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What are some commonly known facts that are too bizarre for you to believe to be true? (lemm.ee)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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For me it is the fact that our blood contains iron. I earlier used to believe the word stood for some 'organic element' since I couldn't accept we had metal flowing through our supposed carbon-based bodies, till I realized that is where the taste and smell of blood comes from.

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[–] 63 points 3 years ago (5 children)

Calcium is a metal. We have metal bones.

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  • [–] 54 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (2 children)

    From Wikipedia on bones:

    Bone matrix is 90 to 95% composed of elastic collagen fibers, also known as ossein,[5] and the remainder is ground substance.[6] The elasticity of collagen improves fracture resistance.[7] The matrix is hardened by the binding of inorganic mineral salt, calcium phosphate, in a chemical arrangement known as bone mineral, a form of calcium apatite.[9]

    So the statement is a bit faulty, not only because of the relative low amount of calcium in our bones, but also because it appears as a mineral. We distinguish between salts and metals because of their chemical properties being quite different (solubility, reflectiveness, electrical conductivity, maleability and so on).

    Edit: I do realize the point of the comment was not to be entirely factual, so if I am allowed as well I would say science is pretty metal.

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  • [–] 12 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    We also distinguish between metals and non-metals by field of study. Ask an astronomer which elements are metals sometime.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    How so? I thought they were mostly determined by their positions in the table of periodic elements.

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  • [–] 14 points 3 years ago* (1 child)

    Lol, they are. In astronomy anything heavier than Helium. is considered a metal.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallicity

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  • [–] 10 points 3 years ago

    Well TIL. It makes sense that from an astronomical perspective the use of metal as a qualitative distinction of material properties makes less sense than as a distinction of mass.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 years ago (4 children)

    Oh my... I refuse to accept this as reality

    We're all organically powered metal meat machines? 😭

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  • [–] 9 points 3 years ago

    In the same sense that we contain a massive volume of gas, because there is a lot of hydrogen in our bodies. Yes, hydrogen is a gas, and yes, there is a lot of it on our body. But it's bound, so it doesn't count.

    It would be more accurate to call it stone than metal, because the calcium in our bones is also bound to other elements, which means it does not exhibit its usual metal characteristics.

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