# ­xkcd thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574 "2020-05-28T00:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 206
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4103 "2025-03-27T11:41:51Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I assumed she was just bullshitting in the second one. This line is hilarious when paired with the earlier statement: > [@MrDibble](#): > > Identifying rocks and minerals by sight (when the rock is in your hand) without any context is, in fact, _how we got tested in geology pracs_. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4104 "2025-03-27T12:16:43Z")
Oh, I did a fair amount of bullshitting in geology pracs, too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4105 "2025-03-27T12:47:20Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Later that afternoon I bought a chunk of argentite about the size of your fist in a gem and mineral shop. Well, strictly, if you were able to handle it without 3rd degree burns, you’d bought a chunk of acanthite. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4106 "2025-03-27T13:05:20Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I think that’s the joke. The geologist is just making an excuse in the first frame. She knew the answer right away when given a “context” of $5. I assumed she knew from a glance because from the second answer, it was a pretty obvious identity. Garnets and mica are both things i think i could identify. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4107 "2025-03-27T13:17:41Z")
I should add that I didn’t assume it’s the same rock in both panels. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4108 "2025-03-27T16:38:01Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Well, strictly, if you were able to handle it without 3rd degree burns, you’d bought a chunk of acanthite. This was decades ago before mineralogists had decided that. It’s the Pluto of rocks and the store labeled it argentite. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4109 "2025-03-27T17:17:51Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > This was decades ago before mineralogists had decided that. Mineralogists have known this [since 1926](https://msaweb.org/AmMin/AM11/AM11_326.pdf). > 1. Externally isometric natural crystals of silver sulphide were formed at temperaturese above 180oC, and at ordinary temperature are acanthite paramorphs after argentite. > [@DesertDog](#): > > the store labeled it argentite. Gem stores are very liberal with their naming (when not outright peddling woo) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4110 "2025-03-27T18:28:27Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Later that afternoon I bought a chunk of argentite about the size of your fist in a gem and mineral shop. It was noticeably heavier than a regular rock that size. Did they charge at least the silver content of the chunk, or did they not realize its worth? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4111 "2025-03-27T18:45:01Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Garnets and mica are both things i think i could identify. I think you’re full of schist. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4112 "2025-03-27T20:34:37Z")
That’s not very gneiss ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4113 "2025-03-27T20:40:07Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I assumed she knew from a glance because from the second answer, it was a pretty obvious identity. Garnets and mica are both things i think i could identify. A sample of garnets in a mica schist: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/MHUcdby.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/MHUcdby) I mean, I couldn’t identify that since my knowledge of geology is close to zero. But it does look like something that would be trivial for a geologist to identify. The features are pretty obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4114 "2025-03-27T20:41:10Z")
That’s a rock. I can identify lots of different geological samples. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4115 "2025-03-27T23:53:07Z")
Looks like leaverite to me. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4116 "2025-03-28T01:24:30Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Did they charge at least the silver content of the chunk, or did they not realize its worth? It’s been so long I don’t recall what price I paid but I’m sure it was more than the spot price of the silver in it. It was being sold as a specimen after all, ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4117 "2025-03-28T03:49:38Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Looks like leaverite to me. Ok, I’ll play the straight man: “Leaverite?” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4118 "2025-03-28T15:34:55Z")
Noob rockhound picks up a stone, shows it to the expert. Expert turns it over, eyes it carefully then announces “Leaverite.” Noob says “Leaverite? What’s that? I’ve never heard of it.” Expert tosses it offhandedly away. “Leave 'er right there.” Bah dum tish. I’ll be here all week. Try the veal. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4119 "2025-03-28T18:24:20Z")
I knew the joke; I used it on my scout troop all the time. They never trusted me about rocks after that. (Their favorite other trivia question is how do you hang a US flag on a wall? Do the blue stars go in the upper left corner or upper right? After a few guesses: Neither, the stars are white.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4120 "2025-03-28T21:53:08Z")
I realized as I was typing that from the way you said that, you almost certainly did. But good bet a few other folks playing along at home didn’t. So consider that explanation for them, not me being patronizing to you. Please. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4121 "2025-03-28T22:37:22Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Neither, the stars are white. An airplane crashes smack on the border between the US and Canada. Where do you bury the survivors? You bury _survivors_? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/4122 "2025-03-28T22:42:06Z")
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