Why do geologists lick rocks?
Eating fossils
A geologist explains why scientists lick rocks. (It makes the patterns easier to see.)
Ig Nobel 2023
Geologists often lick rocks in the field. A wet surface makes minerals and fossils stand out much more clearly than a dry, dusty one.
The essay also wanders through the long history of scientists tasting their samples, which has not always ended well.
A geologist’s best tool might be their tongue.