I finally tried that 'rock identification by licking' thing I saw online

I mean, I always thought it was just a dumb joke, like something from a cartoon. But last week I was out near Sedona and found this weird gray rock that felt chalky. I remembered a video saying to lick it to see if it stuck to your tongue, which means it's a shale. So I did it, and it totally stuck, just for a second. It was a shale, which made sense given the area. Has anyone else actually tried this, or is it just a weird trick that sometimes works?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_reed6817d ago

Licking the rock to check for shale... yeah, I've done that. Felt like a total weirdo standing there with a rock stuck to my tongue. My dog was just staring at me like I'd lost my mind. It does work, but I always hope nobody's watching from a distance when I try it.

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colescott17d ago

Remember doing that, @rowan_reed68, my own dog judged me harder than any person ever could lol.

jason_stone5917d ago

I read a geology blog that said this trick works because shale has a finer grain and sticks to your tongue.