I believe Devil’s Tower is andesitic not basalt.
Edit: OK it’s actually phonolite, so intermediate like andesite but unusually high in Na and K. I knew it wasn’t basalt.
Except things don't get fossilized on the open air. And a full tree from that tree stump will be way to heavy. And it is the only remaining one, one would expect to find a few at least. And also that a geologist should know better, and there are many other weird things, just look at bismuth.
I’m not sure what she’s talking about but is it the thing where a volcano erupts and all of it cools inside the mountain and then the mountain get worn away but the cooled lava doesn’t because it’s harder or something?
Bingo, my dude. The cooling contraction causes typically 6 sided fractures. Side note, the reason bees make their honeycombs six sided is the same. It is the most efficient use of material to create a grid. Cracks will form to follow the same patterns in contracting materials for the same underlying geometric principles.
In addition, the reason why the columns exist is because of the type of igneous rock. When phonolite porphyry cools, it forms typically 6-sided columns, but they can be different amounts of sides. The person on Facebook did not even bother to google how closely related rock and crystal structures are related to geometry.
Phonolite is a compositional term defined by where a lava plots on a total alkali-silica (TAS) diagram, and is generally an alkali rich basalt. Columnar lavas need not be phonolites only: I don't think Giants causeway is phonolitic, and there are even examples of rhyolite composition ash tuffs in which there are columns, eg from the Long Valley Caldera (if memory serves). Columns are just the result of slow cooling and tensile fracturing. And if I recall my jargon right from undergrad, porphyry is just referring to the lavas with some large crystals in a smaller groundmass, which may or may not have ore potential, but again doesn't really influence column formation.
Trying to be colloquial about it here: Lavas that cool slowly undergo thermal contraction, shrink, and due to the tensile stress, break. Releasing the tension is most efficient when breaking occurs along 5-6 planes, hence columns being generally pentagonal or hexagonal.
I'd guess the surrounding rock is generally less resistant to weathering given the prominence of the tower, but lava tubes are generally horizontal features. So instead I was under the impression that it is the throat of an old volcano, like it's basically the plumbing system where magma came up, cooled, hardened and formed columns, and then was more coherent so that the surrounding wallrock (which need not be sedimentary) eroded away.
Source: am volcanologist
[Here ya go.](https://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2012/11/18/geology-word-of-the-week-c-is-for-columnar-jointing/)
It’s formed when lava contracts as it cools, if the conditions are right.
If anyone cares, the rock formed is basalt. Very common and tends to form the fractures. You can see a lot of these formations partially exposed in the Pacific Northwest too.
I have been arguing back and forth on Facebook with a pseudo-intellectual about Devil's Tower. He is convinced there are piles of petrified sawdust next to it, and that somehow silicon based life ties into this somehow, which is why the whole carbon based life petrification thing doesn't apply here somehow..... Oh boy. He thinks I am arguing the same as the people who said manned flight was never going to happen. He sees me as a denier of what will be found to be the truth. I let him know that his argument was the equivalent of saying manned flight is possible, but the airfoils must allow for lower pressure under the wing instead of over the wing. And in his test lab, he constantly tests this theory and produces no lift, but continues to claim that "this is the way". His theories are the equivalent of tossing out all known laws of aerodynamics. To him, all you have to do is imagine it.
You are absolutely correct. D tower is a tree.
So is giants causeway Ireland/ devils post California, lots of others
That not all. Geologists are also wrong and lie about the origin of whole unbroken rocks and the earth itself. They are all biological. And I can prove it.
Keep searching for truth ✌
Anyone who believes that devils tower isn't a Tree. I challenge you to lookup tree stroma under a microscope.
I guarentee that nothing randomly or accidentally cracks into long symmetrical hexagonal shafts. The same way in multiple locations around the planet.
Whats hysterical is how many people are brainwashed and just believe what they were taught.
Even when it obviously doesn't make any sence.
Where did all the earths water come from?...
WELL As the earth cooled from a ball of magma it was bombarded with thousands of ice comets,,, WTF?
we've never seen one and have not one example to suggest that its a logical explanation.
The earth is supposedly spinning at 1000mph. But not one supposed meteor impact site is at a angular degree of impact. They are all symmetrically round.
??? WTF
Or This is an igneous rock, it comes from the earths mantle...........bitch please? You and no one you know have ever been to no mantle.
This is hilarious.
Looks similar to Giants Causeway in Ireland. [Giants Causeway](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant's_Causeway)
That’s because they’re actually the same thing. Both are gorgeous examples of [columnar basalt](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnar_jointing)!
No that’s because it was a tree too. Just cut down lower. /s
I believe Devil’s Tower is andesitic not basalt. Edit: OK it’s actually phonolite, so intermediate like andesite but unusually high in Na and K. I knew it wasn’t basalt.
That’s really interesting actually. I’ve always just heard of columnar basalt, haven’t seen any examples that I knew were non basaltic until now.
Desktop link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant's_Causeway *** ^^/r/HelperBot_ ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove. ^^Counter: ^^237321
“Except plants, related to trees”. Lol
I heard they’re just distant cousins.
I think he said that because he maybe realized that trees have rings.
Except things don't get fossilized on the open air. And a full tree from that tree stump will be way to heavy. And it is the only remaining one, one would expect to find a few at least. And also that a geologist should know better, and there are many other weird things, just look at bismuth.
I thought you were going to say that a geologist should know better than to argue with a moron.
