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Doing it now (piefed.cdn.blahaj.zone)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] 21 points 4 months ago (12 children)

White sand is calcium carbonate that has been eroded down to sand size particles. One way that happens is by parrot fish grinding it up, but weathering surely created the vast majority of it.

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  • [–] 8 points 4 months ago* (11 children)

    https://www.animalsaroundtheglobe.com/why-parrotfish-poop-white-sand-5-358789/

    “On the Great Barrier Reef, for example, researchers estimate that parrotfish are responsible for producing over 85% of the new sand generated annually.”

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  • [–] 8 points 4 months ago (10 children)

    How does that compare to the quantity of sand already in existence? There was a long period of time (millions and millions of years) when there were no parrotfish, but billions of tons of calcium carbonate being eroded by the weather.

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  • [–] -3 points 4 months ago (5 children)

    What a stupid thing to bicker about. Good work, people on the internet. o_O

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  • [–] 8 points 4 months ago (3 children)

    I didn't read it as bickering at all, just two people with an interest in sand, trying to get to the truth.

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