the.com/calcite
the crystal that bends light into double vision, no hangover required
means Calcite is a common rock-forming mineral made of calcium carbonate, prized by mineralogists for its rhombic crystals and its trick of splitting a single image into two.
from From Latin 'calx,' meaning lime or limestone — the same root that gives us 'calcium' and 'chalk.' The '-ite' suffix is the standard mineralogist's tag for naming rocks and minerals, from the Greek '-ites.' So the name simply marks it as 'the lime-stuff,' which is exactly what limestone, marble, and chalk are largely made of.
- double image
- clear calcite splits one dot into two
- fizz test
- it bubbles instantly in weak acid
- viking GPS
- sunstones may have steered ships by polarized light
- cave builder
- stalactites are calcite dripping into stone
- hardness three
- soft enough to scratch with a coin
iceland spar — transparent calcite crystals from iceland used historically for polarizing light in navigation
carrara marble — white calcite marble from tuscany, italy, used by michelangelo for the david sculpture
niagara falls tufa — porous calcite deposits formed by waterfalls at niagara falls between canada and usa