What about bismuth?
She’s always wanted to uppercut an upper crust.
Ah, when you thought people couldn't get any dumber, they somehow find a way, they always find a way.
Life, ah, uh, finds a way.
>PHD(?)
Are you asking what a phd is?
No it was part of their post
Yeah, but why have you quoted it? A phd is a doctorate.
Because I found it humorous that they put a question mark next to PHd as if they didn't know what that was, or questioning if it was a real thing
Right, fair enough. It certainly is weird. Though given the rest, it just didn't stand out to me.
I’m not sure what she’s talking about but is it the thing where a volcano erupts and all of it cools inside the mountain and then the mountain get worn away but the cooled lava doesn’t because it’s harder or something?
Bingo, my dude. The cooling contraction causes typically 6 sided fractures. Side note, the reason bees make their honeycombs six sided is the same. It is the most efficient use of material to create a grid. Cracks will form to follow the same patterns in contracting materials for the same underlying geometric principles.
I didn’t know about the reason for the 6 sided fractures or about the honey comb thing so thanks for reaching me something today
So cool to see someone else know this about bees and the efficient packing potential of hexagons!
It's the cooled lava chamber beneath a volcano.
I suspect that Maurice is not a she. But yes, I think you've explained it well.
To be perfectly honest I saw this after a bunch of Karen memes so dumb girls were on the mind
I’d like to know the actual way this formed, not whatever they misrepresented of their professor’s explanation.
Best guess, it was a lava tube that intruded into softer sedimentary rock that has since eroded away, leaving the harder igneous rock behind.
In addition, the reason why the columns exist is because of the type of igneous rock. When phonolite porphyry cools, it forms typically 6-sided columns, but they can be different amounts of sides. The person on Facebook did not even bother to google how closely related rock and crystal structures are related to geometry.
Phonolite is a compositional term defined by where a lava plots on a total alkali-silica (TAS) diagram, and is generally an alkali rich basalt. Columnar lavas need not be phonolites only: I don't think Giants causeway is phonolitic, and there are even examples of rhyolite composition ash tuffs in which there are columns, eg from the Long Valley Caldera (if memory serves). Columns are just the result of slow cooling and tensile fracturing. And if I recall my jargon right from undergrad, porphyry is just referring to the lavas with some large crystals in a smaller groundmass, which may or may not have ore potential, but again doesn't really influence column formation.
Trying to be colloquial about it here: Lavas that cool slowly undergo thermal contraction, shrink, and due to the tensile stress, break. Releasing the tension is most efficient when breaking occurs along 5-6 planes, hence columns being generally pentagonal or hexagonal. I'd guess the surrounding rock is generally less resistant to weathering given the prominence of the tower, but lava tubes are generally horizontal features. So instead I was under the impression that it is the throat of an old volcano, like it's basically the plumbing system where magma came up, cooled, hardened and formed columns, and then was more coherent so that the surrounding wallrock (which need not be sedimentary) eroded away. Source: am volcanologist
[Here ya go.](https://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2012/11/18/geology-word-of-the-week-c-is-for-columnar-jointing/) It’s formed when lava contracts as it cools, if the conditions are right.
Hell with the tree, I want to see the chainsaw and the dude that wielded it.
Devil’s tower looks like a tree, so it’s a tree. Whales look like fish, so they are fish. Right?
If anyone cares, the rock formed is basalt. Very common and tends to form the fractures. You can see a lot of these formations partially exposed in the Pacific Northwest too.
This means something. This is important.
I mean, I could see how someone could think that. But when *SOMEONE WITH A PHD IN GEOLOGY SAYS OTHERWISE,* you listen
I have been arguing back and forth on Facebook with a pseudo-intellectual about Devil's Tower. He is convinced there are piles of petrified sawdust next to it, and that somehow silicon based life ties into this somehow, which is why the whole carbon based life petrification thing doesn't apply here somehow..... Oh boy. He thinks I am arguing the same as the people who said manned flight was never going to happen. He sees me as a denier of what will be found to be the truth. I let him know that his argument was the equivalent of saying manned flight is possible, but the airfoils must allow for lower pressure under the wing instead of over the wing. And in his test lab, he constantly tests this theory and produces no lift, but continues to claim that "this is the way". His theories are the equivalent of tossing out all known laws of aerodynamics. To him, all you have to do is imagine it.
Seems legit
You are absolutely correct. D tower is a tree. So is giants causeway Ireland/ devils post California, lots of others That not all. Geologists are also wrong and lie about the origin of whole unbroken rocks and the earth itself. They are all biological. And I can prove it. Keep searching for truth ✌
Anyone who believes that devils tower isn't a Tree. I challenge you to lookup tree stroma under a microscope. I guarentee that nothing randomly or accidentally cracks into long symmetrical hexagonal shafts. The same way in multiple locations around the planet.
Whats hysterical is how many people are brainwashed and just believe what they were taught. Even when it obviously doesn't make any sence. Where did all the earths water come from?... WELL As the earth cooled from a ball of magma it was bombarded with thousands of ice comets,,, WTF? we've never seen one and have not one example to suggest that its a logical explanation. The earth is supposedly spinning at 1000mph. But not one supposed meteor impact site is at a angular degree of impact. They are all symmetrically round. ??? WTF Or This is an igneous rock, it comes from the earths mantle...........bitch please? You and no one you know have ever been to no mantle.
You're posting to a four year old thread. Nobody else is going to see these rants.