this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2024
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[โ€“] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Wait, I'm confused. Glass is a blob that is slowly cooled, same with obsidian. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass#Microscopic_structure

[โ€“] NaevaTheRat@vegantheoryclub.org 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

opal is what happens when spheres of particular size pack in grain structures of particular size.

you get like interference making diffraction patterns, but not monochrome because pseudo (meta?) crytals of balls modify the ball modes. you can make opal from latex balls, it's just not hard or as pretty. .

Basically opal is just the earth playing with its balls.