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Do you have what it takes to become a geologist?
(lemmy.world)
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Are you telling me they put them in front of actual rocks and let them lick them in finals?
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.
"Well yes it looks like a rock, but it tastes like a metal
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.
I have to know, how was sanitation handled? did you each student have an individual sample, or were you all licking a communal rock?
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.
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.
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.
Fact
Was a thing when I took geo in first year, rock test (and the professor) was kinda a legend within engineering.
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.
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
Oh wow I've never expected that I'm used to university being full academia with no hands on on anything
Not hands. Tongue
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.
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.
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