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

  • Admiral Patrick
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    222 months ago

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

    Is my laptop’s brain made of parrotfish poo?

  • themeatbridge
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    192 months ago

    Something something rough and coarse and it gets everywhere.

    Guys, I’m burnt out.

      • themeatbridge
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        122 months ago

        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.”

        • @[email protected]
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          52 months ago

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

        • @[email protected]
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          52 months 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.

  • gutter
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    2 months ago

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

  • 🍪CRUMBGRABBER🍪
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    82 months 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.

  • @[email protected]
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    132 months 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.