The Rest Is Politics: US Introducing: The Rest Is Science
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Nov 26, 2025 Dive into a world where ice is classified as a mineral and water is likened to molten rock! The hosts explore the intriguing comparison of lava and ice, addressing their fluid dynamics and bizarre transformations. Uncover the shocking reality that only a tiny fraction of Earth's water is accessible for human use, leading to a fascinating discussion about household consumption and refrigeration. They even ponder whether our planet's water formed here or journeyed from space, revealing that much of it could be older than the sun!
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Water As Lava
- Ice is a mineral because it's an inorganic solid with a crystal structure, so a cube of ice qualifies as a monomineralic rock.
- Melted ice therefore counts as molten rock, meaning water can be described as lava in a geological sense.
Shared Fluid Behavior
- Lava and water share the same fluid-dynamics behavior when molten, with viscosity changing as they cool.
- Materials transition through toothpaste- or slush-like phases where flow requires shear forces.
Fresh Water Is Extremely Scarce
- Only 2.5% of Earth's water is fresh, and most of that is locked in glaciers or groundwater.
- Accessible surface fresh water—rivers, lakes, and streams—makes up roughly 0.0072% of all Earth’s water.