News Rocks Made of Plastic Found on Hawaiian Beach

[sorindafabico]

It seems that George Carlin was right...

Rocks Made of Plastic Found on Hawaiian Beach

Scientists say a new type of rock cobbled together from plastic, volcanic rock, beach sand, seashells, and corals has begun forming on the shores of Hawaii.

“The article is intriguing and fascinating,” says geophysicist Douglas Jerolmack of the University of Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the work. “If these things can be preserved, then they might be a nice marker around the world of when humans came to dominate the globe and leave behind their refuse in mass quantities.”

 

[statickid]

While it is an interesting angle and signifies a distinct change in viewpoint on our refuse disposal problems, I personally feel this is dubious as a "scientific discovery".

"Plastic will be with us longer than we thought"
I hesitate to think that many people believed plastic was going to disappear anytime soon.

Plastic is not "turning into stone" or "becoming rock". Plastic is not a mineral, by definition, stone and rock are formed from minerals. Finding melted plastic with rocks stuck in it doesn't mean the plastic is turning into stone. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.

"Plastiglomerate is likely well distributed, it’s just never been noticed before now, she says."--I live on the coast and find junk like this all the time, it would be more correct to say "nobody has called burnt plastic a rock before"

I'm not saying nothing is happening here... I just think the wrapper this story is being delivered in is poorly crafted. In my mind a better way of seeing/reporting this would be to say that plastic is being assimilated into the natural environment in unforseen and interesting ways.

---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 PM ----------

 

[thepenguin]

Technically speaking, how do geologists define rock?

It seems like a very broad term given all the different things that we include in the category.

So, could this plastic ball actually meet the criteria to be a rock?

 

[Urwumpe]

Technically speaking, how do geologists define rock?

It seems like a very broad term given all the different things that we include in the category.

So, could this plastic ball actually meet the criteria to be a rock?

Well, if it contains minerals... otherwise, not. tar deposits are no rock for example. Plastic would not be a mineral under the current definition of minerals being inorganic.