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Microbes Keep Society And Ecosystems Running
- James explains a world with no bacteria would seem normal for about a week before rapid collapse.
- Lack of microbial nitrogen fixation and decomposition would trigger ecosystem and societal failure within a year.
Cave 'Snottites' That Sparkle Caves
- James recounts microbial cave formations called "snottites" that hang like stalactites and feel like bogies.
- These bacteria produce sulfuric acid which dissolves limestone and forms sparkling gypsum crystals in caves.
Numbers Depend On Consistent Definitions
- Removing a single numeral conceptually breaks number definitions if you define higher numbers recursively.
- Numeral systems rely on consistent base definitions, so arbitrary deletions cause cascading inconsistencies.