a required skill to tell spicy rocks from rocky rocks.

[–] Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee 12 points 1 month ago

"Well yes it looks like a rock, but it tastes like a metal

[–] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Geology degree here - you identify some rocks by licking them. Licking most rocks will give you no information. But in a final, honestly, nobody would bat an eye if you licked all of them, just in case.

[–] djsoren19@yiffit.net 6 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I have to know, how was sanitation handled? did you each student have an individual sample, or were you all licking a communal rock?

[–] GiveMemes@jlai.lu 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They're licking rocks and you're worried about sanitation?!?

I'd be more worried about sanitization if I'm licking a rock then if I'm not licking a rock, generally speaking.

[–] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

Individual samples and UV lights, though often there was a rock where multiple people would lick it. People probably don't get sick from that often.

[–] Glimpythegoblin@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago

Us geology students are bonded by blood. Once we all passed around a fragment of dinosaur bone and all stuck it to our tongue. Pre COVID mind you.

[–] morbidcactus@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Was a thing when I took geo in first year, rock test (and the professor) was kinda a legend within engineering.

[–] mitchty@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 month ago

Heh that sounds like my buddies professor. All he said was your tongues always there and it’s a good instrument so why not use it. I just make fun of him licking rocks.

[–] Glimpythegoblin@lemm.ee 22 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Yes. I have a geology degree. How else am I supposed to distinguish apatite from halite. I've licked many rocks. Mineralogy, petrology, and sedemenary Rocks and fossils all had finals that involved having 50 rocks in front of you to identify

[–] DudeDudenson@lemmings.world 9 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Oh wow I've never expected that I'm used to university being full academia with no hands on on anything

[–] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 8 points 1 month ago

Not hands. Tongue

[–] Glimpythegoblin@lemm.ee 5 points 1 month ago

Yeah geology is fun. Lots of hands on stuff, class camping trips out to the field usually once a semester at least. Then there's field camp which is a couple months in the wilderness mapping outcrops and studying local geology. I think it's one of the most fun majors you can do, but I'm biased.

[–] IMongoose@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I did Zoology, half my classes had us either identifying dead animals (whole / parts) or dissecting them. One of my tests was identifying the sex, age, and species of waterfowl just by their severed wings. I also did a summer plant class where all we did was walk trails and identify plants.

[–] Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 1 points 1 month ago

Best part of college is how hands on your degree courses are, since they're trying to prepare you for work in the real world

[–] Rekorse@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Your fucking around about the licking part right?

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Geologists identify rocks in the field that way sometimes.

https://www.iflscience.com/why-do-geologists-lick-rocks-70107

[–] Glimpythegoblin@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Rekorse@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

Interesting! Makes geology sound more fun for some reason.