this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2025
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Today I Learned (TIL)

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Scientists estimate that up to 70% of the sand on white sandy beaches in the Caribbean and Hawai‘i has been excreted by parrotfish. A large adult parrotfish can excrete over a ton of sand per year. Areas that have parrotfish produce more sand than similar areas with few or no parrotfish. This sediment production rate is especially important in areas like Hawai‘i, where there is little terrestrial input, and almost all of the sand is of biogenic origin.

https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/coastal-interactions/beaches-and-sand/weird-science-parrotfish-and-sand

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[–] javiwhite@feddit.uk 3 points 17 hours ago

Excreting sand sounds.... Uncomfortable to say the least.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Is that why beach sand is better for making semiconductors than desert sand?

Is my laptop's brain made of parrotfish poo?

[–] some_designer_dude@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We are all made from parrotfish poo 🙏

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

We are all made from starstuff.

[–] FooBarrington@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago

In a way, we've all been sharted out by starfish

[–] atomicorange@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Poo’d out by the great parrotfish in the sky

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Someone saw the custardfist comic today lol

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Lol yes, posted this immediately afterwards, here is a link to it

https://lemmy.ca/comment/16106044

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

If you snorkel near coral around here you can hearing them chewing away. Sounds like popcorn, and there is an amazing amount of popping going on.

And yes, our beaches are pure white.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Something something rough and coarse and it gets everywhere.

Guys, I'm burnt out.

[–] illi@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago

Hopefuly not as burned out as Anakin.

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Are you burnt out? Or is that reference?

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I am burnt out, not a reference. I saw a story about sand, and felt compelled to go through the motions of bringing up the Anakin meme, and I'm just like, "What am I doing? Why is anything anything? I should be working."

[–] atomicorange@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

You don’t have to singlehandedly keep the meme alive. Let it rest for a while. I promise, 5 years from now when nobody has said the meme in ages, when you’ve given up on it, there will come a day when it just fits. When it makes the conversation funnier, when the timing is perfect, when it’s the only rational response, you will triumphantly break out the star wars sand meme. It will be so much better because it’s fresh again, it will feel like you just invented the damn thing yourself. You will be so glad you waited, that you let all those other imperfect opportunities pass you by.

[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sounds like it's time for a much needed break. Do you have some vacation time to clear your head?

[–] atomicorange@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I’ve heard the beaches in Hawai’i have very nice sand. Maybe you could visit there.

[–] dumblederp@aussie.zone 1 points 20 hours ago

Be sure to have a hotel booked.

[–] mattc@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

Interesting. Never even considered how sand is formed.

[–] Crumbgrabber@lemm.ee 8 points 1 day ago

I think this is the kind of information that will help me in my job search. I have extensive experience as a fish poop analyst.

[–] gutter564@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Thanks. I'll use this as an excuse to fart on the beach: "No, it's the parrotfish poo"

I'm sure they will be extinct soon, thus ending the existence of beaches